Hi Christine,
I got the aluminium sheet from a supplier in Blackburn ( I think it was). I had the six parts cut to size but decided to leave the alpine windows out. They are just another way of getting dripped on and don't let much extra light in. Once i got the parts home i etch primed them and painted the exterior white. Then it was a case of riveting it all together. I made a bench out of plywood that could support the entire flat roof and measured and drilled the holes using un-popped rivets to keep it all lined up. To get the spine formed I used a piece of 19mm ply with the edges rounded off along the long sides with a 1/2" round over bit in the router. A bit of brute strength was required to get the final shape.
Then I cut out all the woodwork using the old pates as templates and finished off the edges with a flush router bit and cut the rebates for the rubber seals with a slot cutter again in the router.
Then it was a case of assembly...
If I did it again I would do it a little differently.
The assembly order should be:-
Rivet the sheets together etc.
Attach the long sides to the lift up roof hinges
Assemble the arced supports to the roof and make sure that there is no way water can get through the rivet holes (its hard to see later)
Now attach the lift up section to the main roof ensuring that the lift up section rests easily on the arced supports.
*note, this is very important as the deployment and stowage of the lift roof depends on it*
Now fit the fillets. Start at the top hinge then, using a jack and a wood baton extension, push the lift up section into the fully raised position before screwing the bottom of the fillet on to the lower hinges ensuring that the seals meet up and keep the weather out.
Make no mistake, it's a very difficult task.
Now check for leaks.
Fix the cause and check again.
Fix the cause and check again.
Fix the cause and check again.
Fix the cause and check again.
Fix the cause and check again...
You get the idea