Ideas on Repair to a Vista Dome Roof- what can I use to cover these indentations?

Being black, this seems like it should be an easy fix. If you can pop the dome windows out, even easier. Overfill the dents with squadron putty. Let it fully harden. Using a light sandpaper, sand the putty back to the level of the top of the flutes. Using an exacto knife or jewelers file, recreate the fluting through your patches, then just paint the roof black again. You can probably mask off the roof above the dome windows and just paint that (the fluted section), and get away with it, as the flutes will cast light differently than the smooth section anyways.

And don't forget to line the inside of the roof with aluminum foil if you still want to keep the light bulbs functioning.

The easy solution to lights melting your plastic.

Passenger Car LED Lighting Kit

You guys are inspirational....

Boilermaker..... I wanted to be done in 15 minutes, you are inspiring me to be a real artiste!

PRR- got it, if I open it up again based on boilermaker's inspiration, more foil added....

GRJ, I have one of your kits I got from you at the last York,  this may be the location for it so I never worry any more.  To keep my reputation as a forum member who will try anything, I need to open this one up like boilermaker and Prr are encouraging me.

BTW, I did find a plastruct part that might work as a last resort....probably the 12, wonder how it would look?  $10 shipped gets me five of them.

Why not use thin card stock such as a manilla file folder. Cut to exact size of the fluted roof panel. Use a framing square and a very sharp exacto blade. Paint with spray paint(a few very thin coats) then use skotch brand 2 sided tape to attach to fluted roof. Yes, you will lose the fluting but it may still look good with a smooth roof panel.  Also, instead of square roof vents, have you thought of using a thin round piece of plastic just large enough to cover the affected hole?(painted of course) If you like that idea, A clothing button might do the trick. I am sure you could find something at a craft store like Michaels or Joann fabrics. I assume they sell a whole bunch of different buttons.

look at scale hvac hoof vents for ho buildings and the like?

I have doll oil lamps and shades that look like low profile mushroom vents, and bigger that are perfect onion stacks.

A trip down the toy isle, slowing at the trucks and spaçe toys may be productive (dollar store). Same with craft stores wood /plastic knick knack and dollhouse details... It's shape you want; not a lamp or table.

Shaving down marker caps and bodies.  There are metal boarder plumbing screens, similar to a garden or wash.machine hose screen or faucet screens.

A plumbing supply/hvac house might have a cone "no-hole washer" you could work with. (check valve parts)

small plumbing pipe caps walls cut off? 

Caps for small bottles and sprays are often knurled if that appeals.

there are flush.flanged caps out there too (very thin head, tapers to flush, edges curled down until set to prevent easy snag & lifts

1/24-1/32 model car air stock cleaners, snorkle removed.

I bet a parts vender can do multiples.

Stock air cleaners (spellwreck and auto-decomposer did it)

If I am reading the Plastruct parts illustrations correctly their end caps will cover the damage without looking far too big:

Scale City Designs also make passenger car roof vents in many varieties, including these which I have used:

These are former Kiel Line white metal castings and are scale size. They might cover the areas in question but check with Marty at Scale City to be sure.

Not sure if it would work, Ace hardware has screw covers that look like domes.

screw covers 

The rest of the story.....Took the ideas and went to the local hobby shop,  hardware store, and the big box store.  Here are the three choices I brought home to try from left to right:

1) a rubber or vinyl coated large thumb tack (nail removed of course). 2) a clear vinyl / rubber drawer or cabinet bumper. 3) a wooden screw cover / insert.

If I only had one spot to cover, the wooden screw cover really does look like a vent fan.  But considering I have four spots, the car would like a traveling taco truck. Same issue with the rounded top drawer bumper- draws attention too much and really does not look like it belongs.  I think I will go with lowest profile, the thumb tack heads.  (BTW, the thumb tacks were a penny each!)  The added rubber adds a bit of contrast but not too much.

thanks for all the good suggestions

Here is an idea which I used on a caboose roof where I removed the copula I was splicing two Flyer cabooses together to make a long "Drovers caboose" and I did not need one of the copulas. After I cut the second copula off it left a hole in the roof so I took a big chunk of modeling clay heated it  and formed it around the roof where the original roof was uncut.  This gives a perfect form of the roof however you cannot pull it off yet. You must put the car and clay mold in your freezer overnight and the clay will get stiff enough to remove without deforming it helps if you can embed something like big nails in the clay to stiffen it up before you freeze it. You want the mold to be as thick as possible.  Once it is thoroughly frozen you will work it off the roof very gently so as to not warp it in the removal process.   Now you reposition it where you need the repair and press it in enough to seal around the edges. Now from the bottom fill the area to be repaired with epoxy and let cure.  This process does call for you to drill holes so you can fill from the bottom.  No doubt the grooves in the roof will make this process a little more difficult but it will work never the less.  When the car and clay are removed from the freezer water will condense on the surfaces you still want to get the clay mold positioned before it warms. Once in position just turn the car and mold upside down and let them dry before trying to fill with epoxy.  I would try a practice run on something other than your nice dome car before fixing it.         j