Rocker panels and cab corners? Advice?

[odin]

I posted this in the body section but no response so I'll post here.
My 79 GMC is gonna need rockers and cab corners.
It seems like just yesterday...like 15 years or so ago now, I swapped out the badly rotted 79 cab for an 87. Which was mint.
Not any more. The 87 cab is starting to show its age now. The cab corners and rockers are starting to rot through.
Any advice on which ones to use? Goodmark etc. Are GMs still available?
Any tips and tricks would be appriciated.
__________________

 

[Mudstud]

Cut out the rockers and weld in 2x3 square tube steel. Extend the steel all the way to the back of the front fenders and in front of the rear fenders. It can look very good if done right.

 

[ryoken]

hmmm, I generally don't miss anything in the bodyshop, or let it go unanswered...

umm, your questions... as mentioned, 2 x 3, or 2 x 4 rockers are defintely an avenue to consider ( I'm going that way)

But replacement sheetmetal, NOS rockers ain't gonna happen.. chit was used up ages ago... As for the aftermarket, some may argue, but from what I've seen, and I did work in resto and collision shops for 10 yrs, aftermarket is ALL the same.. It's all stamped in Taiwan, whether Goodmark, LMC or Joe's Fenders and Cappaccino...

As for long lasting, install tips, figure out what your gonna do, and shoot me a PM when ya need install advice, etc....

 

[planedr]

I would like to see some pics, cause mine are long gone and was thinking of doing something like that, But I want it to look nice.

 

[odin]

Tubing rockers

Cut out the rockers and weld in 2x3 square tube steel. Extend the steel all the way to the back of the front fenders and in front of the rear fenders. It can look very good if done right.

This sounds like the best idea.
Does anyone have pics?

 

[odin]

hmmm, I generally don't miss anything in the bodyshop, or let it go unanswered...

umm, your questions... as mentioned, 2 x 3, or 2 x 4 rockers are defintely an avenue to consider ( I'm going that way)

But replacement sheetmetal, NOS rockers ain't gonna happen.. chit was used up ages ago... As for the aftermarket, some may argue, but from what I've seen, and I did work in resto and collision shops for 10 yrs, aftermarket is ALL the same.. It's all stamped in Taiwan, whether Goodmark, LMC or Joe's Fenders and Cappaccino...

As for long lasting, install tips, figure out what your gonna do, and shoot me a PM when ya need install advice, etc....

Have you started on your 2x3 rockers yet?
I agree with you about the aftermarket stuff....Im restoring my 71 SS396 Camaro using ONLY NOS sheetmetal. The aftermarket, even Goodmark stuff is junk, it doesnt fit worth a damn.

I was wondering if the aftermarket stuff for our trucks was any better.

 

[ryoken]

nah, that step is a few months off in the build, tho I have the material sitting down there.. And I'm going 2 x 4... The math just worked better with my overall project.. I'm tieing my sliders into a 2 x 4 cab support/tunnel system.. kinda hard to describe... obviously pics will be coming at some point in my thread..

It's a pretty simple, self-explanatory mod... just gap it to the lower door edge..

You should be able to find quite a few threads.. guys have used both sizes... think Colby and Supersize did a few, to mention a couple...

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Here's a small writeup from when I replaced the rockers in my truck.

They held up well and I promise I tested them, I was high centered on only the rockers several times and they didn't yield (plus I could get the doors back on ).

These were rockers I won from Blazen Offroad and they were 2"x3" .188" tube.

 

[think_07]

When you weld 2x3 tube in for your rockers where do you weld them to, could someone post pics of how you got them in?

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

When you weld 2x3 tube in for your rockers where do you weld them to, could someone post pics of how you got them in?

Check the link in my previous post, basically you use the two body mounts and the floor to support the rockers. It might not seem like enough but I had the truck high centered on those rockers several times and everything held fine.

 

[think_07]

Great thanks I missed that link. How much did the replacement rockers weight each, approximatly is fine. Also do you have any pics of them before you installed them so i can get a little better idea what to make myself, they look good installed, and ya your right they are stronger than i thought welded to the mounts and floor

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

I won the rockers from Blazenoffroad on this site, here's a link to their site (the picture is actually my truck from a few years back)

You can easily make your own rockers, they're just 2"x3" .188" rectangular tubing. Measure how long your rocker panel is (it depends on how much of the fender you've cut out) and buy tubing to fit.

I have no idea what they weighed, they're not light. 40 lbs. each maybe?

As for what they look like uninstalled, its seriously just a piece of 2"x3" tube. I don't have any pictures but that's what it is. Blazenoffroad caps each side and angles them for aesthetics.

 

[UPS]

You can see the slider in the third pic in his write up. It's on the floor under the blazer.

38377k5,
Do you have any more pics of the sliders on the blazer? I would like to see some looking down the side with the doors shut.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

You can see the slider in the third pic in his write up. It's on the floor under the blazer.

38377k5,
Do you have any more pics of the sliders on the blazer? I would like to see some looking down the side with the doors shut.

Thanks,
Mike

I don't

And most of the body is gone at this point, my truck's pretty much a tube buggy with Blazer skins on it



The sliders did not protect the door if that's what your after. They would need to be wider than 3" and even then...

 

[odin]

Here's a small writeup from when I replaced the rockers in my truck.

They held up well and I promise I tested them, I was high centered on only the rockers several times and they didn't yield (plus I could get the doors back on ).

These were rockers I won from Blazen Offroad and they were 2"x3" .188" tube.

Thanks for the ideas. I'm gonna pick up some 2x3 tubing and replicate what you have...looks killer.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Thanks for the ideas. I'm gonna pick up some 2x3 tubing and replicate what you have...looks killer.

It worked well, suffice it to say that in that picture I couldn't go forward or backward even though I was locked front and rear The rockers took it in stride, they never bent and the doors alway fit just like they should.


Now that the truck is skinnier rocks like those are a little easier to squeeze between