71 Dodge Dart AMD rocker install

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fastdartswinger

fastdartswinger

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Upon removal of the lower part of my quarter panels I found that my outer rockers had been previously repaired and were rusty to about half way up the door. In all my searching I could not find any info or pics on replacing full factory style rocker panels on a dart. So after drilling out a few hundred spot welds I have some pics of my progress so far.
 

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i finally figured out how to link the pics
 

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Awesome! I've got a 1970 Swinger that i'm restoring and i've got a bunch of AMD sheetmetal for it (outer rockers as well) I figured they'd be a pain to remove since they're behind layers of sheetmetal in spots. Did you brace it anywhere before removing the rocker? I'll be posting lots of pics of my progress in the next few months on replacing all the sheet metal on my Swinger.


Here's some good detailed pics of the rockers being replaced on a Duster,
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=117240&page=2
 
The best way I found to get them out was to cut them in to sections about a foot long and remove them in peices. There is a few tricky spot welds to get at like from the bottom of the a pillar and all the ones sandwiched between panels. I didn't brace the car at all because I have 2x3 subframe connectors running the length of the car and the car is stripped down to nothing. I made marks in a few places before I started and with them completely removed nothing has shifted yet.
 
PoisonDart74 said:
Not a dart, but helpful none the less:

http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/mod-custom-forum/624719-advice-installing-quarter-skins.html
Click to expand...

I bet that guys car shows shadows of a line on a hot day where he glued his quarters on... My Dad tried that glue once before (on a dark coloured car) and he tac welded it in a few spots too and after bodywork and paint it looked perfect, but on a hot day you could see a line where it was glued and he never used it again. He used Fuser glue which is high end stuff too. I wouldn't ever use that glue on a rocker unless it's used for sealing a seam (like a cowl) and spot welding like the factory did (you can get stuff that you can weld with)
 
fastdartswinger said:
The best way I found to get them out was to cut them in to sections about a foot long and remove them in peices. There is a few tricky spot welds to get at like from the bottom of the a pillar and all the ones sandwiched between panels. I didn't brace the car at all because I have 2x3 subframe connectors running the length of the car and the car is stripped down to nothing. I made marks in a few places before I started and with them completely removed nothing has shifted yet.
Click to expand...

Good info! I guess it wouldn't move if you have subframe connectors in already. are you replacing the outer wheelwell tubs as well? On the ones under the pillar did you have to drill them out from the other side?
 
I changed the drivers side rocker on my dart in auto body class. Its best to put the door on and use it to line up the rocker. Make sure the car is sitting on the suspension when u do it. Its wasn't too bad i think it was harder to remove the old one than put the new one in.
 
I had do drill a few of the welds on the a pillar and the door pillar from the inside. There is also a few in the a pillar and were the front seat belt attaches that can only be drilled or seen from the inside of the the rocker once the bottom is cut out of it. I honestly don't even know how they were welded. I replaced the entire wheel tubs with aftermarket tubs already. I can fit a 30" or 32" tire in the back of the car. I have plans of back halving the car later down the road so all ill have to do is extend my existing tubs.
 
Not trying to be a budinski I'd just be a little careful on freeing up too much structure and relying on the connectors to keep everything in alignment, maybe one side at a time which is probably what your doing. Good luck with your project, like to see more have you got a restoration thread?
 
Hemiorangeswinger said:
I bet that guys car shows shadows of a line on a hot day where he glued his quarters on... My Dad tried that glue once before (on a dark coloured car) and he tac welded it in a few spots too and after bodywork and paint it looked perfect, but on a hot day you could see a line where it was glued and he never used it again. He used Fuser glue which is high end stuff too. I wouldn't ever use that glue on a rocker unless it's used for sealing a seam (like a cowl) and spot welding like the factory did (you can get stuff that you can weld with)
Click to expand...

I knew someone was gonna pop off on the panel adhesive. Let me pop back.

The way he went about fastening it on has nothing to do with the steps he laid out installing a quarter panel. They are the same.

Did you read the whole post? He talks about it, and then there's the fact the way he did it by going all the way to the top point of the body line makes the seam invisible. Plus, in the tech sheets of Lord Fusor, they explain in depth on how to bevel visible joints to remove the cause of any ghost lines.

I'm not saying panel adhesive is for everyone. I'm just saying don't naysay on hearsay, or, no offense, operator error.

Many a beautiful quarter panel has been installed time and time again without a problem.
 
I epoxy primed the inside of the new rocker and used por15 on the car side. I cleaned all areas that are going to be welded and sprayed with zinc weld through coating.
 

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I found once i had the door on the car and lined up that a few adjustmentst had to be made to the door support and the rear door jamb. I found that the rocker must have sprung back a little bit from the factory and to make the propper door gap the entire top side of the rocker should be lined up and welded before the bottom. If I clamped both top and bottom of the rocker on, the bottom door gap was about an inch wide and where the a pillar and the rear door jamb stick out was too far away to be welded.

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