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Structural sheet metal interchangeability


bing98

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Hey all. Hoping someone can give me some direction. Doing rocker repair work on an 01 GP Coupe. Is there anyone on this board or anywhere else for that matter that really knows these cars with regards to the actual W-Body sub-structure? With all the WBodys sold I can't be the only one that's ever run into this quandary.

I'm trying to repair my rockers using as many factory parts as possible, but many have been discontinued. I was able to obtain a right rocker reinforcement and that side is almost finished, but the left is no longer available.

I have done a ton of research and what I have found is that even though the GP was redesigned for 04 there are quite a few inner structural  pieces that were carried over. I can't confirm because no part numbers are available but the floor pans seem identical. It's fairly common knowledge that the front seats from an 04-08 GP are a direct bolt in to a 97-03.  Many of the rails and rear suspension mounts are the same parts. I have confirmed this. 

I'm hung up on the inner rocker and the inner rocker reinforcement. The outer rocker on the 04-08 is most definitely different than the 97-03, but the inner 2 components look identical on any GM part site you visit. The problem is the part numbers are different and the compatibility chart for the 04-08 parts doesn't list my car. I have inspected a few last gen GPs and the parts I can see underneath look identical. The inner components are pretty complex pieces so replicating them wouldn't be possible. I also considered buying another right reinforcement and flipping it for use on the left, but that wouldn't be easy.

I also noticed that the Impala and Monte ran from 2000-05. Same WBody as my 01 GP, right? If I look up the 2 pieces on a GM part website I see that the inner rocker and reinforcement on the 2001 Impala is the same from 2000 all the way to 2013 as well as the 06-08 GP(not sure why the 04 & 05 GP isn't included). So if a 2001 Impala is the same WBody as a 2001 GP the parts should fit right?

Maybe someone can speak to the accuracy of the GM parts sites, but I'm sure they aren't 100% accurate. ANy GM parts guys out there?

Given all this I suspect the inner rocker and reinforcements from the later GP or the Impala will work. Even if they are a little different I can tweak them. 

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No kidding! Speaking from experience I trust?

Are you referring to the both the inner rocker and the reinforcement? Just want to clarify so I don't waste my money on one or the other.

I didn't buy the right inner so I ended up fabbing about a foot of the front and another 14" of the back. Good fabbing experience as I have none. Came out pretty damn good, but took some time.

When you say made to work are we talking a few tweaks or major mods?

Thanks for taking time to reply to this rather obscure post.😎

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That looks really good. The can looks like acetone so I'm guessing you know this but you have to clean all the oil from retail sheet metal or the topcoat won't adhere and it'll be left unprotected. 

If you aren't planning on blowing undercoat into it afterward weld through primer really should be sprayed on the parts that are inaccessible to paint before you weld it up.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of this project. 

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Thanks. I appreciate it. Actually, all the metal I used was cleaned first before shaping. In some cases it had been treated with ospho as well as I had to remove a fair amount of surface rust. Once all the pieces were formed they were sandblasted to get them super clean. They were all properly treated with wax and grease remover and then sprayed with SPI epoxy.

Some files failed to upload., but here are a few more. Probably not in any order. Some before, and after plus a pile of pieces I had to fab. Welding in that lip tonight and a few other pieces this weekend. Some more priming tomorrow with the hopes of welding in the inner reinforcement next weekend followed by the outer rocker..

All internal and external pieces will be coated with epoxy. All internal and external welds will be coated with epoxy so nothing inside the rocker once complete will have exposed metal.

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