sidepipes-rocker panels
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: west pittston pa.
sidepipes-rocker panels
Whats up guys? I'm about to install sidepipes on my 80-Vette,and I keep seein that the rocker panels have to be TRIMED.Can anybody chime in as to what I have to do. How much do I have to trim,do I just notch it out? Where do I trim? how do I trim?Can you tell me how you did it?Was it needed?How did it look when done? Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!!! Thanks....... Freddie
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,248
Likes: 4
From: Lancaster PA
You might not have to. I used hooker headers and on my 80 I didn't have to trim anything. Same headers on my son's 75 and I had to trim the drivers side. when you bolt them on you will see where it needs trimed. I cut mine with a die-grinder after they were installed just to keep them from vibrating the fiberglass. Hope this helps.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,487
Likes: 1
From: Sydney
Are the side pipes the original '69 style or aftermarket hookers?
If they are '69 which I recently installed also. You do have to trim the rocker panel. Below are a couple of pics one showing the piece that was cut out the second showing the side pipe. If you are fitting the original sidepipes with the original covers (or even the fibreglass copies) they will cover any trimming you do of the rocker panel, the rocker panel trimming makes clearance for the pipe itself and also the front part of the sidepipe cover where it wraps around into the front wheel arch.
A die grinder was used to cut the body so that it was a "relatively" precise cut and I was able to keep the original bit to glass back on at a later date (not that I ever would but what can i say, I am a nut). The die grinder cut it easily. I probably took more than I needed to off but I preferred to make just the one cut and be sure that there was enough clearance for the pipe and covers, plus it doesn't really matter since the original rocker panel covers and the factory side pipe covers both cover any cut you make.
Cosmic
If they are '69 which I recently installed also. You do have to trim the rocker panel. Below are a couple of pics one showing the piece that was cut out the second showing the side pipe. If you are fitting the original sidepipes with the original covers (or even the fibreglass copies) they will cover any trimming you do of the rocker panel, the rocker panel trimming makes clearance for the pipe itself and also the front part of the sidepipe cover where it wraps around into the front wheel arch.
A die grinder was used to cut the body so that it was a "relatively" precise cut and I was able to keep the original bit to glass back on at a later date (not that I ever would but what can i say, I am a nut). The die grinder cut it easily. I probably took more than I needed to off but I preferred to make just the one cut and be sure that there was enough clearance for the pipe and covers, plus it doesn't really matter since the original rocker panel covers and the factory side pipe covers both cover any cut you make.
Cosmic
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 936
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa OK
Summit has some guide lines for where you need to trim when installing Hookers on their site. I believe it shows both the fiberglass and the rocker panels and gives the measurements of how much to cut back. It's not a precise template, but it'll give you a good idea.
http://store.summitracing.com/instru...D2224hkr%2Epdf
http://store.summitracing.com/instru...D2224hkr%2Epdf
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
Freddie, ya really don't know till after u've got the hookers bolted up and then try to put the sidepanels back on. i had to notch the sidepanels where the sidepipes bracketed to the frame. you'll figure it. show pics when yer done.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,450
Likes: 40
From: Panama City Beach, Florida
You won't know till you are into the install. I have done a few of them and it's about half and half on cutting or not. The trimming is easy though and you should have no problems. Can't beat a set of sidepipes for looks and sound.
Frank
Frank
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 10
From: NorCal
A different style
Mine was an original sidepipe car that was missing the actual parts. I made my own sidepipes (similar to Hookers along the side) and rather than notch the non-sidepipe panels (I sold them intact), I used 1/8" by 1.5 aluminum stock (ACE hardware), that screws to the existing holes behind the pipes, and then polished them. It hides the stuff below the door and fender, and is mostly blocked from view by the pipes.
Hans
Hans
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 281
Likes: 9
From: New England
You know what they say about measuring twice and cutting once. I couldn't believe what I did. I purchased Hooker Header side pipes and I actually trimmed the right side trim panal to the left side of the car!!! With the price of replacement panals that was a $175.00 mistake. I couldn't believe how much I was having to trim it until I realized that it was for the other side of the car. I was in to much of a hurry to get it back on the road. Lesson learned.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 197
Likes: 1
Freddie,
I made a cardboard template to match the rocker panel and then trimed as needed to fit and then transfered it with a marker pen to the rocker panel and cut with a dremel..... Piece of cake!!
Good luck, Butch
I made a cardboard template to match the rocker panel and then trimed as needed to fit and then transfered it with a marker pen to the rocker panel and cut with a dremel..... Piece of cake!!
Good luck, Butch
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 409
Likes: 13
From: Lavonia Georgia
Originally Posted by cosmicvette
Are the side pipes the original '69 style or aftermarket hookers?
If they are '69 which I recently installed also. You do have to trim the rocker panel. Below are a couple of pics one showing the piece that was cut out the second showing the side pipe. If you are fitting the original sidepipes with the original covers (or even the fibreglass copies) they will cover any trimming you do of the rocker panel, the rocker panel trimming makes clearance for the pipe itself and also the front part of the sidepipe cover where it wraps around into the front wheel arch.
If they are '69 which I recently installed also. You do have to trim the rocker panel. Below are a couple of pics one showing the piece that was cut out the second showing the side pipe. If you are fitting the original sidepipes with the original covers (or even the fibreglass copies) they will cover any trimming you do of the rocker panel, the rocker panel trimming makes clearance for the pipe itself and also the front part of the sidepipe cover where it wraps around into the front wheel arch.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,226
Likes: 643
From: Orange County Ca
Evidently, every car is a little different. On my 69 I trimmed both panels. The Hooker instructions would probably work, but to trim to look the best, I made a cardboard template as someone previously suggested. Both sides are different. I used a saber saw.
