behardt91

So I pulled off my rocker panels and started sanded them down. Actually I've only gotten one of them off so far (because the old bolts are rusted in on the other) but it looks pretty good as is. I'm thinking about leaving it plain aluminum like an early c3 instead of painting it black again, but there's a small dent on the bottom of the panel and I don't know how to remove it. If I was painting it black I could just mud it but I'm leaving it plain so anyone have any ideas? Also does anyone know how to get those bolts out? I've squirted bolt loosener on them but they're still stuck.

dobroman2001

This may help:

http://www.corvettemagazine.com/tech...fix-is-in.html

7T1vette

Hopefully you didn't sand that panel very much. The surface is anodized...which is a hard coating to give the soft aluminum some wear resistance. If you got through the anodized layer, it will dent and scratch very easily. Anodizing is very expensive to do, so replacement is your next best option. The best thing to use on the surface of anodized aluminum is Scotchbrite or very fine steel wool. Those will buff the surface, but not damage it.

Ironcross

I dont know what year your referring to, but this is as early as it gets for a 'Shark'. 68 and the rockers are about 95% black satin....

69small block

there is system out there that is very much like a pop rivet it is an insert that you can put in a drilled out hole and then use they tool provided and set the insert in place and tighten it up till squeezes the insert much like a pop rivet once the insert is set you remove tool and you have a new threaded plce to put a # 10 screw to hold the rocker panel on works great for many thread placement issues there are several companies that make them but I'll be damned if i can remember the name of them I will find out and post again sorry

yellow 72

I sanded mine to raw aluminum starting with 220 on a DA and worked them with wet paper down to 800 then polished using Mothers Mag and Aluminum.

psycho dad

I bought a set of screws for mine and they came with speed nuts.
I just drilled out the broken ones and put a nut on the back.

s79vette

I took the old black paint off mine with paint remover then used fine steel wool to clean them up and polished with an aluminum cream polish like Mothers. I also painted the groove in mine Red. Cause I did it I think it looks great. not everyone feels that way, don't care. Steve

behardt91

I ended up just drilling out the rusty bolts. I'm gonna knock out those old retainers too and just use a nut on each bolt. I think I'm just gonna repaint the mouldings black too because I'll have to use mud to fix my dent and like someone said before, the vettes that had no paint on the mouldings were anodized. I might post a pic when I'm done but I want to take this chance to clean some rust off my frame too. Hopefully I can work pretty quick though because when I drive the vette people look at it like something's missing haha

7T1vette

The panels that were painted black were anodized, too. The panels (70 & up) were all made the same way, but some were painted [after manufacturing] and some were not. '68 & '69 panels were fiberglass.

Fonz69

I have a set of rockers I would sell, the one side is dented up the other is good, which one do you need?


PM me because I might forget to look at this thread again

Trent Mayo

You've just inspired me to redo mine. Looks awesome!

Ironcross

nope, anodized aluminum!

but its not important, dont lose any sleep over them....

Eddie 70

I sanded and polished mine also. They were beat up pretty badly from years of abuse. Need to touch up the black line but I like the way they look polished.

7T1vette

Ironcross... 1978 standard panels were painted black; the Pace Car panels stayed aluminum in color. 1979-82 were all painted black. If your comment was relative to the '68-69 panels, the upper strip may have been aluminum...but the panel part was fiberglass. If yours is not, it was changed sometime in the past.

Ironcross

Your right, its two pieces with glass on the lower piece....I never ever even looked at that part of the car. I thought it was like my 62