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69 Chevelle rocker panel removal

26K views 74 replies 6 participants last post by  Wrencher 
#1 ·
Hello all, I looked in the archives...IMPRESSIVE...and massive, but I haven't seen this ...I am replacing outer and inner rockers, yet my quarters are worth keeping, how do I get the old panels out from under the quarters? And, they seem to run a good 6 inches into the front body post tunnel, there are spot welds on the post skirt, still won't come out. I want to remove whole section, but not sure if it is possible without tearing up quarter or frt post? Thanks
 
#36 ·
heres a few for tec 69, everything is hand made ,They dont make anything for this car and even if they did this is way more fun...the inners are a simple L ...normaly the 1/4 bottom is a seperate piece but I tought this was a better way and faster too so I made them a little long and made the wheel well flare at the same time...
 

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#39 ·
yeah, that's what I'm talking about! So I gotta ask. What's the cheapest brake that allows you to do those "z" bends, or bends in different directions like that? My cheap little POS HF only allows bends in one direction. I guess I can cut the thick metal and rig something up to allow that but I plan on getting a better one anyways. I guess if I rig something up I should look at how they are designed to do that in the first place
 
#40 ·
Finding a used one would be bestabout 2000.00 OR You can find a sheetmetal shop (duct work) and have them do all the bending but you have to know how to do a detailed blueprint drawing correctly.your local tec collage may have some welding coarses that'll teach you how to do mechanical drawing...I was lucky I had takin mechanical drawing in Jr high and loved it...
Tec, have you joined metalmeet.com ??? you can learn a bunch there too...mabee they have plans for building your own brake,you'll need a 6 footer at least..A press brake might be the easiest one to build...a lot of these metal working sites have use tools and equipement for sale...Like I said before it all starts with making your own patches then door bottoms ,rockers and stuff ...You have to evolve or you'll stagnate and burn out from run of the mill body and paint work...and all the crap that comes along with it...I've been at this 38 yrs and the only think I know for sure is theres always more to learn...
 
#42 ·
that's for sure. I think I'll try to build a simple one. I saw some video on a eastwood little 20" one where you can do z bends and it had a stout looking platform thats bolted in and when you want to do an offset bend in the opposite direction you unbolt the platform. Man, this metal fab stuff is expensive and working this half day crap leaves me no money.
 
#43 ·
thanks for scaring me with the prices, DB. I guess I assumed a lot of brakes were like my POS HF 30" which only allows you to do one angle. I saw a video on one that looks just like the red 36" HF one and it appears it does do z bends. Sounds like that's good enough for me at the moment. It's on line used with the stand for only $100!!! It's my lucky day. I'll have to drive 100 miles to get it but I have a $50 gift card from Marshals and just got paid...sorry for the giddyness but I'm pretty happy right now. Then the next pay check I'll get the cheap shrinker/ stretcher then next pay check the bead roller.
 
#44 ·
OMG your hooked...I've created a monster..
.The brake would be your first piece of equipment...At the moment I'm trying to find a 6' box/pan brake...I have to wait till I sell my DD 2ooo Impala first so I can get it..but thats how I get the big stuff ,flip a car....money's tight for me too...
The bead roller can do some pretty crazy stuff but get the big one from HF I think its the 18" ,I got the smaller one 12" and regretted it ever since... I'm building a 36" with using my HF roller dies...and plan on getting a metal lathe to make more ...see how it all snowballs,, now I have to learn to be a machinist to further my sheetmetal skills...lucky for me I have been using a wood lathe for years but only used a metal lathe once in metal shop (also in Jr high) I can make new rollers out of wood (I suppose)as a prototype ...but with the right rollers you can make bends too
 
#45 ·
Couple more questions fellas, I'm not sure of the proper term, but I call it the inner rocker frt extension panel, which runs between the floor, kick panel, cowl, and has the frt lower fender mount. It looks like the cowl shoulder lower, but i don't see the fender mount w/it? Do I need to just cut this out and fab pieces?
 
#48 ·
Looks like you got the jambs braced up. and you are cutting the old welds good...lets concentrate on the rocker and inner rocker right now,If you keep cutting and not replacing as you go you'll be on the other side and not have any guide for where the new metal goes..So get that rocker screwed on then the inner and come back to that lower piller and floor.
 
#49 ·
Thanks DBM, yes I figured I'd start to reassemble one side first. I fabricated the cowl shoulder or whatever it's called, cut all that out and will be replacing everything except the pillar base. I will do some more pictures including replacing the rear seat brace without cutting the seat floor out. BTW, am I still in the correct forum on this? Or start another thread as I move to floor and quarters?
 
#51 ·
Before I start reassembly of the floor and rockers, should I use the old body bushings under the floor and seat brace for now, or put the new ones in now, they are poly type, and it's sitting on the frame with the rest of the old bushings. I don't want alignment issues later. Thx
 
#52 ·
tuff call.I'd have to say if you adjusted all the gaps and set it all up with the old ones then go ahead and put it all together with them in and replace them when once everything is screwd in and it all fits nice but you probably should replace all the body mounts before you start welding,did you put holes (punched or drilled) everywhere you need a plug weld? and make sure the mating surface's are clean?
Dont forget,it ALL has to be screwed back together and the door gaps checked before you weld anything,The common mistake is bracing the jambs without adjusting the gaps first,so if its braced with a sagging door it'll still have a sagging door when your done ,thats why you always get a good fit and good gaps all the way around before you start the job.If you forgot to gap the door it wont be to late to fix it if you put it all together with drill screws and check it..once it's welded it's final so be sure its right...
 
#53 · (Edited)
Thanks alot, it had good gaps before removal. So, no welding till everything is hung first..got it! I haven't punched weld holes yet, it's clean, weld thru primer on all overlaps. thx again I will throw the old ones back in. Also, I will be putting new full quarters also, should I leave the rear rocker screwed until the quarter is fitted?
 
#54 ·
metal work

After reading all the up-coming metal projects that people are doing I started looking for a 24" metal brake myself. I want to make aluminum panels to fit in the rumble seat area to make it look more finished. I looked at Eastwood and Fox machines also I put a want add in our local sell and swap mag. I got all winter so no rush. New brakes are more expensive than I thought. sc
 
#55 ·
SC, For a decient 24" brake You can make a very simple one with a couple pieces of 1/4" angle iron sliped into a vice. you can bend the sheetmetal with a long piece of square tube or a hammer but the tube works much better...I still use this method for quick little small stuff.. I'll post some pics later on when I can find them...you can also make radiused bends or beads using it..its pretty handy....
 
#57 ·
I have run into a small problem! I'm putting the floor back in, rockers are in, lined up nice at the quarter and inner wheelhouse bottom, nice in the pillar skirt, braces are in....it seems the left and right front floor mounts at the toeboards are about 1/2 inch too high? or my floor is too low? I removed the floor bushings thinking that might help, actually the bushings don't affect the floor height at all. I'm not sure if something moved, the mounts line up, I did cut out the kickpanel area to replace the innerds. Not sure what I'm missing, drivers door sags about 1/4 inch, yet is perfect when closed, haven't mounted the pass yet. I know it's tough without seeing it, any hints on what to line up first or work from? Thx
 
#59 ·
try taking it all back apart and mounting the floor section with the bushing in first ,maybe the sides floor section needs more trimming and just not allowing the floor to go down far enough ,cranking down on the bushing bolt should tell you, it should work..when it fits right just screw the floor where it sits now and disreguard the previous holes where it used to be,weld the holes up later..
As for the drivers door this is very common the cause would be the pins and bushings.the stricker is holding the door and all the weight of the door is on it...Open the door and grabbing from the bottom, lift it up ,if it moves the pins and bushings are wore out..having the striker in for the initial fit is good but to make the final fit the striker should be removed and the door adjusted to fit perfect without it , when you install the striker center it to the latch and use the striker to adjust the in and out (flush) fit only ..
 
#60 ·
Sorry DBM, I just got time to get back. I found my floor issue...when I cut out the panel by the firewall mount, the mount and firewall floor had tilted towards the rear,No problem, all I had to do was remove the screws in the panel and pull the mount forward.....glad you guys told me to use screws..whew!

No loose door hinges, they both are 1/2 inch low at the quarter?? I'll keep looking, I will leave everything screwed until I find it. I have all the floor, 4pc, rockers, new mounts in, BTW, I took out the poly and got factory ones, it sits fine, I've only welded the frt and rear of the floor because it's butted.

Any tips on bracing for a full trunk, wheel houses, quarters, and tail panel? I'm not sure which to do first, trunk or quarters? Do I need to remedy the door sag before moving on? Or wait till all done? They will be getting skinned, and may need adjusted anyway.

I really appreciate all the help....it's been a bear, but I'd do it again now that I know what's involved!
 
#61 · (Edited)
The door issue should be addressed first before going any farther ...are you sure you cant wiggle the doors up and down? it would make sence because if the doors are low then move up to latch over the striker something is allowing the door to move up and that would be the pins and bushings...Other wise the door would stop dead when it hit the striker and not be able to close if the hinges were were right...Those ae some heavy doors so try lifting them up from the back and put some muscle in it...
You dont need any bracing to do the trunk floors...but you should get started with welding the rockers and floors a bit before starting the trunk...
 
#62 ·
No, definately not hinges, the quarters are loose at the stricker a tad, and the pillars are screwed also, which could let it latch. At first glance it seems the frt quarters need to drop, or the A pillars need to cantilever, I've tried moving the pillars, that just gives me fore and aft movement...no tilt.

I also noticed my rockers are not straight from frt to back, there's a slight bow outward....shouldn't they be straight as an arrow along the lower door and quarter skirt? I'm not sure if they came that way, or if jacking it up caused it...yes they were screwed top and bottom before I jacked it up.

Also, I'm doing the whole trunk floor, braces and all...support is on the rear braces?
 
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