Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

56 Clipper Sedan Deluxe.

I will be a but active submitting various topics since I have my care in for some restoration.

The bottoms of my rocker panels are rusty. The sides are fine. I can either have the guy cut out the rust and apply fiberglass, or look for replacement rockers.

In your experience, will the fiberglass route hold up pretty well? If I wanted to replace the rockers, is it a royal pain, or pretty easy? How much should they cost? Where to get them? Minnesota Mike?

Either get them from a good car, or have a patch made out of metal and welded in.

Some tried to "fiberglass" my doglegs to repair them and ended up creating a worse rust trap. If you are going spend the money to repaint the car, you might as well do it right with a welded metal patch or it will come back to haunt you in a few years, and then you will have to do it again. Just my

Right. I was afraid of the cancer issue. It would be nice not to have to cut and weld. Any idea where I can find replacement rockers?

Rocker panels are so notorious for rot. We need to start Rockers Panels 'R Us and make us some money.

There is a company that makes replacement pans for Packards, but the shapes and profiles are not really correct. If it's just the outer rocker, you should be able to easily fabricate a patch for the bad areas. The main problem was the Packard and all of the manufactures never applied any primer or paint inside the rockers. So dirt and moisture would get between the spot welded seams and rust it out from the inside.

It turns out Dulinski makes replacement panels. I am going to cut a deal with him to probably get those, along with exterior chrome, since most of my chrome is pitted. If you have any leads on chrome moldings for my car, let me know. Dulinski has some, but not all, items that I would want. My bumpers are good. My grill is good. The chrome around the glass is good. The rest could use work - moldings, emblems, scripts, door handles, headlight and tail light trim, and such.

I have a pair of really really nice headlight trim, and a third for a spare missing one clip if I recall. Hundred bucks for the group and I will include a NOS ships wheel for the grille and some other stuff from the "its gotta go shelf". I will photo the headlight trim and update or post again. You pay shipping this time...or free delivery to Salado, but only if paid for in advance.

updated with photos, taken in poor fluorescent light. Knowing where I got these, I think they were NOS 50 years ago, and simply suffered from average storage. Not showcar, but when is NOS chrome ever. Darn nice for a driver. NO PITS. Chrome photo's best in sunlight - will rephoto on your request. Oh, and yes, these are L/R.

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flackmaster, you're just right up the road from me. Yes, I'm interested. If you want, you can e-mail me pics at jeff@xexam.net.

Jeff,

Come to Salado
http://www.texaspackardmeet.com/

Never know what you find.

If I can finish my project (or come close), I'll see if I can.