This picture is of a left side 1965 Dart rocker panel looking forward. It clearly shows the extra reinforcement member used in convertibles. Maybe it will help someone.
Rocker Panel Construction
- Thread starter KosmicKuda
- Start date
-
That is a beautiful section.
Would you measure the outer skin thickness for me if it is still accessable. I assume it is 18 gage.
Would you measure the outer skin thickness for me if it is still accessable. I assume it is 18 gage.
I'm sorry but can't do that. I came across it at a swap meet in April. Seller had the front clip from a 65 Dart vert for sale.
The outer and inner rockers are standard production so someone could measure them measure them.
The cross section clearly shows the layering of the various components. They truly are metal stampings spot welded together. You could disassemble a whole body by drilling out the spot welds and cutting s few tack welds.
I bet the out is 18 Ga. and that inner piece is THICK!!!!!
My guess is the skin is 18 as well. But being a structial member especially on non converts, it might be thicker.
Eyeballing it there, I judged the reinforcement to be about 3/16" thick. (7 ga) I may see that front clip sgain in a month and I'll be sure to have a micrometer in my pocket.
I'll tell you what...... I have a 64 Valiant convertible and I've never had a 2 door Mopar where the doors sounded like this. They just close with a resounding CLUNK.
Occasionally people want to talk about my car at shows, the old "they don't build them like this anymore." Sometimes I just clunk the doors for them. I call it my baby Imperial. I've had (5) 67-69 cudas and the build quality was not as good as this 64. Comparing welds on k-frames, fit-up, things like that.
Thanks!
Just curious if anyone knows how these are put together?
Looks like it's a big beam that is made to fit snugly inside the rocker assembly, but is not directly welded to the tortion bar crossmember or rear subframe assembly like subframe connectors are. So it stiffens the standard rocker assembly from the inside, and then they used the same rocker assembly stampings they used for the 2 doors?
Imagine a pile of separate stampings. If the rockers were built as sub-assemblies the order would be:
1. Put one outer rocker onto a table into a quick and easy holding fixture.
2. Place thick inner reinforcement into place and spot weld to outer rocker. (self locating) Convertibles only but could possibly be in station wagons, don't know.
3. Place inner rocker in place and spot weld and fillet weld as required.
4. Remove weldment and stack onto cart for transport to assembly line.
As the body moved down the line, additional parts were welded into place. Notice how the floor lays on a ledge formed into the inner rocker. Those were spot welded in place.
The best way to replace floors is to drill out the spot welds, clean and prep ledge, place and clamp new floor in place and spot weld or plug weld as required. Very easy to see with the new floor on hand.
The torsion bar crossmember welds to the inner rockers. You can see the construction after the floors are removed. I welded short 1/8" bars on the inside of the T-bar crossmember and welded them to the top of the T-bar socket to stiffen the anchors. Once the T-bar crossmember starts to rust, the sockets twist out.
Last edited:
Awsome description; I can visualize the assembly line as you describe it. As I guessed they do stiffen the rocker assembly, but are not directly welded to the t-bar crossmember.
Thanks for the tip on strengthening the t-bar sockets. I have new front pans from auto body specialty and hopefully will have time to begin putting them in before the end of August. Too many other projects going on right now.
-
