Pitted & rotted rockers

[cuda guy]

Hey everybody

I've got a 72 Dodge Demon that being restored as we speek. Heres my sitution, the lower portion of the car from the back of the front wheels to the front of the rear wheels is rusted or pitted.

I replace the lower front 1/4s but the rocker on the paaenger side is badly pitted and rusted out at the back.

My question do I repair or replace the rocker. If I replace the rocker do I replace the whole part or just the lower portion below the door sill

The rocker on the other side is not much better.

Any advise would be helpfull

 

[1968FormulaS340]

If they are as rusted as you say I think your only option is a full replacement.

But….

Being that they have holes anyway it wouldn't hurt to cut out all the bad and see what you are left with.

 

[cuda guy]

Some rot, but a lot of rust pits, I'm thinking about only replacing the lower portion

 

[mpgFanatic]

My question do I repair or replace the rocker. If I replace the rocker do I replace the whole part or just the lower portion below the door sill

Any advise would be helpful

Apparently you realize that the rocker panels (and transmission tunnel) are the major structural members in the lower part of a unibody. Good for thinking of them.

Perhaps another option is reinforcing them from the inside. On the early A-bodies, when the body was a convertible, there was an extra piece slid inside that looks much like a rocker panel but slightly smaller. It creates a tube-within-a-tube structure for rigidity. I watched someone replace that piece once... created an opening and slid it in from the rear wheel housing.

That concept might help you.

- Erik

64 Valiant, 170 3-spd
82 Volvo wagon, 5.0 5-spd

 

[cuda guy]

Thanks everyone, we were able to use some gel to get the surface pitting, we cut away all the rot at the back.

To make the car stronger we are installing frameconnecters they are bolt in. So I was planning on bolting them in and welding them to, What do you all think.

I will post pics tommorrow.

 

[1968FormulaS340]

Sounds good