Floor to inner rocker connection and repair order

[HobieDog]

Amongst other things, I need to replace my floors and outer rockers. I have outer rockers and floors on the way from WN.  I decided to keep my inner rockers and just cut out and replace the lower sections of them that are rotten since they are mostly good (I think). Note - I want a car that is structurally sound, but I’m 100% okay with it not looking original if somebody pulls up the carpet and starts poking around.  

 

The lower 1/2” of my inner rockers is gone, and so I’m having a hard time fully visualizing how all 3 (outer rocker, inner rocker, floor) pieces connect. 
 

 questions:

 

- how do all 3 tie in together?  I’m assuming the inner and outer meet and make up the pinch weld at the bottom and the floor pan lip is just spot welded onto the side of the inner rocker?  In photos of the replacement floor pans I see a lip on the inner rocker panel side. 

 

- what order would you repair these in?  I was thinking of cutting the exterior rockers off and, with the inners fully exposed, fabricating and attaching the lower section of the inners. Then, attach the new outer rocker and finally the floor.  
 

pic attached for reference of what I’m dealing with now. A previous owner pop riveted flat sheet right over the rusting original floors in various places. 

also, to add complexity…I’d like to keep this car a roller while conducting the work.  She won’t be on a cradle, etc

 

[Mike Self]

Remember that the inner rocker (the one skewered with your screwdriver) provides much of the body's rigidity between front and back subframe mounts.  The outer rocker is merely decorative.  So concentrate your repairs on tying the inner rocker to the floorpan its entire length.  

 

You've probably noticed there are factory supplied round holes (nickel-sized) all along the inner rocker.  When you get things all repaired, that's the way you introduce rustproofing into the cavity between inner and outer rockers.  

 

Oh, and be sure to get the fuel line (just below the screwdriver) well out of the way before you start welding...

 

mike

[Tommy]

Your conseption of the structure and order is correct. What I think is a good method is to remove one layer, let's say outer rocker here. Then fit replacement for that as well as you can but don't mount permanently. Put it on side and remove next layer, e.g. inner rocker. Make replacement and fit on place with the already made part... repeat. Finally you have all the rust removed in the area and parts ready for assembly. If you get exited in the beginning and just cut all the rust away you end up with a gaping hole that may be hard to start filling.

[D.martijn]

A couple of pictures tell more than words right?

 

Flange of the floor spotwelded on to the inner rocker

 

Inner rocker with the A pillar removed, the inner rocker is also spotwelded on to the inner A pillar panel

 

Underside, inner rocker and floor are stitch welded at the underside where the seat brackets are

 

A pillar is then welded on again. After this the outer rocker it welded on the flanges of the inner rocker and A pillar.

 

On the rear of the car the outer quarter panel sits over the outer rocker (that's the seam that you see at the lower corner of the B pillar) I'm not that far yet as I'm still repairing the rear subframe mount.

Seeing how bad your rockers are, I think those might need some attention as wel..

This was the inside of mine

[Toga]

Man! souvenir souvenir for me here are some pics... Do not hesitate to check every corner, there's rust everywhere!!!

[dlmrun2002]

Are the inner rockers and rear suspension bushing bolt guide supporters available? That seems the way to go if encountering some serious rust inside of the outer rocker.

dlm ny country

[HobieDog]

Thank you very much to all!  Great advice and tips from everyone, and your pics and explanation @D.martijn really helped me visualize what I need to do.  
 

The subframe mounts have been repaired in the past to some degree, but I’m going to take a much better look at them once I get into the back of the rockers.  The welds looked sloppy and so I’ll be cleaning those up at a minimum.  
 

The floors and rockers should be here this week if UPS can get their act together.  

[HobieDog]

Quick update and a question.  But first, as @D.martijn said, a picture is worth many words...I'm sure based on this first picture you can quickly determine what I saw when I started digging into the back of the inner rocker and subframe mounts.    The fun continues.    

 

Somebody tried to repair the subframe mounts already.  See the new metal welded in at the top and the horrid patches and attempts to fix down below.  I have new mounts on order from W&N already and am going to cut the bottom sections of these off this week.  My hope is that i can leave the "tube" in place and just weld in the new bottom and side sections.  If the top section is decent that should work, right?  

[D.martijn]

Wow looks like they boxed the original mount in..
I think you're better off removing everything and starting fresh.. just replacing the W&N panels won't be enough. You will need to replace the floor pieces as well.

 

On your last photo is there a plate welded against the inner sill as well?

[HobieDog]

25 minutes ago, D.martijn said:

Wow looks like they boxed the original mount in..
I think you're better off removing everything and starting fresh.. just replacing the W&N panels won't be enough. You will need to replace the floor pieces as well.

 

On your last photo is there a plate welded against the inner sill as well?

Yeah, kind of an odd "repair".  

 

It seems like they cut out the bottom portion of the inner sill and welded in new metal.  The end of the inner sills are pretty much non-existent.  

 

If the top of the mount is not badly rusted and still structurally sound I am tempted to keep them and the tubes/posts in place so I don't need to deal with having to deal with doing the alignment and measurements necessary to put them back in exactly the right place.  The patches under the seat are solid, but what matters is condition of the metal they put them over, of course.  I'm probably just fooling myself thinking it will still be solid... 

[tech71]

I recommend you go on Ebay and buy a bunch of Cleco fasteners, Nothing works better to hold stuff together when fitting and fabbing, they will be worth the $$$