"tweaking" rocker panels

MP&C

MP&C

Member
Have been working on door fitment lately, and with the lower corner of the door fitting better, it becomes all the more obvious how poor of a reproduction these outer rocker panels are. The "concave" radius does not match the fender to the front or the quarter to the rear of the rocker. This would have been a good fix using the Wheeling machine with a Go Kart slick, had it been noticed before installation.


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Matching the lower anvils of the Wheeling machine to the radius on the quarter, this one fits the best. Also notice how it doesn't fit as well in the rocker panel..


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At this point I thought I'd try a "portable" version of the Wheeling machine to add a bit more radius to the rocker panel.


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Built in guide......


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After some "wheeling", and some bumping of the leading edge with a door skin hammer:


Just to show the comparison, before

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After:


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I started on a creeper and found the casters counter-productive. :eek:nthego:

Once I put the piece of diamond plate on the floor I could get a bit more pressure applied. Rolled it back and forth a few times with pressure applied, and even though it has a guide, by adjusting height of handle end, you could move anvil's path up and down on the rocker about 1/2 to 3/4 inch. So worked it front to back and then moved position slightly and repeat. About ten minutes it was done.
 
Nice!! And easier to do for the next time this happens. We all run into odd things like this or panels that don't fit, and sometimes it takes making a tool 2-3 times before you get it right as well.
I know I learned a lot through trial and error.
 
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