Nude Rocker Panels

I actually wanted to make some completely new ones out of .100 wall 4x3 box, but the price of steel these days is still kinda high. So, some new reinforcements to replace my rusted-away pinch seam area...




1/8" riser to deal with the undulations in my floor...



So now the real question, how early can I crank up the grinder on the coming holiday Friday?

I'd say around 6 am. But then again, I'd work on my car at my house all night long with impacts and flood lights if I didn't have to worry about getting mugged. I guess I could just bring Tank out.

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Grant Hughes

Yah, but I'm kinda scared of the German lady next door, so perhaps I'll give her until 10. Beauty of living beside an industrial neighbourhood is there's always noise coming from somewhere...

So I got a weekend off from school to spend under the car in the rain. My floor jack decided to shit the bed Friday afternoon, so out came the scissor jack from the 'rents Chrysler to keep things moving.

Before:


Patches in addition to the reinforcing beams:


Beams fixtured in place through the floor with bolts:

Up she goes:


Driveway craftsmanship at its' finest:


I've decided the *other* side will be the photogenic one:


Now these look like they'll bear a bit better load then the previous swiss cheese sections:

I wanted to fill the cavity with spray foam before bondo-ing the seams shut, but it seems my 2 year old can of the stuff has fused into a solid block inside the can. Maybe next month I can get started on the other side!

Incase anyone was wondering, this is NOT the best way to seal the interior gap after making cossie windows:


The driver's side will just have a big flap bent to fit...20ga is too much of a pain to edge weld togather...

Good work Paddy.
Sills suffer on modern cars where they turn under like XRs and everything else!!!!--- Except my old Saab where the doors go all the way down!! and the wheels are inset.

I'll start on the chassi rail mount things as soon as I can stand (it's not getting better....)

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

john vanlandingham Wrote:
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> I'll start on the chassi rail mount things as soon
> as I can stand (it's not getting better....)

Just sit while you toil. I'm still trying to find a junk block locally to use for mockup...

Looks good paddy.. I'll be heading down that route as well at some point I do believe. I'm still probing.. I don't want to get over zealous and end up with a warped unibody (if it's still straight now).

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Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

Man tinwork blows. Whoever decided to have so many damn curvy pieces of sheet on the XR should be taken out to the yard and shot. I think I've finally finished all the work on the passenger side, now to spin my car around in the drive and do everything again(!) on the driver's....then maybe some paint before it snows!

Curiously nice weather as of late:


Upper patch on the 3dr window:


Not putting that cladding back on!


First real time using bondo...


Sanded enough for something under the car:


Finished window opening:


WHY ARE THERE 20+ circular holes in the bottom of my car???

Better question is why are there an addition 100+ tiny oval openings that were sealed until you striped it.

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

mothra Wrote:
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> Better question is why are there an addition 100+
> tiny oval openings that were sealed until you
> striped it.

Zee footwell? Once I reweld the swaybar captive nuts, that gets a nice plate as well...

Are they captive nuts! Can you get to them? One of mine is cross threaded and looks like it broke free. The bolt hangs out about a cm so I have continuously variable castor in the front right now, which makes handling, uhh, interesting. Have something to look at when I get home. I just said fuck it until I got around to worrying about it so I could focus on other things.

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Grant Hughes

I wonder about putting studs there instead. But it would probably make getting the bar back in place difficult.

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Scott Manley
Spokane, WA
86' XR4Ti
37

Studs would probably be easier than trying to get the holes aligned and cross threading it. I am seriously contemplating going to compression struts and adjustable TCAs in the front. Some people posted some pics in the Sierra forum on PassionFord when I asked about what people do with regards to the anti-roll bar with these setups though.

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Grant Hughes