So I installed new rockers this weekend at my stepdads shop...along with a couple other things . Tommorow after I'm done work I'll post up some pics and a basic how-to of what all was done. I'm sure some on here may have wondered what goes on in a body shop .

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K&N filter | Magnaflow mufflers | Stainless tips | GMPP 19mm rear sway bar | Dorman 34mm front sway bar | GMPP strut tower braces w/ DR Custom brackets

i know what goes on in a body shop but i'm special

anyways interested in the write up

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So here goes. I dont have pics for every thing I had to do, so I will fill in the gaps.

Heres when i first got to the shop. Notice the nice sag in the middle of the rocker


Heres what you see in the door well. I'm not prying on the vinyl cover in any way. This is what was left of the support bracket


So in order to get these things off...the vinyl cover slips over the bracket which is bolted to the rocker panel itself.

-- Fri Nov 25, 2011 9:41 pm --

A few shots of the brackets and my rocker panels. The new metal you see in the bracket pic are the pieces I had to make to replace the missing material.

I had to bend these from 20 gauge sheet steel. I used 3 foot lengths per side, and then cut them out.


My lovely rockers


-- Fri Nov 25, 2011 9:52 pm --

I bought "universal" either-side rockers which i had to cut to fit, and drill out for the studs that allow the brackets to be screwed on.
My rockers test-fitted:

So before these were welded in place, and the support brackets welded together, my step-dad sand-blasted all the parts to get all rust removed. I didnt cut out the origional rockers...I simply welded the new metal over-top, more on that later.
My rebuilt support brackets:


After sand-blasting and welding, I cleaned up the welds and sealed the supports with chassis paint.

-- Fri Nov 25, 2011 10:00 pm --

After all prep work was finished (grinding down welds, sanding the new metal with 180 grit sandpaper) the surface was sealed with self-etching primer and then painted. Now you can see where i fitted the rockers. I avoided having to paint into the door wells, above where the vinyl panels fit, this wouldve been alot more work...and the proper way to do it. As well, in the 2nd picture, the grey gunk on the sides is a sealent, which was applied to the top surface as well, since it wasnt seam-welded along the full length. Its not 100% perfect, but it will work fine. Its a sealed surface.


My brackets put into place:


-- Fri Nov 25, 2011 10:04 pm --

Now while I was there, I was given a nice surprise. My step-dad had gotten me a new bumper cover and gas flap ^^
I damaged the origional on a curb (dont ask me how lol...the car sits so low). And of course the gas flap was rotten. The pins and spring had rotted right out, it kind of dangled in the wind while I was driving.





-- Fri Nov 25, 2011 10:06 pm --

Thats pretty well it. I havent had the chance to get a pic of the parts on my car. I can say for sure tho that it looks much better, and I'm not paranoid I will lose parts the next bump I hit.

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K&N filter | Magnaflow mufflers | Stainless tips | GMPP 19mm rear sway bar | Dorman 34mm front sway bar | GMPP strut tower braces w/ DR Custom brackets

Here are some updated pics. Sorry for the picture quality, the only camera I have is in my cellphone.

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K&N filter | Magnaflow mufflers | Stainless tips | GMPP 19mm rear sway bar | Dorman 34mm front sway bar | GMPP strut tower braces w/ DR Custom brackets

Well done!!

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Mods: Vector ECM/TCM tune | VG Sharkfin | Volant CAI w/Amsoil Filter | Spyder Tails | GXP Rear Diffuser | Debadge | SLP Spoiler
Erebus: 2000 Grand Prix GTP Sedan
2009.5 G8 GT
GPONA's June COTM 2011 & March 2012

Nice... My 97 Gtp coupe had far worse rockers than yours... Had to sell it for parts...

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2004 GTP Comp G. The Daily Driver.
JULY 2011 GPONA COTM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uNwgZGrvJ0
1992 GTA Trans Am. The Toy.
2003 VW Jetta. The Spousal Unit.

Looks awesome! Damn I wish I had a place to do that myself. My 00 GTP needs rockers bad.

... but it may be sold as a parts car soon anyway. (sigh)

hmm so that is how rockers are sapose to look

if i keep the 99 next supper it is getting rockers put on

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92 LeBaron Convert: Turbo 3L 97 Grand Prix GT 4dr "Frankenstein": L67 4t65 swap
97 Grand Marquis: Summer DD 99 Grand Prix GTP: Top Swap Beater

Thanks guys...wouldnt believe the amount of work it takes XD. And GtpKo, the problem with going to work on it...is its a 5hr drive to my stepdads shop . I was going to repaint the whole car actually come this summer...any sugestions? I do like the silver, its the older code with a bit more "yellow" in it...almost gives it a pearl paint effect, lots of depth, but I'm open to ideas

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K&N filter | Magnaflow mufflers | Stainless tips | GMPP 19mm rear sway bar | Dorman 34mm front sway bar | GMPP strut tower braces w/ DR Custom brackets

I had always thought the old rockers needed to be cut out, putting new over the old seems much quicker and easier.

If the old ones were properly removed of rust and primed, what would the harm be on putting new over the old like that?

The harm is, if its not sealed properly between the two pieces of steel, is moisture collects between them, and they will rot out pretty quick.

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K&N filter | Magnaflow mufflers | Stainless tips | GMPP 19mm rear sway bar | Dorman 34mm front sway bar | GMPP strut tower braces w/ DR Custom brackets

I'm intrigued, the rockers on my car are one of the reasons I'm willing to sell it.

Would a healthy coating of POR15 mitigate that risk?

It's hard to let go of a car you love, seeing these pics of fixed rockers got me thinking of a way I can still keep it

To get rockers done the "dirty" way like i did would cost about a grand. I did it in such a way that I taped off the body from below where the vinyl cover goes, no paint blow-in needed. If your brackets are ok, thats an enormous amount of work saved. Is POR15 a chassis sealing paint? If the rust is left on, no amount of anything really will help. Just for reference, the shop price for materials is about 100 for the rockers, and 200-300 for paint...yes its that much.

-- Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:41 am --

Actually if you want gtpko, I can PM you my email address, you can send me pics of your rockers. If your brackets are ok, and the rust isnt eating holes into the sides of the rockers yet, you MIGHT be able to slow down the rust for now, on the cheap, if you dont have the money to fix it properly atm.

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K&N filter | Magnaflow mufflers | Stainless tips | GMPP 19mm rear sway bar | Dorman 34mm front sway bar | GMPP strut tower braces w/ DR Custom brackets