Has anyone out there any experience deals with a rusted "inner" roof panel short of chopping it of and replacing from a donor?
My 72 GMC had problems with the sealant in the roof rail and water got between the inner and outer panels. Now the inner panel above the windshield is full of pinholes.
I was wondering if I drilled out the spot welds along the roof rail and cout allong the seam above the rear window if I could get at the back side and repair it right.

Any suggestions? I do have a potential donor cab with a solid roof.


72 supercustom 402bb/TH400

Sounds like you have a handle on it to me, especially with a donor cab standing by.

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'52 Buick Special Dlx
'68 Camaro
'69 C-10 Panel truck( no windows right now)
'77 LeSabre
'78 Monte-bu (Malibu w/ Montecarlo front clip
'78 Malibu
'79 Malibu
'83 280ZX
'83 280ZX (w/ LT1 and 460LE out of '94 Formula Firebird)
'93 Roadmaster wagon

One of my friends has a 71 chevy pickup and his rusted in the same spot. He just threw the cab away and found another one.

try por 15 floor kit and rust proof through visor holes.

This is a very common problem. When I was looking for a doner for metal to close up a sunroof hole in my rust free cab I looked at many in the yards. They were all rusted above the windshield or doors or both to some degree. With all of that rust going on between the roof panels there is no way to stop it without getting in there. The roof pillars are not too wide and it would be a lot less work to put on a roof from a solid doner that try to seperate the 2 roof panels and weld them back together. If the rest of your cab is good this isn't that big of a deal. Just take good measurements and check several times. I would bet that a good body shop would cut off the old one and weld on the new one leaving the finish work to you for a reasonable price.

Tom