Can a car be restored after being involved in a fire?

Question:

The interior of my 1964 GTO was destroyed in a fire. The roof was destroyed and the paint on the outside of the doors is blistered. The car’s 389-cubic-inch, tri-power engine and four-speed drivetrain is intact. I found another 1964 GTO with a good body but no engine, glass or seats. Can the burned body be salvaged? Should I replace the roof and doors? Should the body be repaired with fiberglass or lead? I am a plumber so I can work with lead. What should I do?

Answer:

There are several problems that usually develop after an automobile fire. One problem is rust, because the fire “cleanses” the steel of every last molecule of primer, paint, oil and anything else that helps protect it from corrosion. Another problem is that the heat of the fire severely Warps surrounding sheetmetal, particularly the roof when the inside burns. If the fire in your car was severe and very hot (and it sounds like it was from the information in your letter), your best course of action is to replace the roof with the good one on your parts car. This is not an easy task, but you can do it yourself if you have welding and body-working skills, suitable tools and lots of patience. The procedure is way too lengthy for me to detail here, so I'll just give you some pointers. Very carefully measure every aspect of the roof panels on both cars, and record your measurements on paper before you cut anything. After you clamp everything, but before you weld anything, trial fit every part that comes into contact with the roof, including the windshield, back glass and trim pieces. Lead is excellent for finishing the roof pillar seams (and it’s what the factory originally used), but you will need to acquire new information and skills if you intend to use it on your car’s body. It’s not the same as plumbing work. If you don’t use lead you should use body filler, not fiberglass.