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The Reason Why These Rocker Panels Rust Out??

Elite6 said:
Yeah but 04's & up have dumb interiors & don't look nearly as nice imo. God made the 97-03's rust to give the 04's & up a chance
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Honestly I rlly like the interiors. The exteriors don't look to great stock. But can clewn up nice.
 


Does anyone have anything against the idea of sealing up the drainage holes of these rocker panels? I am wondering if water is getting in there and causing these rocker panels to rust out. Are there any areas inside the rocker panel that allows water in? How about any other voids besides the drainage holes?
 
Sealing them would make them worse. Trapping water and dirt is exactly what makes them rot. The gladding trapping the water and dirt make them rust out like a pickup with fender flares. Best thing to do is tat kind like the cladding off and put something like por15 or rust protection on even if its the black sealant kind like a bedliner. Then put the rocker cladding back on. Of course the metal would have to be solid 1st not just covering up the rust.
 
My rocker panels are clean, somehow my RR door developed a cancer spot along the side skirt.
If you say you don't like 04's, you clearly haven't seen mine. :cool:
 
I live in Illinois where too much salt is used in the winter. I used to work in a rural area driving on gravel country roads.
I have a 97 GTP with a sunroof and rusty rockers 176k miles driven on gravel roads regularly.
I have a 98 GTP with a sunroof and very rusty rockers (they are gone) 115k miles also driven on country gravel roads more regularly.
I also have another 97 GTP no sunroof 174k miles mostly city and highway and the rockers look pretty good. There is some rust but mostly on the pinch weld and where the front fender liner meets the front of the rocker cover.
I would say a combination of gravel eliminating the paint and protection for the metal the salt and the sunroof drainage are likely key factors in rockers rusting.
 


Now my Grand Prix has drainage holes with a rubber tube at the front door area. What water would b entering the rocker panels if they were completely sealed up?
 
Well I had to see it with my own eyes and yes the Dumb Asses from GM do indeed have some type of drainage hose that stops just inside the rear end of the rockers panels. Anybody know what the hose goes to? Has anyone been creative and rerouted the hose to the outside of the rocker panel?
 
Well from what I have gathered, I guess the drain hose that empties into the rear end of the rocker panel is for the back sunroom weep holes. I was wondering if anybody has redesigned this so that the hose exits to the outside of the car? I was thinking on extending the hose and running through the outer rocker panel and through a grommet to make a nice seal. Any thoughts?
 
I have seen a few 04+'s with rusting out rockers, so they were not immune to it.

As for the interior, the 97-03's have a more solid feel, but felt dated and old. The 04+ had a more hollow/tinny feel, but more modern. So it is a toss up.

As for the exterior, the 97-03's had gap/fit and finish issues GALORE, but don't look half bad with a little work. The 04+ are a little awkward but don't look half bad with a little work. So again it is a toss up.

And the picture of the BMW interior wins over the 04+ (sorry Red) but you can't compare a BMW interior to a Pontiac...not even a G8's interior. The german's (European's if you will) have it down right. There is not a single piece of hard plastic that feels nasty to the touch in that BMW...and that looks to be a very early on 90's e36....lets compare with the same age vehicle.

E46 04+ interior:
WBAAW33431EN80462-6S.jpg
 
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pmk138 said:
Well from what I have gathered, I guess the drain hose that empties into the rear end of the rocker panel is for the back sunroom weep holes. I was wondering if anybody has redesigned this so that the hose exits to the outside of the car? I was thinking on extending the hose and running through the outer rocker panel and through a grommet to make a nice seal. Any thoughts?
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No need to extend it, stock hose goes PLLLEEENNNTY out the rear.

You can see the stock hose location by my pinkie



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You would have to see my members ride thread to understand why I did this but.



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2 pictures up "You would have to see my members ride thread to understand why I did this "

Look for thread called "question.... NO"
 
I am in the final stages of the rocker panel repair and I was wondering if anybody knew what purpose the FLAMABLE form has in the rocker panel area. When I was welding in an inner rocker panel splice, I found that this foam catches fire pretty easily. I would like to keep it there since it was installed at the factory like that, I am worried as I am welding in the outer rocker panel, I will have some flames I won't be able to access to put out!!:mad:
 
I ripped all mine out, noticed nothing different with it gone.

I set a few fires inside the panels when welding it closed, driver side was worse! Worst come to worse you have 2 places to get inside ( 2 door atleast) rear seat take the side panel off, or open the trunk and the far back corners lead right down to the rockers.
 


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