90 Roof

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

Hi, i may be being a bit dim but does anyone know about the 90 (pre defender badged) roof.
I have a 1985 90 and it had been off roaded so the roof was in a bit of a state, I had to do some repair work on the electrics but it was too high to fit in my garage so I had to take the roof off.
In the meantime, a friend gave me a straight roof of a 1987 90 as he had converted to canvas.
I scrapped my old roof and have recently pulled my landy out of the garage and attempted to fit the new roof but it does not seem to fit.
It is flush across the top of the window and at the rear but has a 1" gap in the middle where it should sit on the side panels ?
I tried always to get it to fit including trying to ratchet strop it down to see if it would flex enough to fit but no go.
I reckon it is the front part that must be the issue as the part that curves around the window sides does not come down low enough to meet the upright or get close enough to the door top.
I have tried google etc but there does not seem to be any mention of differences.
I am happy to buy another roof but I want to understand the difference so I get the right one.
Anyone have any clues on this ?
Thanks

tottot · Mar 28, 2019

As far as I know they should be the same except your old 85 one would have had the stiffener ribs on the outside and the later one ribs on the inside.
Some pics may help.

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

Ok, not great at this but hopefully some pics, 1st one the rear sits flush, 2nd is inside front again sitting flush, 3rd shows gap at front& 4th gap behind door

discomania · Mar 28, 2019

That is not fitted flush to the windscreen, it should sit down further onto the frame, the bit that slides up under the roof should be almost invisible.

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

I tried it always but in that position in the photo is where the bolt holes line up ?

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

I have another go at it tonight, to be honest I cant see that they would have altered the main core of the design so I must be being a spanner !!

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

cant find many pics of others on the internet but found these and they look similar to the position of my roof.

tottot · Mar 28, 2019

YeP, not down enough at the front. If lower screen fixings are tight loosen them may help.

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

Maybe the pictures aren't conveying the problem as the roof will not go any lower, i can see that it needs to be lower at the sides but it is bolted down tight to the top of the windscreen in the photos so it cant go any further. I am confused by it i confess.
there are slots for the bolts in the front of the roof for some adjustment backwards and forwards but i tried at both extremes and it makes little difference.

I did read somewhere that the early 90's used later series 3roofs but I cannot see any model of series 3 that has the rounded corners on the windscreen, so im not sure that can be right although its not beyond land rover to use up old parts on newer models so I am led to believe.

zeaphod · Mar 28, 2019

As you say, the problem seems to be at the front - where the curve of the windscreen panel matches the curve of the roof panel. The roof should come down further. I'd take the roof off and have a good look at both areas. take a couple of photos, pop them up here.

mick 1986 · Mar 28, 2019

Rallenz1a said:
Maybe the pictures aren't conveying the problem as the roof will not go any lower, i can see that it needs to be lower at the sides but it is bolted down tight to the top of the windscreen in the photos so it cant go any further. I am confused by it i confess.
there are slots for the bolts in the front of the roof for some adjustment backwards and forwards but i tried at both extremes and it makes little difference.

I did read somewhere that the early 90's used later series 3roofs but I cannot see any model of series 3 that has the rounded corners on the windscreen, so im not sure that can be right although its not beyond land rover to use up old parts on newer models so I am led to believe.

Having just rebuilt my 110, I would advise you start at the chassis and loosen all of the mounting points. Your door gap on the photo doesn’t look correct, so I would guess is showing another problem. I would loosen the sills and try to jack them up to make the sides meet the roof, instead of pulling the roof down to meet the sides.

mick 1986 · Mar 28, 2019

Are the two bolts fitted to the side of the windscreen? The ones that bolt through left to right and right to left? Just above the front doors. These can pull the sides towards the windscreen.

@Al2O3 maybe able to offer more specific advise.

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

mick 1986 said:
Having just rebuilt my 110, I would advise you start at the chassis and loosen all of the mounting points. Your door gap on the photo doesn’t look correct, so I would guess is showing another problem. I would loosen the sills and try to jack them up to make the sides meet the roof, instead of pulling the roof down to meet the sides.

Hi, the door hinges have seen better days so that doesnt help but the rest of the body was untouched, i only took the roof off to get it in the garage, i was sat looking at it for a while wondering if i had managed to bend the chassis or something , ill get my larger persuading stick out tonight and have another go.

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

mick 1986 said:
Are the two bolts fitted to the side of the windscreen? The ones that bolt through left to right and right to left? Just above the front doors. These can pull the sides towards the windscreen.

@Al2O3 maybe able to offer more specific advise.

Unfortunately I had to cut the side bolt off on one side as it was just spinning on the captive nut, I havnt bolted the sides in yet but it doesnt look like that would solve it. maybe i will have a revelation tonight !

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

zeaphod said:
As you say, the problem seems to be at the front - where the curve of the windscreen panel matches the curve of the roof panel. The roof should come down further. I'd take the roof off and have a good look at both areas. take a couple of photos, pop them up here.

Yes i think roof off is the way forward, it is bizarre and general opinion seems to be that it should fit so i guess i doing it wrong somehow , maybe i will find out tonight

tottot · Mar 28, 2019

A series 2/3 roof will only fit a 90 with a series screen.
Have you had the screen off ?
Is the front face of the screen flush with the leading edge of the roof ?

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

tottot said:
A series 2/3 roof will only fit a 90/110 with a series screen.

In desperation my brother in law dropped his spare 1977 ? series 3 roof round but that early they seem about 3" or 4" shorter just offering it up, and with the flat front of course.

tottot · Mar 28, 2019

Is the front face of the screen flush with the leading edge of the roof? Yours looks in the pic like it will have an overhang.

Rallenz1a · Mar 28, 2019

tottot said:
Is the front face of the screen flush with the leading edge of the roof? Yours looks in the pic like it will have an overhang.

Im at work for a bit, looking forward to having a closer look tonight and will report back

Gmacz · Mar 28, 2019

Here is my 85 90 roof.

90 Roof

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