Need Help: Outer rocker panel fitment issue.. '89 Mustang GT

JasonRP

5 Year Member
May 25, 2018
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Annapolis
Hello All,
I've just been to the fabrication shop; The replacement rocker panel outer I bought for the passenger side, does not appear to "fit".. Lengthwise it's good. The issue appears to be in the shape of it top to bottom along the outer edge...

Where it seems the stock outer rocker panel starts out wide just under the door- it appears to radius inwards at the bottom. The replacement outer rocker panel (obtained from CJ Pony Parts, but I'm sure they're all from the same manufacturer) appears not to radius, but to just have 90 degree angles, so that the outer side of the rocker just goes straight down?

Has anyone else experienced this? Is this common with replacement outer rocker panels, and if so, what is done to fit this up?

Jason
 
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Yes- sorry, couldn't update from work.. Here's a drawing- my humble apologies- this exceeds my artistic capabilities for sure, and I'm not too familiar with the part to begin with, and the car is at the shop, so I've got limited reference....

This is what I believe the outer rocker is supposed to be shaped like? Basically, a cross section looks like a triangle? With the top (facing the underside of the door) being wide, and the vertical inner part facing the inner rocker panel.. The outside side essentially rounded, and rounds down towards the bottom, which is tucked back under the body.. The part I got appears not to be rounded on the outside side, but more square.. Make sense?

IMG_1139.JPG
 
CJPonyParts.. I'm thinking it's got to be the wrong part? NPD has them, and the pic on their webpage of the part looks much more like what is needed.. Anyone used NPD rockers (or other metal parts) before? Are they any good?
 
Ok, got another rocker- this time from NPD. It looks to me comparing it to the pics, that it might be a better fit. Perhaps the CJPP unit (supplied by SMR I'm told) wasn't bant all the way where it was supposed to be bent by the tooling? I don't know.

Question for you dudes- I'm thinking @BlakeusMaximus and/or @Davedacarpainter would know off hand: This thing is bare metal; should it be painted inside and out before assembly? If it is not painted inside and welded in, will it rust from the inside->outside?

Jason