Front end of drivers side rocker

I spent sometime sealing up the front of the rocker skins tonight and adding the bottom section of the hinge pillar that decayed over the years. I didn't have time to grind it down so the picture shows it rough. I have a bit more welding to do to make it waterproof.

This is the rig I use to lift the car when I am working by my self.

Front of rocker panel sealed up

bottom of hinge pillar fit and clamped up

hinge pillar section welded up. Still needs a bit of work to finish.

Rocker Redo

It takes a big man to admit his mistakes... Yesterday I became a big man.

Since I installed the rockers a few weeks ago, I have been looking at the alignment with the inner heater channel and the channel on the floor pan. There was about a 1/4" offset from the pan channel to the edge of the inner heater channel. On the passenger side (still original) the pan and heater channels line up with maybe 1/16" offset, but closer to none.

That said, I decided to cut the heater channel loose and move it toward the inside. It took about an hour to cut all the welds loose and remove the dog leg. After I did, I couldn't get the channel over more than about 1/16". Not enough to make a difference. I went under the car to find out what was holding the channel up and it was the outer lip of the pans. I had a spot near the jack area that was not trimmed far enough. I trimmed it down and the channel freed up to move further in... Then there are flutes in the heater channel (where water is supposed to drain) that were hitting the pan, so I carved out recesses where those where and the channel was freed up to move even further in. I went back topside and clamped everything where I wanted it and tacked it in to make sure everything looks lined up. I am MUCH happier with the channels now. I will re-attach the dog leg and firm everything up today.

Now that you have heard my personal growth story, it's time to get back in the garage!!!

Adding Dog Leg

Today I welded on the front end of the driver's side heater channel. I welded up the tab on the front of the heater channel, I welded the bottom of the dogleg shut, then tacked and welded it in place. I have a bit of a challenge with my driver's side floor pan, so I am not sure I have the dogleg exactly where I want it. I'll take a closer look later in the week. Hopefully everything will be ok.

front of the heater channel where the tab sticks out.
New dogleg in place

Did someone hack my convertible frame?

Can anyone tell me what belongs on the end of the piece the red arrow is pointing to?

Inner Rear Rocker Welded In

I took a pause for a day to get my weld-thru primer situation figured out. I bought a can a few years ago and it clogged after one use. I then bought a new can about 1 year ago and I tried to use it for the first time over the weekend. It wouldn't go... I bought a new can on Monday to the tune of $20. I had them put the other 2 cans on the shaker with no luck of freeing up the clogged tubes. I would like to return the $20 can for now because I know it will clog before I get to use it all. That said, I cut one of the cans open to see if I could use it's contents... Wouldn't you know!!! I stabbed it with a nail to let out the propellant, then sliced the bottom off with a utility knife. I then put the paint into a tupperware container so I could seal it up for later use. Worked like a charm...

Now to the car. I welded on the rear of the rocker tonight after I was done messing about with the paint.

rear section welded to rocker

Wheel Well Patch

I got quite a few little things done this weekend. I got my air compressor adjusted to run at 110 PSI instead of 90 (I'll probably goose it up to 125 PSI when I find a new pop off value.) I got the old lower inner rear rocker cut out and a new patch on the wheel whell installed (behind the lower inner rear rocker.) I also received my package from KGP&R with the chassis rubber parts. I installed the 17mm pads on the shock towers, the 10mm pad on the front beam and I slid the pan gasket under the body along the front and rear of the pan where the body bolts on. I placed the pads at "Point A" but there was more space than pad, so they are floating there for the time being. The pics below are of the patch panel I had to make. It took about 1 hour to make it, weld it up and grind it down. I couldn't get my weld-thru primer to come out of the can, so I'll get a new can tomorrow and squirt the repair area before the lower inner rear rocker goes on.

After plenty of cutting and fitting, here are the parts
Parts welded together

Patch installed at bottom of wheel well

Lower inner rear rocker clamped up

Door Gapping

I have been tweeking the door gap on the driver's side trying to get everything lined up perfectly before I do the final welding on the inner lower 1/4 at the back of the rocker and the welding that needs to be done behind the hinge pillar. I put the top frame back on, added spacers to the top of the shock tower, "Point B" is rusted out, so there isn't a spacer there. I am waiting on a package from KGP&R. It has the pan seal, 17mm and 10 mm spacers along with a few chassis grommets. If is shows up tomorrow, I'll hang the passenger's door and get it gapped, then weld like crazy to get the driver's side wrapped up. If all goes well, I should have this side done in the next week or two. top frame and driver's door back on