CURRENT FEATURE!

Here is the car in 2002 with the hidden rust up under the front of the rear quarter and all through the rocker panels -- hidden by the bolt-on outermost rocker panel.

This feature shows the rocker panel rust repair done to my 911SC during the winter and spring of 2006.  I had never done any body work, so it was a huge learning experience.  I had the guidance of a pro (thank you, Scott Clem) who marked up the email photos I sent him with instructions and hints as to what to do next.  Body work, even replacing welded parts with new, is more of an art than a science.  Parts don't fit perfectly and have to be made to fit, and there aren't good manuals for even a relatively simple job like replacing the rocker panels.  I saved a bunch of money doing it myself and now have many cool tools, but I'm not sure I would undertake this task again!

This is what the inner rocker panel looked like when the outer bolt-on panel and the welded-on door jamb panel were removed. 

Here's another view of the inner rocker panel opened up.  Note the rust and perforated metal around the jack plate in the left of the picture.

Here's a closer "annotated" view of the rusty area surrounding the jack plate.  I have already cut away the rusted metal to the left of the jack plate.

Here's the paper template for the patch to be cut and welded into the rusted-out area to the rear of the jack plate.  I shaped the hole, cut the patch and welded it in place.  (See the larger picture in the center panel below for the metal patch.)

Here's the area at the front of the rocker assembly (near the door) with the door jamb panel and inner rocker panel removed. Note the heater duct that runs up the middle of the rocker panel.

Here's the new metal patch panel behind the jack plate prior to welding it in.  It is being held in place by a strong magnet.

And here is the new metal panel after it has been welded into place and the welds ground down.

This is the patched and primed area inside all the rocker panels, prior to welding in the new inner rocker panel.

And here is the same view with the inner rocker panel held in place and ready to weld.  The new panel was welded on with slot welds about every inch or so (the factory used spot welds about every 3/4 inch, all of which had to be ground off.

As this project took longer and longer (I also installed a Mocal oil cooler in place of the stock trombone one under the RF fender and I replaced most of the A/C components and hoses with new parts from Griffiths), I neglected to take pictures of the work done between April 1st (when I thought I would be done) and August 1st (when I was done).  Oh well, here's the car back together, repainted and ready for this winter's set of projects.  'Scuse the dirt, I've got driving to do!  10/06