So the car in question is my 85 Hatch.   Hood and roof destroyed by a slow elk.   I was going to cut the A-pillar about 8" up and cut the roof out all the way back to the front of B-pillar.    Then put in an 8" lexan windshield.   Of course, this would be my 'summer' car... as it would be a full-time convertable.

  However, I am thinking I may want to fix the Hatchie properly.    Question is, can I use an earlier EA81 wagon hood and roof to replace the Hatchie's?   Like an 80-84 wagon?

  What do you think ... any way a good body man can cut/weld in a new top and fix the hood hinges and get a new windshield to fit?

  I don't know ... kinda leaning towards the convertable.   Nobody has one of those ... right?

To start with, you would need to do some underbody strengthening before you cut the roof off. Otherwise, it would start to fold on you. And it will do so starting as soon as you cut the roof out.

 

Front end sheetmetal is basically all the same on the EA81's. Difference in the radiator support for the different headlight systems plus their trim pieces.

 

I know a few "Old Skool" body men that have the skill to do all of the needed cut/fit to piece together a vehicle. But that is here in Michigan. Maybe there is someone around you, don't know. Do know in talking with these guys, it is a dying skill.

 

Doing the needed work won't be cheap either.

Uh .. Oh.   Folding body doesn't sound good.    Maybe I'll just remove the headliner and start pounding with BFH.    Then cut in an aftermarket sunroof and fab a polycarbonite windshield.   I'll post some pics of the damage (from home).  

Yeah, the roof is the "brace" for the stiffness of the body.

 

Can't say much on Hatch, Wagon, or Sedan structure for the "A", "B", etc.., etc.., pillars. But did cut the roof of my 1st BRAT, an '86. Serious layering of sheetmetal in those pillars.

 

Hit a salvage yard and find any make of convertible and take a look under it. You'll see differences in it's floorpan vs. that of same make that is a hardtop. It will give you a good idea of what is needed to be done.

 

You basically have to tie the front and rear sub-frames together.

 

They have turned a few of these Subaru's into convertibles, so it can be done.

does not have to be subie sourced sheet metal either. Guys working with old vintage cars have been known to borrow curves n shapes off modern vehicles to achieve original lines on old cars. Once saw a thread on a young guy in Australia doing just that on a more modern car - just had an eye for the shapes - a real talent to finish what he started !

Or you could graft in a BRAT t-top section in between the A and B pillars.

Edited July 10, 201510 yr by tundrabrat