jimkari

I have a '73 convertible that I'm doing a frame restoration. This is not a trailer queen, but I am trying to do things right while still not turning this into a multi-year project. The bird cage is in pretty good shape, but three of the four body mounts holes (mounts #2 and #3) are enlarged due to rust. I was thinking I could weld in a plate the width of the rocker on the bottom side to address the enlarged holes. I also have some rust holes in the outside edge of the driver's rocker panel. Any advice on repairing the rockers? I saw some posts about insert rockers, but wasn't sure if they come down the outside edge or the rocker.

I really appreciate any advice you might lend.

Thanks,

Jim

Indiancreek

Any photos?

jimkari

Thanks for the note, I'll try to post some this evening.

Jim

jimkari

Ok, I'll see if this works. Here are photos of the rocker channels.

Passenger side view of mount number 2
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/...ps372d1adf.jpg

Driver side, view of mount number 2
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/...ps218507ac.jpg

View of hole in driver side rocker on the outside. This is almost exactly midway down the rail. There are two or three much smaller holes on the outside of the driver side rail (one closer to the front mount and one closer to the rear)
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/...ps47c80745.jpg

Driver side view of mount number 3
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/...psfe5a76b7.jpg

Another view of the passenger mount number 2.
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2411207b.jpg

I cut out some 1/8" plates that run from the front of the rocker where it makes the bent up to the mount number 1 and then back to where the rocker has a slight bend or notch (about 8 inches in length). The plates fill the entire underside of the rocker in this area. I drilled a 1 1/4" hole in the plates and was planning to weld them in from the underside. I have similar plates in the back, that once again run from the end of the rocker to that notch or slight bend. These are probably more like 4 inches in length.

As for the driver side rocker with the holes, I was thinking about going with the insert assuming it runs down the sides and fills the entire rocker channel in the middle.

I certainly appreciate any advice you can offer.

Thank,

Jim

mapman

I believe the holes for the body mounts are 1 3/16 inch.

jimkari

Thanks for the tip. I check it out.

MIKE80

I did rocker channel inserts down both sides.

jimkari

Thanks Mike, I appreciate you sharing the great photos. Very nice job. Where did you get your inserts? The center section looks like it extends down the outside edge of the rocker channel, but not down to the full bottom edge. Do you know roughly about how far they extend up from the bottom edge?

Jim

MIKE80

No problem. I bought them from Corvette Central. Make sure that you get and follow the manufacturers instructions for installing them. I don't remember how far they come down compared to the original, but should be pretty close (.25"-.5" maybe). I'll try to check it later. Here's a couple more pics.

jimkari

Thanks Mike, I really appreciate all the great pics. These are very helpful. After seeing your pics I decided to order the driver side center section.

Jim

MIKE80

No problem. Good luck with the repairs.

jakvette

Hi Jim,

Looks as if you and I have the same issues . Same year vehicle. And looks as if it's about the same size holes
I decided to cut out mine completely from underneath the body and I am busy making up a complete new channel from front to back which I am going to weld into place at the front door post and rear mount , I took off the fiberglass panel around the trailing arm pocket .
I think the repair parts is an easier job as removing the old channel without damaging the fibre glass body was a very hard job and took me about 6 hours .
I can post some pics if you want to see , but if I was you I would go the repair part route if the rest of the channel is sound . I just decided that I would rather make a complete new channel given the amount of rust and the size of the holes that I had . I didn't want to separate the body from the birdcage , it looked an even bigger job than I am already into

Cheers , hope it all comes out ok ,

John

drgnner

I have that problem too on my 69. I enjoyed reading this post and then began to look for more info online and found this:

http://www.kearneycorvette.com/technical2.html.htm

I have the body on a stand and access is wide open. I may have more confidence in doing this thanks to all that I have read here and in other places, but the worse that can happen is that I really screw it up and have to have the body hauled to a pro to get it done.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

jnb5101

The full length inserts as Mike80 used can be plug or spot welded. When I did mine, I supported the body on 2x10's running length-wise under the floor pan, and battery/jack stowage and rad support areas. I rested those on 2x6's at each end. It was a little more work to set the car, but access to the channels was wide open.

jakvette

HI drgnner,

Thanks for all the information that you kindly supplied to all the guys in the same situation.

I raised my body on a frame high enough that i could sit and work underneath it and then cut out only one side at a time , my channels were a lot worse than the channels that are pictured in the posts above . The reason i cut only one side at a time is that i was worried about the two halves flexing downwards . I made full length channels and so far i have fitted the passenger side piece in and i am quite happy with the results . I am still busy trimming the drivers side rear section and cutting out the thin rusted pieces where the wires for the door switch go through and making up a triangle section to fit inside the front piece of the birdcage so i can plug weld this extra support to the new channel i have made .

Its a lot of work but i think it will turn out fine in the end , just hope the chassis fits back in line with the mount holes for the body as there was really nothing much to reference to with my channels .

I will try and post some pictures later , maybe they will help some of the other guys in a similar situation

Have a great weekend,

John