Fixing a dent in my rocker panel, or not

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lavron
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Fixing a dent in my rocker panel, or not

Post by lavron »

I think I have mentioned before that there is a dent in my right rocker panel, not sure if I can fix it or not, this is what it looks like.
Image

I don't want to buy a stud gun to try and pull it it is the only dent on the car, not sure If I shouldn't just leave it as a war wound (it has been on the car as long as I have owned it)

If you can't tell from the picture it is on the very bottom edge of the rocker, I figure my options, other than just leaving it, are to weld 16 penny nails to it with the mig and try to rig a slide hammer (I may have one) or I could cut a patch out of the parts car and cut it out and weld the patch in (I would think that would make it more prone to rust out. The other thing would be to drill a hole on the opposite side and try to punch it out some.

Anyway looking for thoughts and opinions.

See Ya,
Mike
Mike's build thread
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13058
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SASSY
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Re: Fixing a dent in my rocker panel, or not

Post by SASSY »

I realize your not building a highend show car but IMO I think you should pull it out and tidy it up.
You got a welder, get a few old nails, weld 'em on grab a crowbar and a hunk a 2x4, pry on 'em.
Freddie da hack
Edit, obviously I didnt read the whole post till after I posted :roll: :lol:
I'd rather do it myself if it's done right or not,,,isn't that what hotrodding is all about

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A/FX
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Re: Fixing a dent in my rocker panel, or not

Post by A/FX »

Mike,
I have repaired dents in rocker panels similar to what you have. The rockers are heavy gauge and will not move like body panels so a slide hammer will not work without heating the area. I have created an access panel under the door sill trim and pushed the dent out from the inside. You can then just make a patch and install it in the access hole, grind the welds and the sill plate will cover it. Be careful welding on the rocker panels because they are galvanized, the fumes will make you sick.
Jim
‘64 Cyclone/ Boss 302,quads,4spd, Winters 9”

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vicegrip
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Re: Fixing a dent in my rocker panel, or not

Post by vicegrip »

They are heavy gauge like mentioned Dent pulling pins will most likely just pull holes in the metal where welded or break off without doing anything, What I do is weld a ,lets say,a 1 inch wide piece of flat 10 gauge steel perpendicular to the dent. The piece has a 7/16 hole towards the outside Find a clevis from a truck air brake rod and you will find that it screws nicely to the big HF slide hammer,Bolt it up to the 7/16 hole and hammer away.You may have to cut off the metal,grind off the weld and reposition it but it will pull out the dent evenly with minimal filler.I have done this where the rocker was a complete disaster and it works nicely.

lavron
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Re: Fixing a dent in my rocker panel, or not

Post by lavron »

Ok so I tried to fix the dent by drilling a hole behind and using a dull punch and a hammer to knock it out, wouldn't even budge it so I just cut it out and welded a patch in :roll: Also I guess the big deep dent made just ignore the cluster of 3 smaller dents right above and forward of it :roll: so I drilled another hole and was able to punch them out enough that I can just Bondo over them.

Image

I think I actually ground a little more of the weld down around the patch after I took the picture and completely blended the weld on the bottom of the rocker.

See Ya,
Mike
Mike's build thread
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13058
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SASSY
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Re: Fixing a dent in my rocker panel, or not

Post by SASSY »

There, now you won't walk by that dent and say to yourself why didnt I,,,,
Fred
I'd rather do it myself if it's done right or not,,,isn't that what hotrodding is all about

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lavron
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Re: Fixing a dent in my rocker panel, or not

Post by lavron »

SASSY wrote:There, now you won't walk by that dent and say to yourself why didnt I,,,,
Fred
Hopefully not, I am glad I fixed it, probably one of the few times you have to stand on the step ladder to fix a rocker :P The real deciding thing for me, besides that I could hardly budge it with a big hammer was in the scrap heap was a piece of galvanized steel the same gauge I had bent for something else and discarded, it had near the perfect curve to it to fit the rocker.

So it is still mostly galvanized on the inside. I was thinking of getting some of this Eastwood internal frame coating and spraying the insides of my rocker, has anyone used it or something similar?
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-inter ... rosol.html

Kinda expensive but don't think I would need but one can to do both rockers but if it is useless I don't want to waste the money.

See Ya,
Mike
Mike's build thread
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13058
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