Help with rocker panel, please

[Chas White]

All right, I’ve hit the wall on my little restoration project and would greatly appreciate some advice.
I’ve having trouble getting the outer edge of the rocker panel to line up with the door properly. The photo shows how far I have to move the panel away from the chassis in order to get the outside to line up. I’m not so much concerned with the gap right now as I am about getting the edge of the door and the curve of the panel to line up right. Is this a common problem? Could I have gotten the wrong part? The rocker panel came from Stoddard’s so I’m pretty sure it is what it claims to be.
So right now I’m hoping for suggestions as to what I might do. Welding it in where it is just seems wrong.

[abisel]

Interesting.
By chance is the longitudinal side member pushed in?
Maybe the bottom door hinge is out as far as it will go and you will need to loosen the hinge bolts and push the bottom of the door inboard. How are the ends of the rocker mating up with the bottom of the door hinge post, the rear of the fender, the fender mounting plate, and the mounting at the rear (inner quarter panel)?

See circled areas.

[Zeke]

You can make that work, if you have to. You shouldn't have to, though. Something is wrong as abisel says. I would work on moving the door. But first, take some measurements found in the factory service manual (which are posted here somewhere). find out if the inner floor pan piece is where it's supposed to be. Knock it out some, if that's what it takes. As abisel says, the outer rocker is a straight line between the A and B pillars. Not much adjustment available one the front and back parts are a snug fit. It's then a matter of bringing the pieces together with the ViceGrips shown.

Before you weld anything, pop rivet or screw things together so you can install all or part (of an old one) of the door seal. There has to be sufficient room for that to tuck under the flange or the doors will close too hard and be bound up by too much of the seal standing proud of the channel. I almost got caught on that one.

[Chas White]

Iteresting is right. What I've discovered is that the new panel is 3/16 (the amount I'm off) narrower than the old panel. Everything else seems to be ok. Don't know what to think about this. My impulse is, rather than improvise a fix, to look for a wider piece... If not successful, move the door in, subject to getting the front fender lined up properly.

In any case, thanks for the tip about the seal. I wouldn't have thought about that 'til way too late.

Thanks again for your replies
Charlie

[rennch]

Hey Chas,

How did the rest of the install go? Any pics you'd like to post? I'm just about to do mine too. I've been procrastinating doing it for a few months now.

[Chas White]

Emptyo;
Procrastination is.
Tell the truth I’ve been kind of afraid to do much to it.
I’ve been trying —somewhat leisurely— to reshape the rocker panel to conform to the door. I figure if I can get a 16th here and there I’ll be ok.
Thanks for the kick in the butt though, probably just what I need to get me going again.
Charlie

[rennch]

Charlie,

Can you tell me in detail how you removed the old one? I'm just about to get into it. How did you brace your car?

[elflamo]

Very interesting indeed. A friend of mine has the same issue. The new rocker panel seems to be too narrow. He decided to weld it in and close the gap between rocker and flange with some welds. It now aligns nicely with the door, although structural integrity remains to be proven. It would be good to know whether something is wrong with the templates at fabrication...

[hessel]

I'm the friend Elflamo talks about. I have exactly the same issue, but I have Dansk reproduction parts.





Does anybody know the dimensions of a OEM Porsche replacement rocker? Would be interesting to know.

I have welded the rocker in the way it was. It did fit at the front and the kidney bowl side, just not the middle portion.

[elflamo]

In second pic, check the german sticker text... I think it says something like 'Quality Porsche Replacement Parts'.

[Zeke]

Wow. I hope the door seal works on that.

I see it this way: You have to cut the rear quarter panel free to do this, so you can reattach that in line with the door, which, in turn, is lined up at the bottom with the rocker. The front fender then lines up with the door. It's worked for me twice that way (actually 4 times on 2 cars). I did have a small problem with one of the door seals on the first car because I didn't quite tuck the new piece in far enough and let that stack of parts build a little to high. Some removal of material on the backside of the seal allowed it to fit in better and not bind the door. The second car I made sure I kicked all of that in tight to allow for plenty of room for the seal.

No one said you don't have to tweak these parts to get it all right. I've started some projects with the new sheet metal a full half inch off the mark. Clamps, self tapping sheet metal screws and a rubber mallet are all helpful. I love the MIG for tacking and then more forming of the part to conform.

To me, this is the fun stuff. I can't get enough of it mentally, but my knees would disagree from the physical aspect.

[pjh69911]

I had the exact problem with a replacement from Performance Products(Dansk reproductions). I complained when I noticed it was 5mm less wide at the front where the door meets, and my door was all the way in. When I informed the customer service that the panel was off, and even sent detailed pictures, they claimed that I must have made a mistake(after nmuch delay. I am beginning to suspect someone copied the panel incorrectly and the error has been propagated. BTW mine was a passenger side.
Can't stand for companies that won't stand up to their products. Miffed.

[elflamo]

We're taking some measurements of the rocker panel widths (repro and standard), especially in the middle of the rocker panel.

Seems that the repro Dansk right panel = original dimensions

As Hessel and myself don't have the original left rocker panel anymore, can someone measure the width from the u-shape until the first 'fold' as well as the entire width?

Maybe the issue is with the left repro rocker only...

[Chas White]

Originally posted by emptyo
Charlie,

Can you tell me in detail how you removed the old one? I'm just about to get into it. How did you brace your car?

Well, too long ago, —way too long ago— I built a rotisserie. Took pretty much everything off the car except glass and doors. When I was ready to remove the rocker I lifted the car up, then set it down on a couple of 2 x 12s on sawhorses. Now the car is supported fairly close to the middle so I'm pretty confident it's not going to sag. I removed the old rocker panel by drilling out the welds on the sill, and cutting, with a wheel, the welds on the bottom.
Good Luck,
Charlie

[rennch]

Resubscribing. Sorry. I clicked the deadly "unsubscribe from all threads" link.