[perg]

I cut out the outer rocker on my -56 2 door hdtp the other day because the fabbed up outer rocker was not fitting well at the door and front fender.
Turns out that the inner rockers are fabricated as well. Some parts of it was rusted out due to some custom drainage pipes added, but the rest of it was solid.
Anyhow when I got the new inner rocker in place the lower lip did not match the inner rocker. No way I can bend it to fit either, the distance is some places more than 14mm, more than half an inch.
So now I wonder if I am going to cut out the inner rockers and put on new ones but since the problem is that the inner rocker is too far away from the outer I suspect all 5 body mounts have to be extended as well.
Good advice much appreciated....

 

[perg]

Really no one ?

The way I see it after having slept on it I have three options.

1. Make an angular brace, probably 18 gauge steel that will mate the lower lip of the outer rocker channel and weld 90 degrees to the inner rocker panel. Fairly easy and low cost.
Unsure whether this will be a structurally good solution since the inner/outer rocker channels are part of the body rigidity and this might make this construction weaker.

2. Replace the inner rocker channels, but that means extending the floor to be able to have something to spot weld the inner rocker to and subsequently extending 5 body braces. All of this x2 for both sides. A lot of work, not too costly, but should be a good solution.

3. Replace the entire floor/inner rockers in one piece. Probably the best solution, maybe not so much work as alternative 2, but the most expensive solution.

 

[et907a]

i think you should figure out where problem is . i would measure the width of the floor at the door opening and the length of the floor braces in relation to new ones. does the inner rocker meet the quarter panel

 

[perg]

i think you should figure out where problem is . i would measure the width of the floor at the door opening and the length of the floor braces in relation to new ones. does the inner rocker meet the quarter panel

I really have nothing to compare the width of the floor with, but it seems like the inner rockers is welded too far in towards center of car and that this causes the problem.
Not sure how I can measure the length of the floor braces in relation to new ones....since I don't have new ones to measure.
The inner rocker is spot welded to the floor a little bit inwards compared to the inner quarter panel.
The outer quarter panel is not installed yet and does not have the lower part supposed to mate with the inner rocker lip.
Thanks.

 

[et907a]

can you post more pictures side shot of car. picture of floor area with door open. inner quarter panel floor area are you in norway?

 

[Rustaddict]

Is the door still on your car ? The most important thing is that the outside of the rocker aligns well with the door and the fender. Once you establish that it will become clearer what you need to modify to attach the inside of the rocker to the floor and the inner rocker underneath.

 

[TheHotrodHandyman]

Looking at your pictures it appears that someone made the body mounts and they are obviously not made with the correct angle on the inner rocker ends.

 

[1971BB427]

If everything lines up on the door, and body exterior, then I think your plan to make a 90 degree filler to make up the gap is the least invasive, and least expensive fix. At this point anything else will mean a lot of time and expense to fix.

 

[perg]

can you post more pictures side shot of car. picture of floor area with door open. inner quarter panel floor area are you in norway?

Yes I live in Norway

 

[perg]

Is the door still on your car ? The most important thing is that the outside of the rocker aligns well with the door and the fender. Once you establish that it will become clearer what you need to modify to attach the inside of the rocker to the floor and the inner rocker underneath.

The door is on the car now, but that is because I put it back on. The car was bought as a basketcase and as such no previous adjustments are valid. I got 2 right doors and one left door and was going to try to use the best of them. Anyway I put the left door on and adjusted it so it leveled best possible with the quarter panel (which also is temporarily attached with screws).

The gap between fender and door is 5-7 mm more or less evenly distributed. Same for the quarter panel towards door.
The curve of the door vs quarter panel and door vs fender is not too bad, but not perfect either.
So I was thinking that as long as I get approximately 5 mm distance between door lower edge and outer rocker panel and that it is fitting the curve of the door, fender and quarter panel I should be ok, agree ?

 

[perg]

Looking at your pictures it appears that someone made the body mounts and they are obviously not made with the correct angle on the inner rocker ends.

Yep you are right about that, some funny work here.....

 

[perg]

If everything lines up on the door, and body exterior, then I think your plan to make a 90 degree filler to make up the gap is the least invasive, and least expensive fix. At this point anything else will mean a lot of time and expense to fix.

I have abandoned the complete floor option because the floor is not rusted and I need to lift the chassis, but I must admit that the thought of a complete new shiny floor with no flaws whatsoever makes me drool a little....

I found this picture how the rocker is supposed to be spot welded to the inner and outer rocker, picture taken at the A pillar.
The floor close to the outer rocker channel makes a U and then both the inner and outer rocker are spot welded to it, but how is this solved behind the B piller ?

Thanks

 

[Rustaddict]

The door is on the car now, but that is because I put it back on. The car was bought as a basketcase and as such no previous adjustments are valid. I got 2 right doors and one left door and was going to try to use the best of them. Anyway I put the left door on and adjusted it so it leveled best possible with the quarter panel (which also is temporarily attached with screws).

The gap between fender and door is 5-7 mm more or less evenly distributed. Same for the quarter panel towards door.
The curve of the door vs quarter panel and door vs fender is not too bad, but not perfect either.
So I was thinking that as long as I get approximately 5 mm distance between door lower edge and outer rocker panel and that it is fitting the curve of the door, fender and quarter panel I should be ok, agree ?

Sounds good to me. The outer skins are what needs to be right. Its easier to modify the inside areas if need be. What condition are your doors in ?

 

[perg]

Sounds good to me. The outer skins are what needs to be right. Its easier to modify the inside areas if need be. What condition are your doors in ?

The left door is pretty good, will sandblast some areas that are rusted, but it is only surface rust along the overlapped flange. Maybe the lower front edge of the door needs to be hammered or pulled a little bit outwards to fit the rocker panel and fender, but apart from that ok.

My two right doors are bad. I picked the best and removed the skin because there were multiple holes and previous welding attempts.
Got the inner shell sandblasted and removed some rust in the bottom.
Welded in a couple of patches and have started putting on a new skin.
Then I put it aside due to this rocker channel business on the left side, and I expect the same issues to happen with the right rocker channel.

 

[1971BB427]

Since I'm often working on cars that have no god donor panels, or none at all, I've had to make up sheet metal to work. Things like your issue wouldn't bother me, as it's not going to show, or be a weak point, if it's properly filled.
My current build had no inner or outer rockers at all when I bought it, and looking at the quality and price of donor rockers, I decided to bend them up myself. I bent the outers to match the originals, and then built the inners oversized and just trimmed them until they fit well.
Your issue looks to be an easy fix, and unless it was a concours restoration I'd not worry about replacing solid floors to try to get the rockers and floors to meet. Who knows if new floors wouldn't maybe have the same issue anyway?

 

[perg]

Since I'm often working on cars that have no god donor panels, or none at all, I've had to make up sheet metal to work. Things like your issue wouldn't bother me, as it's not going to show, or be a weak point, if it's properly filled.
My current build had no inner or outer rockers at all when I bought it, and looking at the quality and price of donor rockers, I decided to bend them up myself. I bent the outers to match the originals, and then built the inners oversized and just trimmed them until they fit well.
Your issue looks to be an easy fix, and unless it was a concours restoration I'd not worry about replacing solid floors to try to get the rockers and floors to meet. Who knows if new floors wouldn't maybe have the same issue anyway?

I don't mind fabbed up parts and would never have done anything with the rocker panels had it not been for the fact that the left door jammed against the rocker and that it didn't align with the door/fender. Same thing with the right rocker panel. So it had to go. A pity because they were solid, 18 gauge steel.
I fabricate any parts that I can myself, but the rockers are easier for me to buy.

I will not replace the floor simply because the floor are ok and not rusted at all and the car will not be 100% original anyhow, I have already welded in nuts for bucket seats.

The inner rockers I could maybe fab up myself, but I don't have a press brake that wide so I will buy them and replace them before I put on the outer rockers.

Thanks.