Thoughts on collision repair

[jbryant]

Hello and Happy New Year to everyone! I am a new member and hope I can add a thought here or there. I have been reading Pelican threads for a while and know I will benifit from some people who know way to much about Porsches. My question today is...Can the damage to my roof (I hit a deer) be repaired without loosing structural integrity?I use the car for DE's and plan (any suggestions) on a roll cage. Will this help? Any advise would be appreciated, thanks!

img]http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/wreck 3.JPG[/img]

Also...anyone know how to get antler cuts out of a leather dash (seriously)?

[Moses]

Looks like that was some deer! Glad you are OK.

When steel is bent then reformed into it's original shape there can be some loss of strength. I would think that would not be significant. The important thing is that your "A" pillars look OK as do your "B" pillars.

If there is a race shop nearby I'm sure they could give you an educated idea about your roof strength.

The antler holes may require a new dash I think. Good luck.

[cary]

I don't think the top is important if you have a full cage.
GT- Racing makes a FG replacement for the top. More helmet room and no sun roof.

[GSpreeman]

Jesus! How fast were you going? Was the deer full grown?

[911nut]

The problem with the roof damage is the damage to the windshield aperature. I think the only way to repair the roof right would be to replace it. Otherwise you run the risk of having your windshield leak. Another benefit of replacing the roof would be to eliminate the sunroof, as previously stated.
Now would also be a good time to replace your dash while the windshield is "out". There isn't a good way to repair cuts in leather.

[jbryant]

Gspreeman- I was on my way home from the Potomac swap meet and it was one of the last good driving days before the Virginia winter weather sets in...so I was only watching the RPM's. lets say a little faster than the posted limit! The late deer was a 10 point buck in the 200# + range. It actualy came in the car!! He left 5 of the points in the car!

Jim

[GeorgeK]

I also can't help but cringe at what looks like a H1 there...
For the roof, I'd also say swap it. You'll hate the leaks and rust that will start tere if pulled incorrectly.
GeorgeK

[jbryant]

911nut- Does this mean my car is going to fog up!
Do you think I will have the same problem with leaking by switching roofs? Or do new roofs line up better?

Jim

[jbryant]

H1?

[GeorgeK]

Jim, your problem is that it is an awkward place to hammer/pull back, and there will be bondo there, under a seal where you can't check for rust easily. A new roof is welded in at the A, B and C pillars, where the metal is substantial, and the chance of rust is less.
H1: the headlight, that is unobtainium now.
GeorgeK

[Adam]

H4s will look the same, though. Guys, how big a job is a whole new roof/turret on a 911? Will it maintain it's rigidity?

You're damned lucky you weren't killed!

[pete98m3]

that with teh sunroof and the windshield right there is a veeeeeeeeery hard piece to fix properly without a replacement roof...

any good shop will probably recommend the same, they will likely tell you they can try to fix it but they probably won't garrentee seals and proper fitment fo the windshield and sunroof.

they will be able to replace the roof with minimal decreases in ridgitity... however its going to introduce a few new seams in so it will enver be quite as good as nwe...

after working in the repair industry i would definalty opt for the new roof, both for drivability, and for resale... if u have a poor patch job with ****ty filler work and seals that don't fit right, its going to irritate you a lot more then some invisible welds and a tiny increase in ridgity.

[KevinP73]

Sorry to be the odd man here but I wouldn't even consider changing that roof just for that little damage. It's in an area thats very easy to grab and pull with the proper equipment. It would take ten times the effort to R&R the roof than simply repair it.
Just my humble(& professional) opinion

[pete98m3]

if he finds a shop that can do a good job then yes its easier, but if somebody ****s the pull up its going to be a real mess there wtih those two seams... considering how many shops out there are NOT good, i made the recommendation to replace the roof... but yeah if u have a good shop that you know the quality of the work then thats repairable... still a fair number of hours into that repair tho..

[JeremyD]

You'r lucky one of those antlers didn't turn you into a shish-kabob!

[cstreit]

...as was mentioned memtioned before...

If you're installing a FULL cage, the rigidity a new roof or repaired one won't matter as much. SInce the roof does add structural strength and it's a DE car anyway, I would make sure the cage goes to the suspension pickups.

I dunno enough about bodies to second the rust issues, though I would guess a perfect hammer out is impossible and sme bondo would be in oder. That means the potential for rust. Good time to go with a fiberglass roof and sunroof delete...

[Series900]

Pull it first, then decide. and if you are going with a cage, cut the outer skin off , bond on a glass skin.

[NoLift911]

Just curious where you plan to get the work done as well as that may dictate what is done.

I would suggest Wagon Works in Arlington...they are the best I have seen and love older cars.

Replacing the roof for that amount of damage seems odd to me.

-Jeff
nolift911@hotmail.com

[jbryant]

Thanks for all the insight.
I am going to try pulling it and see what happens...I took the car to Karosserie in Fairfax,. Wagon Works also came highly recomended(not as much as Karosserie-PCA Boards).

Jim

[NoLift911]

Jim,

You can't go wrong there...Lou Houser has done some phenomenal stuff for me...you are in good hands.

Good Luck and let us know how it turns out...

-Jeff
nolift911@hotmail.com