Car Repair (Accident Part II)

Phil W · 14 Mar 2006 at 15:38

The roof is not a key part of the car.

We walked up to the sides and pushed them as hard as we could, they didnt budge.

Basically there are bars bolted in at 4 points along the roof, which the roof then bolts to, and is then welded to the car along the guttering.

The front is held in by a bar going between the A-Pillar's, and then the roof bolts to that.

Its perfectly normal, insurers wont touch it because its quitew a big job, the interior has to be stripped out etc. As long as they roof is spot welded in as it was originally, its fine.

You can buy brand new roof skin's for any car, they cost £200 though (for my saxo anyway).

Phil W · 14 Mar 2006 at 15:39

Firestar_3x said:
Looks like the top front of the roof which is a main structual beam has been cut right through, how can that only be a skin?

The bar bolts on to the A-Pillars either side, the roof skin then attaches to that.

Firestar_3x · 14 Mar 2006 at 15:42

Phil W said:
The bar bolts on to the A-Pillars either side, the roof skin then attaches to that.

IC looks like the bar has been cut thats all

Spanker · 14 Mar 2006 at 15:45

We replace to roof's on many cars, they are only a skin and is a fairly straight forward job

The said cars have normally been damaged by our transporter drivers having the top deck to low etc :rolleyes:

Phil W · 14 Mar 2006 at 15:45

Nothing of the original roof has been cut at all.

If you look at the A-Pillars, you will see a light cream-brown coloured piece of metal, thats is where the original bar going across the front was bolted to, and where the new one also bolts to.

chopchop · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:02

hello???

you got asked what happened to it in the first place...

Phil W · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:08

chopchop said:
hello???

you got asked what happened to it in the first place...

Search for it.

TripleT · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:09

I'm having trouble finding it, link anyone?

Bit extreme repairs, not be better/easier to write it off?

cymatty · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:11

TripleT said:
I'm having trouble finding it, link anyone?

Bit extreme repairs, not be better/easier to write it off?

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17544031

Phil W · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:12

TripleT said:
I'm having trouble finding it, link anyone?

Bit extreme repairs, not be better/easier to write it off?

Not really, its an easier job than fixing a dent to the rear quarter.

The time involved is mainley getting the interior ready, you have to take the plastic trim off the pillars, front seats out, all rubber trims etc have to be removed, thats is the time consuming bit.

The roof's are like for like, so the new skin will just slot into place without any quarms.

TripleT · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:19

So you're not going through insurance companies, what happens if the guy tries any legal bull?

I take it it's been investigated, like to prof that your brother wasn't speeding or anything like that?

[TW]Fox · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:20

Doesn't it cost a fortune to have your brother on your insurance for those few times when he might need to borrow your car?

Phil W · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:22

Yes, the Police did all the necessary checks, the car was road legal, and my brother wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary. It was just bad luck the lad was a) walking in the road, and b) too drunk to realise what he was doing.

He has since said that he can't remember a thing about the entire night, let along being hit.

Phil W · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:23

[TW]Fox said:
Doesn't it cost a fortune to have your brother on your insurance for those few times when he might need to borrow your car?

No, he was on the policy for a 1 month basis as he needed the car to get to college and back once a week whilst the "Bargain Corsa" was waiting to be tax'd.

GT3 · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:24

I don't see why everyones going OMG should be a write off :eek:

Only the roof skin has to be cut out along the welds, the supporting bars underneath just bolt on.

As long as its just the roof skin and none of the pillars are damaged then its a relatively simple job and once replaced it will be as it was before. Certainly a lot easier than inner wing damage, rear three quarter damage or boot floor damage.

TripleT · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:27

If it's a reletively simple job then why do insurance companies **** one everytime they see a damaged roof? :confused:

GT3 · 14 Mar 2006 at 16:29

TripleT said:
If it's a reletively simple job then why do insurance companies **** one everytime they see a damaged roof?

Because usually a damaged roof means its been rolled and is not just damage to the roofskin.

Spanker · 14 Mar 2006 at 17:30

GT3 said:
Only the roof skin has to be cut out along the welds, the supporting bars underneath just bolt on.

If it's a modern car it just needs the spot welds drilling.

Dr Who · 14 Mar 2006 at 19:32

Firestar_3x said:
Looks like the top front of the roof which is a main structual beam has been cut right through, how can that only be a skin?

Suggest watching wrecks to riches...

they can replace pretty much any part of the structure if they cut the old part out right and have the right tools...

Front A pillars would be a no no tho...

Lopéz · 14 Mar 2006 at 22:52

Christ, if you binned a Mk2 Escort shell every time you stoved the roof in you would very very quickly run out of shells. 205's have brazed on roof skins, I'd definitely replace a roof before scrapping a shell. My mates rally Nova has had 3 roofs replaced on one shell.

A friend of mine managed to drive into one of those famous decapitating barriers at ASDA, he slid his Mk1 Golf under the barrier and hit the A-pillar, stoving the screen in too. New bonnet, new wing, cut the outer A pillar off a scrap shell and graft it in. Sorted.