Convertible inner rockers in a coupe

[Shaun]

For those that have done this, I have a few questions as my 66 coupe is currently under the knife getting stiffened.

Did you seperate the inner rocker and only use the 'U' shaped channel piece? The outer rocker already has the flat plate that the floor used to be spot welded too. Do I use the additional flate plate that came spot welded on the inner rockers and plug weld that to the flat plate of the stock outer rocker making 2 flat plates?

What did you guys do about the additional flange on the inner rocker? The outer rocker already has one. Do I cut it off?

 

[stangg]

I left the flat plates on both. I didn't see any reason to seperate the flat from either. On the top side , I welded along the edge since theres about 3/16" of metal all stacked up. It was pretty easy to do this along the door jamb, and then fillet welds everywhere else. For the bottom, welding upside down sucks, so I'm pretty sure I did a combination of plugs and beads along the edges.

For the floors, I bent the flange downward and plug welded the floor flange to the lower flange of the inner rocker. I thought I heard somewhere that convertible floors are welded to the bottom flat of the inner rocker. Either method will work.

If you go with plug welds to join the rockers, I think it would be better to drill the original flanges and use the inner rockers as the base for your weld puddle since it's not galvanized, and I'm pretty sure the coupe rockers are thinner than the new inner rockers so you should get a better weld joint... You migth also want to drill the plug holes out to 3/8 as opposed to 5/16 to get a little more heat and penetration in there.

Are you also going to add the 1 piece seat pan, and the convertible's lower seat pan stiffeners too?

 

[Shaun]

Thanks!

I cut the floor off the inner rocker and plan on plug welding it to the underside of the inner rocker. Yes, I will be using the covertible seat pan. I'm also leaving on my TCP sub frame connectors and 'X' brace for the moment.

What did you do about the flange on the forward end of the inner rocker? Weld it to the flange on the outer rocker or cut it off? I have a feeling it will push out the torque box outer panel if I double up on those...

 

[stangg]

I did leave the flange on, however I don't have torque boxes. I built a tubular subframe with lots of triangulation in that general area and didn't need to deal with the torque boxes.

I'd probably box the inner rocker at the end, then cut off the inner rocker flange and run a vertical bead down to tie the rockers to eachother, then weld the torgue box flange to the outer rocker flange, and also put a few plug welds in the torquebox face to the boxed inner... Not sure if that is all possible, but I think it would work.

 

[Shaun]

I'd probably box the inner rocker at the end, then cut off the inner rocker flange and run a vertical bead down to tie the rockers to eachother, then weld the torgue box flange to the outer rocker flange, and also put a few plug welds in the torquebox face to the boxed inner... Not sure if that is all possible, but I think it would work.

That sounds like what I was thinking. Now you've written it it makes sense. Made some progress this morning:

The next goofy finding is that with the new inner rocker in, and the upper and lower flange lined up with the outer rockers flange, the front 12" of the outer rocker seems to 'kick up' and the lower flange doesn't line up. You can sort of see it in the picture above. I'm not hugely worried about it as I can plug weld the inner rocker to the outer on the top and the outer to the inner flat plate on the bottom. I can then grind some off the inner lower and cover it up with the fender... Any thoughts?

 

[stangg]

Pretty much the same on mine. The outer rocker curves up to about 3/8 -1/2" at the front flange. The taper starts under the door, a few inches before the rocker to fender joint. I did not grind the excess down and is not visible once the fender is installed, however it is about even. Grinding a little won't hurt anything.

Another little oddity I came across was that one inner rocker was wider than the other by about an 1/8". I didn't discover that 'til after I had installed them...

Your progress looks great.

 

[Shaun]

Phew thanks! Mine is the same, right at the door forward it slants up, level from there rearward. Weird. I figured the fender would cover it up and so long as there is meat to weld to it'll be fine. Made some more progress fitting the rear of the inner rocker:

Its almost time for some weld through primer and making this permanant! Well, one side anyway...