Jon89le Posted December 4, 2016 Report Share Posted December 4, 2016 Does anyone know whether the rocker panels and rear frame rails are interchangeable among all the Gen1 W-Bodies? I'm getting started on the teardown for rebuild #2 on my grand prix and noticed, so far, that the right rocker panel will need to be replaced. The rear frame rails are also in rough shape, especially in the area around where the trailing arms attach. Before I go down the fabrication route, I'd like to explore what are my donor options. TIA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted December 4, 2016 Report Share Posted December 4, 2016 (edited) I just went the fabrication route with exactly the same thing, inner rocker panels and rocker panels. I chose the wrong fabrication shop but it's really not a bad job for somebody that knows how to do it. For that matter if you have a shop fabricate and install the inner rockers doing the rocker panels themselves in a weekend is within the grasp of an amateur body man. Edited December 4, 2016 by Imp558 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95GS Posted December 4, 2016 Report Share Posted December 4, 2016 Imp, one mechanic who oil sprayed my car accessed the rocker panels from the vent (one phillips screw) at the bottom of the C-pillar - rear seat level - visible when the door is open. He used a 12-20" metal wand with an omni-directional jet which he easily pushed into the vent & along the rockers to the front with the hydraulic hose. Also went rearwards over the wheel arches. With a creeping-type oil this should protect many hidden crevasses. That was a few years back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbograndprix Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 You can buy the rocker panels, outside ones. The inners are around but harder to find. I bought the rockers off eBay, iam working on making the gen 2 trailing arm bracket work on my 92 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted December 10, 2016 Report Share Posted December 10, 2016 iam working on making the gen 2 trailing arm bracket work on my 92 Awesomeness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon89le Posted December 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2016 Turbo, Good to know. I'll need to check out eBay for the rockers. From what I can my inners look ok, just the outers are bad on the bottom half. The sheet metal looks fairly easy to fab up (simple bends from what I can tell) so I'll need to price the work compared to whatever eBay has to offer. Interesting that you mentioned the Gen 2 trailing arm support. I was just at a yard today pulling a whole Gen 2 rear suspension and noticed the trailing arm support plates which looked much sturdier than the Gen1s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted December 11, 2016 Report Share Posted December 11, 2016 I have a second gen trailing arm mount welded into one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l67ss Posted December 11, 2016 Report Share Posted December 11, 2016 Wonder who came up with that idea? Imp558 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted December 11, 2016 Report Share Posted December 11, 2016 I gave you credit for it when I posted pics. As far as I know it hasn't been done by anyone else. l67ss 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95GS Posted December 11, 2016 Report Share Posted December 11, 2016 Wonder who came up with that idea? more awsomeness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted December 11, 2016 Report Share Posted December 11, 2016 L67SS conceived of this so long ago I can't even remember, we kicked the idea around on here for a long time and I finally had it done to one side in August. I'm going to have the other side done this spring. My welder is just a little Lincoln 100 MIG so I farm big stuff like this out. They charged me $150 to have this done, theres a "Before" pic on the first page. When the car goes in for exhaust and inspection this week I'll get some more pics of it on the lift. http://www.w-body.com/topic/53308-trailing-arm-mounts-2nd-gen/page-2?hl=+trailing%20+arm%20+mount l67ss 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon89le Posted December 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2016 Imp, thanks for posting that link! Prior to ripping the Gen 2 rear out, I was unaware of the mount differences. Im going to be pulling the frame rails out of the car (trailing arm section) due to rust so I'll need to keep these in mind for the repair work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l67ss Posted December 12, 2016 Report Share Posted December 12, 2016 I gave you credit for it when I posted pics. As far as I know it hasn't been done by anyone else.oh I know. I was just being silly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianG Posted December 22, 2016 Report Share Posted December 22, 2016 Good luck with the work Jon! Glad to see you're still around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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