Help! New guy

[Imadad]

So this is post number one.
I recently picked up a 72 blazer. I talked to the owner alot before i drove to go pick it up. He told me that he knew it had holes in the floorboards. He knew it had "surface rust" on the rocker panels, but nothing bad.
Attached is the pictures of what I found. All the rocker panels are totally rotted through. the pans need replacing, and it appears even more does too.

I dont know the names of the pieces i need. I have looked online and seen rocker boxes, interior rockers, exterior rockers, etc etc.

can someone help me understand what to order, and how to put it together?

I have been thinking that it may be better to come back with some steel plate rather than factory reproductions, and then mount a reproduction exterior rocker over that to keep the same look. Can you share thoughts please?

Thanks! Glad to be here.

[landy]

Check out this link. It has info regarding the body part terminology.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cb/full.aspx?Page=25

Looks like a lot of potential work. Can you do the welding and body work yourself? If not, it may not be worth trying to repair it to any semblance of stock. Your idea of using steel plate and fabing up sort of rock slider-type rockers may be the best option.

[72freak]

I love those minimal rust trucks....with that said, pretty common unfortunately.

[Imadad]

more pics. youll notice one of them has one of my sons helping me fill the radiator. I am a single dad and this truck is serving as a text book for one our classes in "Man School."

and a video:
View My Video
http://tinypic.com/r/4liy6c/8

[Imadad]

Originally Posted by landy

Check out this link. It has info regarding the body part terminology.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cb/full.aspx?Page=25

Looks like a lot of potential work. Can you do the welding and body work yourself? If not, it may not be worth trying to repair it to any semblance of stock. Your idea of using steel plate and fabing up sort of rock slider-type rockers may be the best option.

yes i can cut, weld, grind, paint, and finish the sheetmetal myself. maybe not as good as a pro, but I am confident in it.

[imjeff]

Definitely a great man school project! Those boys should be good to go after completion.

[Imadad]

Originally Posted by landy

Check out this link. It has info regarding the body part terminology.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cb/full.aspx?Page=25

Looks like a lot of potential work. Can you do the welding and body work yourself? If not, it may not be worth trying to repair it to any semblance of stock. Your idea of using steel plate and fabing up sort of rock slider-type rockers may be the best option.

Thanks for the link. that is the exact type of link that is confusing me. I'm not sure how all those pieces go together, how they connect, etc.

Do you know of any page or video that shows how all the supports and pieces fit together?

Thanks!

[NTR72GMC]

Welcome from SLC! Here is a very good thread with lots of pics of the rocker area.

[pound41]

There are multiple threads showing others work. Do you have a hard top. Hard top holds a rusted body together. I know from experience. You are going to need to attach a bar from the front door jamb to the back to keep the 2 sections in place when you start cutting out the floor. Otherwise after its all welded back in place body panel gaps could be off. Learned that by reading others posts. Lots of great info on here. If you are willing to weld you can do it.
Good Luck

[Imadad]

Originally Posted by pound41

There are multiple threads showing others work. Do you have a hard top. Hard top holds a rusted body together. I know from experience. You are going to need to attach a bar from the front door jamb to the back to keep the 2 sections in place when you start cutting out the floor. Otherwise after its all welded back in place body panel gaps could be off. Learned that by reading others posts. Lots of great info on here. If you are willing to weld you can do it.
Good Luck

thanks for the tip! no hardtop, only the soft top.

[Imadad]

well i couldnt wait to start welding and grinding so i fixed the light tabs on the light bar.

now i need to fix something that actually matters...

[sockalaminski]

I thought mine was bad. You are in for some work indeed. The patch panels available are decent but require quite a bit of coaxing to make fit. After repairing my rust with patch panels (over $800 worth), if I were to do it again, I would use Your idea of fabbing up sheet metal. Probably be the best option. Windshield to bed braces will be required as mentioned before and if the body can be taken off and placed on a dolly, even better.