Projects Inner Rocker Replacement Question

Hey H.A.M.B.

I have my 54 Chevy body off while I finished up some frame work. I wanted to put the body back on and start rebuilding the floor but my inner rockers and mounts are shot.

My question is, can I cut out the inner rocker out a third at a time and replace the chunk along with the mount or will my body fold in half?

The roof is fairly solid but the A-pillars are bad and the door sills are probably mostly rust.

How can I tackle this? Would it be best to put the body on the frame and remove the outer rockers to get at the inner?

For what it’s worth, the car needs a lot of body rust repair but at this time I’m trying to focus on the structural parts. My inner rocker and mount replacements will have to be homemade.



Thanks for any advice


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Sounds like it could work out.As long as the top,and botton have good weldable metal to weld to.Figure out how to support the body with a floor jack,and blocks of wood to help control settling.

 

I'm working on a '57 right now and I'm doing the floor supports and inner rockers in sections instead of one big panel, but the body is still on the frame. It's a real bitch to work around the frame but I'd be worried about doing a lot of structural cutting and welding with a separated body, in case things don't fit once you get the body back on.

I think doing it in sections is a good idea, but I'd use a lot of bracing and caution, once it loses it's shape it's going to be really tough to get it back.

 

I'm going to replace the floor in my Galaxie next year and I will work around the frame. I don't know how I could keep everything square without a table or rotisserie.

 

I do all structure work on the chassis.
Bolted down and doors aligned (as good as the situation allows)
I even install new bushings if thay are going to be replaced.
Sometimes it’s tough working around stuff. Sometimes the body has to be lifted up to get to stuff. But I dont weld until the body is fully bolted and doors fit

 

All,
Makes sense to me. Thanks for the input!

Here’s a palate cleanser after having to look at that rust.



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The rust repair on a car like that is like a game of Jenga. All those panels and braces are attached and leaning on one another. Remove one and maybe the rest won't move, or maybe they will. Except you can weld braces all across your Jenga tower.

But, if you think you can play a game of Jenga without a table (frame) to set it on, you are fooling yourself. You need to have the body bolted as solid as possible to the frame to keep it in alignment. It might mean you need to segment portions of the repair rather than replace all at once, but it will truly help to keep stuff square.

 

I got one chunk done today. Bent a “J” channel out 18 gauge. Made a little pie cut because the rocker tapers at the front.



Ground it smooth and drilled some holes to spot weld it to the outer rocker.




So far so good. Need to make up a mount now.





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Got the front body mount made today. Spent just as much time figuring out the pattern as I did making it. Quite a bit of hammer and dolly work left.






Only 3-5 more to go haha


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Don't forget to scuff off the mill scale, weld through primer in appropriate areas, and I would expiry prime everywhere else. Don't want to do it again!