Some of this is repost; I didn't get any responses to I figured I get a do-over.

I need to replace my roof. I can either do it myself or have a body shop do it. I don't really trust bodyshops to do very good work, ESPECIALLY if it requires removing interior parts, or external trim. That's why I plan on prepping the car(s) myself.

Assuming I can figure out how to remove the ceiling and the roof/windshield trim, how do I remove the roof? Do I need to cut/weld, or is it bolted, clipped, or something simmilar? Does anyone know exactly how the roof is attatched to the rest of the car?

I have already read my Haynes manual's section on body repair, which was very simmilar to the section for anything else I might be interested in doing myself... take it to the dealer.
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While I do not like the idea of puting a new roof on a brick, I CAN imagine how a great shop could reinforce the posts so that they have original strength or better.

I would have a shop that builds race cars do the structural design and welding.

The rest of the work could be completed by a good body shop.

I would have the body shop strip BOTH cars and save all the parts. Then the structural shop could cut both and weld the good one to your brick. Then it would be back to the body shop for cosmetics and reassembly.
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96 855R, 95 855,854, 90 744 Ti - 340,000 Volvo miles put on 7 bricks

It'd probably cost more than just getting a new car. I really want to know why.
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'94 855 2.4 Sportwagon

Jet Black/Beige Leather . 5-spd . 16' Meteors . E-code lamps & sidemarkers

My insurance company said $1200 for the panel, and 20 hours labor. Check the other reply for more info.
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Your car is a unibody construction as are pretty much all cars today. You will have to use a blow torch and cut it away. The real question remains though. Why do you need to replace your roof?

I received baseball sized hail less than 24 hours after my purchase. The windshield was shattered, and the hood, trunk, and *roof* received some pretty surious, and non-PDR-able dents. My plan is to get *another* black 850 with some surious miles, swapping the trunk and hood myself, and letting a pro do the roof panel metal work. I can also get some trim peices and a cruise control actuator.

Fortunately, I had full coverage insurance who said my roof wasn't repairable. However, I don't trust a body-shop to do a good job of removing my interior, OR painting my car. Although I trust my local indy with my life, I'm not under the impression that he is a body-shop... however I likely should ask if he can weld. I know he referrs A/C work to a third party.

Either way, I have payments to make... and if she wern't so far from paid off I'd consider a swap.
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1. dont do it..it just isnt worth it...
2. insurance should WRITE THE CAR and replace it..
3. see other replies
4. if its just dents a good shop should be able to beat them out (mostly) then skim and fill them prior to painting...and if you think filling sounds iffy you should see how much filler 'quality' car makers use in the factory...
5. you dont trust a body shop...well all i can say is your using the wrong one..i.e your not paying enough, good bodywork guys are harder to find than good mechanics...and charge more!
6. unless you have CONSIDERABLE bodywork/spraying experience and equipment dont even think about doing this one yourself...

the question being am i qualified to talk about it..well probably not, but then again i do have some experience restoring motorbikes including the bodywork and I recon on 100-150 hours to prep, spray, rework, spray etc a bike panels (from better condition than it sounds like your roofs in!) and thats with professional tooling....for respraying a volvo roof your into at least $1000 worth of equipment...and you really want a booth and to use 2 pack...so your not doing that at home...

There's really no way to replace the roof. Even if you did weld on a new roof, you might not be protected in a rollover as you once were. It could also cause a lot more problems down the road. The roof is a critical component of the car's unibody, and it actually absorbs flex, etc, during normal driving. Your insurance company should know better than to recommend you weld on a "new" roof. Just have them total the car and get something else. Might be hard to let go of your current car, but it's your only realistic option now.
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'94 854 N/A.

I just couldn't drive a car knowing the roof had been sawed off and re-welded on. No way no how. Go to the body shop with lots of expensive cars out front.
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'94 855 2.4 Sportwagon

Jet Black/Beige Leather . 5-spd . 16' Meteors . E-code lamps & sidemarkers