1963 Galaxie Wagon
Rocker damage repair

Below is a camera phone shot of the damage to the driver's side rocker panel, right at the drivers door (the door is a goner).

Galaxie repair had been waiting, idle, behind "24hr of Lemons" race projects. Race over, Saab gone, chopped into tiny, easy to dispose of pieces, Jeff had time to get busy with the cut-off wheel. Here, the rocker has been cut away just inside the inner seams, and then pried/bent down to access the inside for a clean bottom cut. The rocker metal looks -new- inside. That is another Saab in the background (under the cover), and pair of Spridgets behind the roll-around chest.

De-rockered. The damage was, luckily, confined to the rocker and not the floorpan framework. The two discolored spots are where the floor crossmember attaches to the inner rocker sill. The sill was straight except for a slight bend at the bottom on the front end. A few taps with the bfh and it was perfect. Easy part done. An old deepwell socket was found inside the rocker... mystery rattle solved.

I spent about two hours cutting, trimming, and test fitting the "new" rocker. Finally, it fit perfectly. There was only one weld seam on the exposed body. I "V"ed the butt weld there, so Jeff could grind it down flat, while retaining plenty of weld integrity. Every other seam is either under carpet and sill plate, or behind the front fender.

Next will be a new driver's door and driver's side rear quarter panel. The entire quarter panel needs to be replaced. It's one BIG piece of sheet metal. Jeff also has all the "wood" moulding from a scrapped 63 Country Squire, and the rear bed seats. 9 passengers, fake wood, vinyl, who could ask for more?

 

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