Dimples on the SVX roof

[svxistentialist]

I'm wondering if anybody else has this problem or have noticed any dimples.

I have two English SVX's outside. One is a '93 Ebony, the other is a '95 Liquid Silver with black roof.

Both cars have dimples and depressions on the roof just over the door. I have Black Betty longer, and I noticed a few small marks on the roof in certain light. I though they might have been caused by kids climbing out of the sunroof, or possibly getting hit by footballs [although the marks are pretty small]

Now that I recently got the silver car, and it is lower mileage and has lovely bodywork, but on inspection of the roof it has many shallow dimples on both sides.

It looks to me like the roof is being damaged or has been damaged by somebody with large hands. I figure that a previous user has been using the roof above the door opening to lever themselves out of or into the car. The indentations in the roof may be caused by large hands, possibly from a heavy person, squeezing the roof in an effort to lift themselves from the low seat, or letting themselves down into it.

Has anybody else experienced these dimples on the roof?

Joe

[redlightningsvx]

I have found small indentaions around the whole roof. there is only like 5 or so and dont know how they got there? Someone is beating on our roof while we sleep

[msvx95]

you don't live near a golf course do you

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by redlightningsvx

I have found small indentaions around the whole roof. there is only like 5 or so and dont know how they got there? Someone is beating on our roof while we sleep

Hot Dang!! You could be right.

Or maybe we are parking in neighbourhoods where the cats are heavy?

We ought to stir up a posse and chase these roof beaters out of town.

[RojoRocket]

Joe,
I also have some dimples of various sizes in the driver's side roof 'tween sunroof edge and window. Originally thought it to be hail damage, but why only in one spot, and the car grew up in Southern Cal b4 coming to live in my garage. Hail? Unlikely to say the least! Again, must be some roof beaters capable of stealthy B&E. I do my best to ignore them.

Glenn

[Crazy_pilot]

One trick to get rid of them is to leave the car out in the sun until the roof is good and hot, then place an ice cube in the center of the dimple. The temperature difference will cause the dimple to pop out after a minute or three.

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by RojoRocket

Joe,
I also have some dimples of various sizes in the driver's side roof 'tween sunroof edge and window. Originally thought it to be hail damage, but why only in one spot, and the car grew up in Southern Cal b4 coming to live in my garage. Hail? Unlikely to say the least! Again, must be some roof beaters capable of stealthy B&E. I do my best to ignore them.

Glenn

That's interesting Glenn.

You probably saw my latest theory; I figure people are using the roof to pull themselves out of, or lower themselves into, the low seat. The squeezing action is causing the dimples.

I would imagine they are more common and numerous on the driver side for two reasons; one, there is no grab handle on that side, and two, the driver side is subject to many multiples of exit-entry compared to the passenger side in most cars.

Maybe we ought to put up an advice page about this for new owners. You could easily damage the roof of a perfect car if you were not aware of this. The ice cubes, or possibly dry ice cubes would be a good approach to fixing it, but it would be good to avoid doing the damage in the first place.

Joe

[crazyhorse]

Could the design of the body be causing the door to "impact" the roof skin? I know the SVX was nearly handbuilt to exacting tolerences. Could those tolerences be causing this? Try slamming your door from outside & see if the upper window frame moves. If so the permanent solution may be as simple as moving the latch pin(s) out a mm or two.
Not having my own SVX (yet) my big clue is that these dimples appear primarily over the driver's door.

[RojoRocket]

Originally Posted by svxistentialist

That's interesting Glenn.

You probably saw my latest theory; I figure people are using the roof to pull themselves out of, or lower themselves into, the low seat. The squeezing action is causing the dimples.

I would imagine they are more common and numerous on the driver side for two reasons; one, there is no grab handle on that side, and two, the driver side is subject to many multiples of exit-entry compared to the passenger side in most cars.

Maybe we ought to put up an advice page about this for new owners. You could easily damage the roof of a perfect car if you were not aware of this. The ice cubes, or possibly dry ice cubes would be a good approach to fixing it, but it would be good to avoid doing the damage in the first place.

Joe

Joe,
Electroshock wired to the roof skin? Seriously, you may be right on. They're all above the door, but not over the rear side window. At 5'6" it's never been an issue for me. I'm already close enough to the seat to just drop in, and step out. Built for small statured folks? I'll have to give the ice/dry-ice a try when I get back to Sacramento. Roof hardly getting hot enough here in Ocean Beach/San Diego on vacation. Thanks Crazy_pilot.

Glenn

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by RojoRocket

Joe,
Electroshock wired to the roof skin? Seriously, you may be right on. They're all above the door, but not over the rear side window. At 5'6" it's never been an issue for me. I'm already close enough to the seat to just drop in, and step out. Built for small statured folks? I'll have to give the ice/dry-ice a try when I get back to Sacramento. Roof hardly getting hot enough here in Ocean Beach/San Diego on vacation. Thanks Crazy_pilot.

Glenn

Hey, if you do try the ice Glenn and it works, post it up. I may have a go at doing mine.

Well except we have not seen the sun over here for months!!

[RojoRocket]

Joe,
Count on it! Will be about 2 weeks, but I can be sure to see lots of sun in Sac in September.

Glenn

[94SubieSVX]

A friend of mine told me about a video of taking dents out. Get a hairdryer or heat gun and heat up the dent, then use a can of compressed air and blow it on it and it will pop right out. I haven't tried it yet but if she told me then it's gotta work

[It's Just Eric]

Now...Im not sure if this is the same thing or not, but every sunroof roof Ive seen has had some sort of distortion right where the rear corner of the sunroof is, on the narrow strip of roof itself. Its best described as a slight change in curvature.
now, it seems this curvature change is directly over where the additional bracing for the sunroof is. my guess is the distortion is caused by the straight brace being attached to the compund-curved roof, or it could possibly be as simple as heat distortion from being in the sun

But, I have my roof covered in barbed wire, just in case Im wrong

[svxistentialist]

That is noticeable Eric, I know what you mean all right.

The "dimples" we are talking about here are closer to the door side edge, and are probably caused by strong fingers.

Joe

[It's Just Eric]

Hmm...mabey Mario Lopez, obsessed with his most prominent feature during the saved by the bell era, is going around poking things, trying to rekindle the spirit of that which made him famous