Sorry if this thread is misplaced, kind of confusing topic. Well, anyway. My 1989 Dodge B350 has a high top. I am almost positive it's made out of fiberglass. Just adjacent to the high top, there is extensive rust.

Now, to take care of that - some welding is needed. But I take it fiberglass will melt easily close to such heat. The best thing would be to have the high top removed, the rust taken care of and to refit the high top. Sadly it would require a lot of work and interior would have to be removed.

Would it be a good idea to cut out a piece of the high top next to the rusted area, repair the metal and then replace the piece of fiberglass and repair the cuts? Any other options or ideas? Thank you.

 

I would, depending if you can do this, cut the rust out, sand and then fill with putty epoxy or bondo...

 

The rust is above the back doors, and stretches in like 5-7 inches on both sides of the van just below the high top. Without good replacement metal the back doors will not be correctly alligned or make a good weather seal.

 

Fiberglass itself is actually fireproof, however the resin used to wet it out is not.

Do not cut out the fiberglass and expect bondo to replace what is missing in such a structural area.

I don't know how close you can weld to it. You are really opening a can of worms as the rust you see is just the visible rust, and once you goto address it, you will see the true extent. If this rust is effecting the door closing I 'd expect to see van scrapping levels of rust.

I've had my roof completely off once, and other times unscrewed and resting on two 2x4x8 on the van itself while I made an attempt to slow down the rust.

The conversion company decided that coarse drywall screws were the perfect fastener to hold my fiberglass roof on. You know the screws which rust when you breathe on them.

I have major issues with rust around the whole roof perimeter from the conversion company saving a few dollars by using these drywall screws, despite many attempts to address the issue. The rain gutter over my side doors and rear doors is now aluminum.

 

Thank you for your input. I've owned quite a few vans through the years and this one is remarkably clean as far as rust goes. That being said, it's always worse than it looks, but the general condition is good.

The problem is, just like in your case. A bad fitting of the high top. The company just seem to have cut the roof off and never even thought about weatherproofing when they installed the high top. To better explain the problem I will add some pictures:




This is the main problem. The part above the doors is no problem since I don't have to weld there. I will fabricate a clean piece that will go along the top of the doors and the high top... However, I need to attach it on both sides and as visible I will need to cut out some of the steel to do this and I am afraid the high top will melt, so I want to cut out a piece of that as well. JUST along the corner where I need to weld.


I am not sure how the high top is attached. Normally it would have a frame around the outside of the high top with screws right through it, but I cannot find any such thing. In my opinion it looks like the entire high top is glued on to the van, with one exception as visible on below picture. Might this be the case?





A frame in the front, holding the entire high top with the help of glue around the other ledges? Anyways, it might be attached from inside somehow. However, I've looked behind the interior and I cannot find anything but glue and sealer.

What do you think?

 

Looks like that top is just fully resting on the flats of the roof gutter( except over the windshield), then they just used adhesive sealant from the inside to glue it down.

I would say it might be safe to drive some SS screws 3/4 inches above the roof gutter, then cut the fiberglass roof with a angle grinder and cut off wheel below, trying to not go into the metal.. I have done something similar in areas as I did not want the bottom of the fiberglass to be able to trap water in the gutter

I suspect you have more sealant from whoever mounted the roof applied from the inside after the roof was already resting on the gutter flats. The bond of this sealant from fiberglass to painted metal will determine how much you can remove, and you won't really know until you investigate the properties of this sealant further. You might be able to separate it from the metal, raise the roof on some 2x4, and get all the access you need, or you might have to just remove fiberglass inside the gutter to access the metal, if the sealant is just to strong to remove.

 

Hi there, not sure if you are still on this page.. as this discussion was on 2007! I am contemplating removing the fibreglass roof of my 89 ram van as the gutters are totally rusted out.. I would be eternally greatful if you had any advice or pointers as to the best way to do this? many thanks in advance rob

 

old thread but Landyacht is telling you right

..............................