Rocker Replacing

[dclewallen]

Due to some unforseen rust and old repair problems, the rocker panels are going to have to be replaced on my 53 Starliner. Before my friend [who is sorta new at this, but does great work] tears into it, is there any special precautions that need to be taken. This is an early 53 model with the thin frame etc.? Thanks again for any help.

Darryl C. Lewallen

[Jeff_H]

The rockers have a bit of a curve to them. If you are replacing the floors too, they may not mate up. I did floors and rockers on my '53 and had door fit issues. The rockers are supposed to spot weld to the floors but I used screws since I needed to fit washers between the rocker's rubber door seal flange and the floor edge to get the fit with the bottom of the door right. Took some trial and error. The replacement floor pan was made straight and initially I tightened the screws down and it "flattened" the rocker so I had a gap along the door bottom when it was closed. If you have a hardtop, the bottom of the rocker also spot welds to the hogtrough. The post cars don't have those so the rocker bottom just hangs.

Jeff

'53 Champion Hardtop

[Roscomacaw]

JUST today, I installed a new CE rocker on the driver's side of the Provincial. Other than having to cut a notch where the B-pillar intersects the rocker, it was too easy!
Last week I took the old, badly bashed rocker off. Dreading having to tediously drill each and every spot weld out, my memory flashed back (yeah - it still does that when my batteries are fresh![])and I remembered seeing a nifty wedge blade in the Eastwood catalog for driving thru spot welds.
My mind went right to the cutlery drawer in the kitchen and I thought about that old meat cleaver I never use. By golly, that cleaver and a 3lb sledge and 10 minutes later the offending old rocker was laying on the grass!
Of course, I won't be sharpening that cleaver anytime soon! but that's OK! I am willing to PAY for "easy"!!!

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS

[hank63]

Mr Biggs, you're lucky. The kitchen tools in my house are strictly off-limits to car fiddling males. A terrible price would be extracted from offenders.
/H

[gecoe]

I recently watched a friend use a tool I'd never seen before. It's a small circle cutter type of drill bit that fits in the drill like any other bit. After cutting the metal around the spot weld and removing the top piece of metal the little bit of remaining metal can be ground away effortlessly.

Gerry

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by Mr.Biggs


My mind went right to the cutlery drawer in the kitchen and I thought about that old meat cleaver

I'm telling Lisa about the meat cleaver [}]

-Dick-

[Roscomacaw]

Well, at least she can't use THAT on me![:0]


In respone to hank63: Since I'm the chief cook an' bottle washer, I grant myself clemency.[^]

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS

[Roscomacaw]

Gerry, I've got a couple of those spot weld bits. Works nice. But the meat cleaver had the rocker off before I'd have drilled thru a fourth of the welds that rocker had on it.
'58 was a slow year for production in South Bend. I figure the guy that put those rockers on my wagon was tryin' to justify his job![}]

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS