Best way to repair roof rust FJ60 '87

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Nicky V

Nicky V

Joined
Nov 10, 2024
Threads
4
Messages
9
Location
Austin, Texas
Took the truck to a body shop and the guy wanted to fiberglass the spots. Guy was mentioning that with welding there is a good chance the head liner will melt I am not familiar with body work and was under the impression that the rusted area could/should be replaced by pieces salvaged from another FJ roof. roof kits ?

first bubbled area is 14 inches in length and the are in the back is 20 inches of rust spots/area. California truck.

how bad is the rust looking?

what would be the best steps to repair the rust spots? I would have to have a body shop replace the roof panels/kits.

Thanks

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To have that handled properly by a professional in 2026 will be a five figure repair. Anything less is probably not worth the saving as it will most likely end up looking the same a few years later.

Keep in mind shops that can actually fix things like this are few and far between these days. If anyone can or wants to take this on right away, be very careful.

Fiberglass and not wanting to remove a headliner means they are not professionals.
This is a full-disassembly level of rust to fix it right.
 
That has been repaired before - that's definitely body filler. I'm not saying body filler is the *wrong* fix, but if you don't properly remove & neutralize the rust, and then encapsulate the steel (epoxy paint) before applying body filler, it will just continue to rust underneath it.

I don't think it would be a 5-figure repair to do it properly as long as you're okay with the roof not being perfect. However to do the necessary welding will probably require removal of the headliner, which unfortunately is a very tedious and difficult task on this vehicle. At the very minimum, to repair the areas shown you will need to remove the passenger side rear cargo window to take the headliner down in that area.

If you just want to drive the vehicle, and don't mind if the job isn't done "properly", fiberglass can work. But it if they don't properly remove all the rust, neutralize it, and then encapsulate the area with a good epoxy primer, it will rust under the fiberglass.
 
Nicky V said:
Took the truck to a body shop and the guy wanted to fiberglass the spots. Guy was mentioning that with welding there is a good chance the head liner will melt I am not familiar with body work and was under the impression that the rusted area could/should be replaced by pieces salvaged from another FJ roof. roof kits ?

first bubbled area is 14 inches in length and the are in the back is 20 inches of rust spots/area. California truck.

how bad is the rust looking?

what would be the best steps to repair the rust spots? I would have to have a body shop replace the roof panels/kits.

Thanks

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Scroll through this thread, there is a very detailed roof repair/rebuild section, very informative, very involved.

Hokie LX

Build Thread 'Sandy the Tan FJ60'

Hi all,

Let me set the stage for you all. It all started way way back in January 2021 when my brother, @Hokierig , asked if I wanted to go to SAS#5 with him in Ouray, CO. I'm always up for a Cruiser trip but we had to take his FJ62 since I only had my 100 series at the time. After an amazing week wrenching, wheeling, sightseeing, and meeting new friends (most of whom had 60's), I left that week with a burning desire for a 60 series and told the new guys I'd met there that I would buy one soon enough. The search began for a 60 that was relatively rust free, able to be wheeled without...
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Or cut roof skin off and add a camper shell

BrickRunner

Build Thread 'Harumi the Rusty Rescue JDM HJ60 - Build Thread'

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Hello Mud People!
This is the story of Harumi the Rusty Rescue, a poor neglected cruiser full of rust holes. I've wanted a Land Cruiser since I was 16, but ended up getting a 1st gen 4Runner when I was 17 (which was a compromise with the folks, who were footing the bill). The 4Runner served me well through college as a commuter and adventuremobile. After graduation I picked up a MK1 MR2 as a commuter to save on gas and keep the miles off of the 4Runner, also allowing down time on the 4Runner for more involved projects. After the 4Runner was 'done', the focus came to...
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Here's the guide from one of the above so you don't have to search the whole thing
Best way to do it
Hokie LX

Thread 'How to Guide: Roof Rust Repair by Removing Roof Skin FJ60/62'

Hi all,

Before I start, I want to give another huge shout out to @GLTHFJ60 who was instrumental in making this project happen and I cannot thank him enough for his guidance and help along the way!

For those following my build thread, I have already detailed it there but I wanted to make a separate thread that is more searchable to help guide others in this process to fix their roof rust. I'll skip the 100 pictures in my build thread and instead focus this thread on the general process and use some pics to help along the way.

I'll spare you the background but basically, like most...
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Just dive in head first like me haha. I have no metal working, welding, body work or paint experience but figuring it out as i go. I read Hokies thread multiple times before deciding to do it myself and it’s been super helpful to reference. It's honestly been really fun, learning a s*** ton and i know it's getting done the correct way! It’s scary to start but once you’re in it, it goes fairly smooth, just time consuming.
 
tmxmotorsports said:
I have had it on my roof rack rusted holes on my 80 series for 6 years
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Nice. I removed a downspout from the rain gutters on my house which left a very large hole. Temporary patched it w Flex tape at least 4 years ago, it sits in full sun everyday and gets lots of water when it rains, still water tight.
 
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