Had a two week hiatus due to ongoing health issues but am removing the driver side sill panel. I have removed the vertical spot welds where the side of the floor panel wraps over the top of the sill. Is there anything else preventing it from being removed...like spots on the horizontal face (on the floor).
I cut most of the sill away but the remaining strip where it meets the floor doesn't want to bid farewell even though all spots are detached. Tried to find the welding instructions in the FAM but the closest I could find was Sect 1 Sheet 49.0 which shows the front edge of the sill where is welds to the inner cowl. Looking for the floor to side sill welding instructions to confirm only vertical spots.
1951 3100 5-window with a '55 235/floor mounted 3-speed Some of the story in ODSS Most of it in The Shops Area
What is a sill panel? Inner cowl panel? If so, then what you are dealing with is an area where the flange of the floor panel, the rocker panel, and the bottom edge of the inner cowl panel are layered together. They are welded all together at different stages of the build. This makes it a challenge for restoration of this area without removing each of these 3 panels.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
What is a sill panel? Inner cowl panel? If so, then what you are dealing with is an area where the flange of the floor panel, the rocker panel, and the bottom edge of the inner cowl panel are layered together. They are welded all together at different stages of the build. This makes it a challenge for restoration of this area without removing each of these 3 panels.
Carl, to be fair I did think the panel I was referring to was called a rocker panel here in the US. I am a Brit and we usually call those outer/side sill panels. Interestingly the FAM also refers to it as the 'side sill' so I had tried to stick to their nomenclature. I guess it is also called the rocker panel though.
I am certainly finding it to b e a challenge to find a sequence alright. I am tackling the sill/rocker and floor pans first and then moving out to the inner/outer cowls. the floor pans wrap over the rocker so it seems the rocker may be the first.
Last edited by paul65; 11/06/202212:30 PM.
1951 3100 5-window with a '55 235/floor mounted 3-speed Some of the story in ODSS Most of it in The Shops Area
Americans and Britons. Two people divided by a common language.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
To answer your original question about side sill/rocker panel attachment to the floor. There are spot welds on the floor (horizontal.) That's likely why it won't let go. Zoom up on the attached pics of the remnants of one of my rocker panels and where it was welded to the floor and you'll see the spot weld locations I drilled out.
Your sequence is probably correct. At the floor to A-pillar joint, there are 4 thicknesses of metal sandwiched there (rocker/side sill, floor, inner cowl panel, and A-pillar) so all those pieces need to be in place before final welding is done.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
To answer your original question about side sill/rocker panel attachment to the floor. There are spot welds on the floor (horizontal.) That's likely why it won't let go. Zoom up on the attached pics of the remnants of one of my rocker panels and where it was welded to the floor and you'll see the spot weld locations I drilled out.
Your sequence is probably correct. At the floor to A-pillar joint, there are 4 thicknesses of metal sandwiched there (rocker/side sill, floor, inner cowl panel, and A-pillar) so all those pieces need to be in place before final welding is done.
Many thanks, I managed to get the remnants of the sill out from under the floor with a little 'persuasion'. There were indeed 2-3 spots on the horizontal which weren't massively obvious. Still cannot find any welding instructions for the sill but at least it is out now and I will know better when tackling the same on the passenger side. Managed to hammer/dolly the flange into a nice flat edge ready for the new sill but only after I resolve the rear corner and bottom of the B pillar which are both a combination of 1/2" bondo, 2 pounds of rust and little else!
Onwards and upwards!
1951 3100 5-window with a '55 235/floor mounted 3-speed Some of the story in ODSS Most of it in The Shops Area
