Opinions on fixing rolled GU

[G-Unit]

Hi all,

Rolled the GU into a ditch the other week. The damage isn't too bad overall. It's certainly quite fixable at the cost of time and patience. The roof copped it obviously so I'm just weighing up my options, and I'd like any opinions or experience on the matter.

1. Fix the roof damage. Requires cutting the top section of the windscreen out, beating it all out, re-welding it back in. Fairly lengthy tricky job.

2. Try and find a new roof/turret and chop and change the roof, re-weld a straight one in place. Probably quicker, bit fiddly and GU shells/roofs aren't exactly plentiful.

3. Try and source a GU shell and swap everything over that i need too (depending whats already on the shell)

4. I really have no other options besides making the wagon into a flat tray ute. This doesn't really help with the front end of the roof where the most damage is, but it would help with the rest of the roof and rear pillar damage by effectively cutting the roof away. Probably really costly and tricky to get engineer certificate. Though anything is possible with money.

Anyone who's had experience in re-roofing their car, converting a wagon into a flat tray ute, re-shelling a GU 2.8 or repairing roof damage from a roll over, please leave your opinions. Can post pics of damage if it helps.

Also, if anyone has a GU roof for sale, or a fairly straight rolling GU shell, please let me know via PM or email. thobbs1@optusnet.com.au
-I'm in Melbourne.

Cheers guys.

[GQ Bear]

How about soft top dual cab ute. Full roll cage and canvas/plastic roof/windows

[G-Unit]

I thought about it, but the cost involved would be too high. Not only that, i'm not really a fan on soft tops, for the fact that if i did roll again it could be physically unpleasant.

I didn't roll the GU actually 4wd'ing, i misjudged the road about a foot and a half to the right and there happened to be a large ditch there. Being pitch black and the last of a 3 car convoy on a dusty road where i couldnt see shit all didn't help either, but excuses can't change what's happened. hehe.

In other words, an accident is unpredictable, and i'd feel safer in a hard top rather than a soft top.

Cheers

[cooki_monsta]

roll cage .... small outlay for so much security

[weeman]

have you called up a wrecker for a shell...

You can find cheap shells i.e. ones that you cant use the tags on i.e. stat rights offs then change your tags on to that....

there are a few around from $500 on wards....

[G-Unit]

I've emailed one wrecker, and will be calling another one on Monday. Ideally, a rolling shell without box and motor would be great. I hear what your saying about right offs etc. Keeping my eyes and ears peeled.

[Cossie]

pics?

[G-Unit]

i'll get some pics up tomorrow

[badger]

id hate to say this but it may work out more viable to part out the one you have and buy another by the time you put a whole new roof shell on a car and respray it.

i also saw a company selling imported brand new gu cabs on ebay the other week for about 6k i think it was. this may turn out to cost a little more but would be a very quick and easy solution with no future rust issues etc that come with replacing roofs etc

[G-Unit]

I'm a spray painter myself, so that's not an issue. Aslong as you treat any bare metal areas or welds properly, there should be any rust issues at all.

Interesting about the GU cabs on Ebay. I'll have to look out for that, thanks for the info mate.

This P.O.S GU owes me about 25k already. Bought it for 17k, motor blew, got it rebuilt, then a few other issues occured, fixed them, then i roll the damned thing.. If i had have known what this car was going to cost, i would have taken out a bigger loan and got myself a 4.2 ute or something. Still, coulda woulda shoulda, didn't.

[steveoo]

hey mate how you going i am a panel beater if you got some pictures of the damage might be able to help you out i have a friend whos a beater as well (work from home) and he might be able to help you out give me some pictures of the damage and we can work it out.

depends on damage but if the roof frame is damaged as well best bet is just put a roof skin on it and quick and easy fix but if you not too worried about filler you can just tap it up few dint pulls nice think layer of filler and off you go;) but until we see pictures cant help much

[G-Unit]

G'day mate,

Cheers for the advice. I'll get some pics up tomorrow (monday) for sure. Been too busy working on the truck today, just forgot to upload them.

[sloshy]

I did a turret cut on my single cab hilux a few years ago, was pretty easy with the help of a panel beater mate. I bought it as a repairable writeoff so I had to go through all that inspection bulls#@t. But a wagon is much bigger but after doing the hilux I would do it again because swapping cabs is a hell of alot of work, but finding a gu turret is even harder.

[mattstar]

I rolled my GU about 2-3 months ago and have been looking for a cheap cab since, the cheapest bare cab I could find was $1500 with inner left hand gaurd damage, that was to dear for me at the time, next best was $2500 with slight front end damage, Where can I get one for $500!!

[jessie928]

I rolled my GU about 2-3 months ago and have been looking for a cheap cab since, the cheapest bare cab I could find was $1500 with inner left hand gaurd damage, that was to dear for me at the time, next best was $2500 with slight front end damage, Where can I get one for $500!!

for 500$ NO WHERE

if you can get GU cabs for 500$ i will buy them all, even for 1000

1500$ is very cheap.

JEs

[Mick.]

A turret skin for a GU TI is $856.22 trade or $1007.32 retail. This is straight out of the Nissan genuine parts pricing book I have.

Cheers Mick.