Convertible A-body (67-69 Dart) Rocker panel reinforcments

-

Hemiorangeswinger

Dodge Material
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Messages
785
Reaction score
196
Location
Edmonton
Hey, i'm in the process of buying all the sheetmetal for my 1970 Swinger 340 and i'm going right back to original. I was thinking of reinforcing the rocker panels since i'm replacing them anyways. Its a factory four speed car so it has the front and rear torque boxes already.. I want to run sub frame connectors but i'd rather do something thats hidden and since i'll have the outer rockers off i was wondering if anyone has done anything to tie the torque boxes in? i heard convertibles had additional steel added in the rockers but i haven't found any reference pics.

Any ideas? or pics of a convertables rockers?
 
Here's convertible rocker reinforcements....
 

Attachments

  • '65ABodyVertRockerReinforcement1.jpg
    127.4 KB · Views: 859
  • '65ABodyVertRockerReinforcement2.jpg
    141.3 KB · Views: 808
Thanks for the pics! Wow, i didn't think that inner reinforcement was that thick! This will give me some ideas on what to do since nobody seems to make that as a replacement piece.
 
You could also try to incorperate what they did with the Sebring convertibles
Sebringtough1.jpg
 
That is part of the vert that I haven't been into. I had assumed they all had the same inner rocker structure and the torque boxes just tied it to the subframes.
I have to metion this... I saw pics once of a rocker replacement on a p/u truck that went wrong. The rear end of the rocker was too high so the door hit it. No way to get the body lines right.
Good luck
 
Thanks for the reference pics! I'm not worried about the car moving because it will be welded to a jig in eight spots before anything gets removed and the doors will be hung before and after everything is welded up. Same goes for the quarters when it comes time.. The doors, rear valence, rear quarter panel extensions and trunk lid will be fit on before the quarters are welded on. My dad has restored cars for over 30yrs and he's seen some pretty bad jobs (so have I) where the doors are trunk lid have no gap or huge gaps... It's all in how the car is supported before you start chopping away at it, especially a unibody!

I'd never cut the rockers, floor, inner fenders or quarters off while the cars hanging on a rotisserie.
 
I really appreciate the reference pictures 65 Val since I've never seen the inside of a convert rocker panel before. I knew they were beefed up but never would have guessed it was with what appears to be 1/4" steel.

Also Carl, good photo / good to know
 
-
Back
Top