Floor Removal Required To Install Convertible Inner Rocker Panels?

[walken100]

So, I have a rust free 1966 mustang that was an abandoned restoration project. The floors, and much of the sheet metal are new. I'm starting my project by stiffening up the chassis. So my first question.

Do I have to remove the floors to install convertible inner rocker panels? I've searched with no luck (my search skills may be rusty).

Any experience?

Thanks

Bart

 

[horse sence]

So, I have a rust free 1966 mustang that was an abandoned restoration project. The floors, and much of the sheet metal are new. I'm starting my project by stiffening up the chassis. So my first question.

Do I have to remove the floors to install convertible inner rocker panels? I've searched with no luck (my search skills may be rusty).

Any experience?

Thanks

Bart

you can replace the inner rockers in a convert without removing the floor
you may have to remove the front plate from the front torque box. that way you can slide the old one out and the new one in. the car will need to be blocked up and leveld,
front frame rails, rear frame rails and rockers.when you cut the old inner rocker loose
it will seperate all the rockers and rails so use several jack stands. are your old inner rockers dammaged? a convert already has them

 

[horse sence]

one thing i forgot to mention,do one side at a time .it will be easier that way.

 

[walken100]

It is a coupe, I'm just reinforcing the chassis. Thanks for the info. Time to order some parts.

 

[tweet66]

walken, just finished this same thing on my 66 coupe last week. Actually I put new floors in first then decided to stiffen the chassis afterwards...definitely not the way to do it! The floors need to be sliced from the outer rocker with enough room to slide the vert inner rocker in the slice. Remove the remaining floor lip from the outer rocker (air chisel worked well here). I made my slice about 1/4" wide with a sawzall. The set risers will be in the way. I cut mine back wide enough to fit the inner rocker but left some extra material to bend up into tabs to weld to the rockers. I put coupe torque boxes on afterwards but it probably would have been easier with vert boxes to fit around the new rocker... They will go in easier if split into two pieces.

I got the idea from Shaun at Street or Track when he posted pix a while back from his coupe.
http://www.streetortrack.com/files/pictures/vert_inner_rockers/vert_inner_rockers.htm

 

[walken100]

walken, just finished this same thing on my 66 coupe last week. Actually I put new floors in first then decided to stiffen the chassis afterwards...definitely not the way to do it! The floors need to be sliced from the outer rocker with enough room to slide the vert inner rocker in the slice. Remove the remaining floor lip from the outer rocker (air chisel worked well here). I made my slice about 1/4" wide with a sawzall. The set risers will be in the way. I cut mine back wide enough to fit the inner rocker but left some extra material to bend up into tabs to weld to the rockers. I put coupe torque boxes on afterwards but it probably would have been easier with vert boxes to fit around the new rocker... They will go in easier if split into two pieces.

I got the idea from Shaun at Street or Track when he posted pix a while back from his coupe.
http://www.streetortrack.com/files/pictures/vert_inner_rockers/vert_inner_rockers.htm

Killer link. Thank you!

Also I just found a discussion where people bent up the lower flange instead of cutting the floor. Do you see anything wrong with that?

I'll probably need to see the rocker before I understand what is possible.

 

[tweet66]

Not sure about bending up the flange??? Based on what I saw I don't think it would work well but who knows. I've done too many things one way only to figure out or be told of another way. I cut the pan because it let me weld the pan to the underside of the rocker to make up for the lack of a downward facing flange that's on a vert's floors. I believe the vert floors are still welded to the underside of the rocker but I've never looked at on close enough to be sure....

 

[horse sence]

i assumed you were working on a convert. a coupe will be much easier. i built a convert from a coupe. tweet is correct you will need to remove atleast 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch were the floor meets the rocker,also about 12 inches there about in the toe boards were the torque box slides through. it will not work to bend the flange as the floor will now weld to the bottom of the inner rocker. you will also have to cut the rear torque box so the inner rocker will slide through. it will be easier to just remove the seat boxes, and i would replace them with the convert box,it will lay right in place. convertible torque boxes in the front .you will have to trim a little bit of flange on the frame rail pinch weld on the side of the front frame rail as well so the convertible torque box will slide in .it will go straight up in place .you will still have to support the rocker and rear frame rail because the torque box when trimed will be completly seperated from the rocker. its not hard just needs a little measureing and trimming.
oh and slide the inner rocker in from the front .Jim

 

[horse sence]

would you believe this is actualy a coupe? it was a blast to build, and and so easy to do you wouldnt believe it,all the convert pieces are available now through Dynacorn

 

[palerider94]

Would be easier to go with subframe connectors.

 

[walken100]

Would be easier to go with subframe connectors.

Easier yes. However I'm trying to improve the rigidity of the base platform before I start my upgrades. Structurally I don't believe that subframe connectors compare to improving the base structural integrity of car. They could always be added later if I don't get the structure where I want. Also the rear suspension I'm considering ties the sub frames together as well so I'll be getting both.

 

[tweet66]

i actually put in sub frame connectors first to keep the frame rails aligned before I put in the floors, since I had my car on a homemade roll around cart and didn't want the rails to move in any way.

 

[walken100]

i actually put in sub frame connectors first to keep the frame rails aligned before I put in the floors, since I had my car on a homemade roll around cart and didn't want the rails to move in any way.

Since my floors stay in (as well as my current inner rockers) the process of adding the convertible rockers shouldn't put me at too much risk relative to chassis movement but I'm going to anchor the chassis with some scrap and take a bunch of measurements. I do need be be sure that the guy that put the floors in before me got it straight to begin with.

 

[CochinoFilipino]

http://www.mustangsplus.com/tech/chassis/index.html
Just linking a possible alternative in case you are not already aware that it exists. I have no experience with it.

 

[walken100]

http://www.mustangsplus.com/tech/chassis/index.html
Just linking a possible alternative in case you are not already aware that it exists. I have no experience with it.

I'd seen this in the past and had forgot it. I'll call and see what there experience is with it relative to using convertible reinforcement (now sitting in my garage). Might be a good add.

Thanks.