Is it bad!?!... I think its bad

[krs09]

So im still working on getting the D in good order. Right now im getting ready to put in a new water pump and in the mean time im replacing all the heater hoses and cleaning out my radiator. While working I take look at the roof in the rear and it does look like my T panel is a little bent, so I take off the black cover piece and this is what is find!!..
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I remember a link to a site that had a step by step on how to fix this problem. Any one know it ??.. Is it even fixable or is it too far gone? I guess if or when I fix that it should help my door alignment issue..

[Dangermouse]

How quickly do your doors open? Quite quickly I would guess.

Check the How To section for a thread on Roof Tie Down or Bolt Down.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Very common. Your roof plate bond has broken loose. You need to get it screwed back down.

[DMC5180]

That's a fairly common problem and Is very fixable. It's also very common for the black plastic piece to heat warp. I replaced mine with the DMCEU stainless one. I've been thinking about experimenting on my old plastic one with some heat massaging too see if I could savage it. I can't really hurt it any more than it already is.

[Kenny_Z]

It's an easy fix fairly cheap. A drill, bits, sealer, nuts, and bolts are all you need. Plus a stern stomach to drill holes through the top of your Delorean.

http://uploads.m-cgi.com/kennyz/Delorean/Projects/tpan02.jpg
http://uploads.m-cgi.com/kennyz/Delorean/Projects/tpan13.jpg
http://uploads.m-cgi.com/kennyz/Delorean/Projects/tpan12.jpg

[krs09]

It's an easy fix fairly cheap. A drill, bits, sealer, nuts, and bolts are all you need. Plus a stern stomach to drill holes through the top of your Delorean.

http://uploads.m-cgi.com/kennyz/Delorean/Projects/tpan02.jpg
http://uploads.m-cgi.com/kennyz/Delorean/Projects/tpan13.jpg
http://uploads.m-cgi.com/kennyz/Delorean/Projects/tpan12.jpg

Thank god.. Do i have to take the torsion bars out??

[Kenny_Z]

Nope, just don't hit them. If you drill off to the side like I did you won't even be close. Just watch for wires and put something in the car to catch the debris unless you want to be vacuuming it out of everything for awhile. If you don't get one of the kits available get a normal bolt, not a carriage bolt like I bought. It was a pain in the ass to tighten down.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Another fix is to put screws in the back side like I did. But that requires you to remove the T bars and get pressure on the top to press down the plate and hold it there before you put in the screws. What it saves is not needing to remove the headliner.

[Nicholas R]

I would think it's a bad idea to try and fix this without removing the torsion bars. If the torsion bars are what's popping it, then the entire time you're screwing into the top you're fighting the spring force of the T bars. The potential for tearing the screws out is so much higher when you're fighting the T bars during install.

[Elvis]

This is how I did it last year on a friends car.

1521815219152201522115222

[Kenny_Z]

I would think it's a bad idea to try and fix this without removing the torsion bars. If the torsion bars are what's popping it, then the entire time you're screwing into the top you're fighting the spring force of the T bars. The potential for tearing the screws out is so much higher when you're fighting the T bars during install.

If you're putting a bolt through the top with a set of decent sized washers then you won't have to worry about anything breaking. You will be fighting the torsion bar but it wasn't bad with a 1/2 ratchet on the bottom and a large wrench on the top. Just be paranoid about putting that ratchet into your rear window. I taped up a piece of foam just in case.

[Morpheus]

If you're putting a bolt through the top with a set of decent sized washers then you won't have to worry about anything breaking. You will be fighting the torsion bar but it wasn't bad with a 1/2 ratchet on the bottom and a large wrench on the top. Just be paranoid about putting that ratchet into your rear window. I taped up a piece of foam just in case.

I think what Nick was trying to say is the Torsion Bars are not very difficult to remove (with the proper jig and correct tools), so why risk damaging or putting more stress on them while performing this procedure? IMHO, it's just not worth the risk.

I did this repair on my first D, and I did not hesitate to take the bars out. Better safe than sorry, especially with that much stored energy on tap.

[Nicholas R]

I think what Nick was trying to say is the Torsion Bars are not very difficult to remove (with the proper jig and correct tools), so why risk damaging or putting more stress on them while performing this procedure? IMHO, it's just not worth the risk.

I did this repair on my first D, and I did not hesitate to take the bars out. Better safe than sorry, especially with that much stored energy on tap.

I agree. I'm not going to argue that it's not possible to do with the bars in, but I would not take the risk. There is so much stored energy there. Seriously; just imagine how much energy it would take you, not to lift one of your doors, but to rotate it about the axis that the torsion bars do. Then multiply it by 2. Ridiculous amount of energy. If the torsion bars were difficult to take out, maybe it would be one thing. If you're going to remove your t-panel, your headliner, drill through your roof, and put bolts through it, you should be able to remove a torsion bar. Just need the proper (common) tools, and a friend.

[Ron]

$.02
Alex and I fabricated a new center box and patched a couple of other small sections, so we had the whole nine yards off. From that experience, I would say in this case just loosen the tension, since you will want to readjust them anyway! ...we only used two bolts with large washers just off center near the torsion bars, but had the same glue the factory used for the rear piece.. [Thanks again to Dave S for tips!]

(Someone took tons of pics and measurements and was going to make a how-to, but got busy...HINT HINT ;-)

[DrJeff]

Just need the proper (common) tools, and a friend.

What exactly are the common told for this? Anyone have a link?

Thanks

[Nicholas R]

1/2" drive breaker bar, very long extension, proper size allen head socket, wrench for the bracket screws, and the wooden resting rack. Someone will have to post a photo of the wooden thing.

[Kenny_Z]

Just need the proper (common) tools, and a friend.

I've got the tools but not the friend. I work weird hours. Plus I'm not a very social guy.

[krs09]

How quickly do your doors open? Quite quickly I would guess.

Check the How To section for a thread on Roof Tie Down or Bolt Down.

I guess they do pop open pretty quickly. I feel like I cant let then go until they fully opened (scared it will bang against the roof) Maybe im just a little puss. Why do you guess?? I cant find that link.. I suck at finding stuff on this site though.

[krs09]

This is how I did it last year on a friends car.

1521815219152201522115222

Nice.. Thanks for the pics.

[krs09]

I've got the tools but not the friend. I work weird hours. Plus I'm not a very social guy.

Haha. Ill be your friend.. For the tools.. Haha. Besides my D came from Alabama. You may have seen her around town.

[Mark D]

Some pics in this thread of DMCH securing the roof structure back to the fiberglass on my car:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?2551-Roof-structure-and-doors

This is an example of the method that does not require removal of the T panel or headliner.

Lots of other good threads are out there too if you search around the board.

[Dangermouse]

I guess they do pop open pretty quickly. I feel like I cant let then go until they fully opened (scared it will bang against the roof) Maybe im just a little puss. Why do you guess?? I cant find that link.. I suck at finding stuff on this site though.

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1279-How-To-Torsion-bar-Panel-Reinforcement