The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop rocker panels

well after stripping down the fenders,hood grill etc. from my 61 I finally got the nerve up ( I think) to tackle the rocker panel replacements. I spent about an hour and a half yesterday drilling out spot welds and starting to peel away the right side one at the rear post. it looks like it's going to be a long tedious process. I'm sure by the time I get the right side done and move to the left side I'll learn a lot of tricks but this is the part I was dreading most because looks like getting it out along with the rotted rear cab support and getting into all the tight places to cut away and weld back will be tough. anyway anyone with a good tip is sure appreciate. have a Happy new year. Raymond

I you have a panel like that rocker that is getting totally replaced, sometimes is makes life easier to use a cut off wheel and remove all the excess not welded. ie: cut up to the spot welded flange as close as possible without damaging any adjacent panels. The intent is to get rid of the bulk of the panel and leave just a strip with the spot welds, then as you begin removing spot welds you can roll up the strip with a pair of pliers as you go. In some cases this will make it easier to find spot welds that are hard to see.

Here's what I use in removing the spot welds...

http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmcc...n%20Album%203/RemovingSpotWelds.mp4.html

This process gets used when the top panel facing you is the throwaway. I like using this primarily because it is easier for me to not cut too far. I've had too many instances where the adjacent panel required repair from using a holesaw type spot weld cutter that obscures the view of how far along you are, even cutting all the way through in some cases. But if the bottom panel is the throwaway and you're saving the top, just drill through the spot welds and the hole will serve as your plug weld hole when the new panel is in place.

When I have to cut out spotwelds, I think ahead about what will I have to weld back in. I don't like the spotweld cutters that look like a mini hole saw. They make too big of a hole to have to fill back in, making warpage more likely. I use a 5/16" drill bit because it tends to self-center in the spotweld divot and leaves a hole just big enough for me to heat the metal in the bottom piece of metal with the tig to get it cherry red so I can add filler wire there before adding wire to the top piece of metal. Also, if I accidentally drill all the way through both pieces, the hole is small and easy to fill as compared to the spotweld cutter hole.

well interestingly as I got started on it that is just about what I ended up doing. I drilled out the welds on the curves at each end and then after peeling some of it down it became apparent that I need to remove the bulk of it and get to where I could peel away the overlaps. so I took my 4 1/2" disc grinder and carved off a bunch of it. an got a good portion of the rear cab support out as well. decided to go to harbor freight once again and spend a few bucks on a 3" cut off grinder. so off to Amarillo again. anyway when I get time to get back on it I expect it is going to be a lot easier. I also bought a big jug of sharp abrasive for a sand blaster. aluminum oxide I think it is. it isn't cheap but should make cleaning out some of those nooks and crannies a lot easier.