rocker panel replacement for '54 Kaiser M

[retroguy]

My car is a very presentable #3 from the outside.  However, all doors need adjustment for proper closing, gaps, etc.  Had it on a hoist for the first time and discovered rusted out rocker panels and some body mount brackets gone.  I figure that's the cause of the poor door fits.  No rust evident on the outside horizontal painted panels under the wide mouldings.  I don't want to "restore" the rusted areas; just make them structurally sound.  Any suggestions as to the best/cheapest way to go about this?  By the way, all body mount cushions need replacing.

[Kory Fox]

I got new rockers panels for my 48. Pretty sure I got them from Rudy but that was 20 years ago and I don’t know they exist for later models or not.

[rrdcorvair]

Rocker panels for the 51-55 Kaiser show up on Ebay from time to time.  Try doing a search for them, the supplier is either in Mich. or Wisc. I think.  The body mounts (body to frame insulators ) KF#212551 have been available from Rudy Phillips in Calif. in the past.

[retroguy]

 The more I dig into rocker panels, the more I find I don't know.  As I understand it, the outer rocker panel is the curved one along the length of the car under the doors.  The inner rocker panel is a flat piece of sheet metal running the length of the car and gets welded to the hem flange of the outer panel and probably to the underbody.  Am I correct?  Can anyone add anything to explain the  construction of this area?

[kaiserkid]

You are correct. The inner is fairly flat sheet stock and the outer is contoured. I replaced one rocker on my 54. I got the rocker from C2C. The metal is much softer than the original sheet metal and the contours and sharp crease lines are not as sharp. I'm sure someone in the club has NOS rockers. I wish I would have looked harder for NOS pieces, but the C2C rockers do work with a little customization.

[retroguy]

Thanks for the info.  The outer panels on my car are in good shape,  The inner rockers are just about completely gone so it was impossible to see what the construction was supposed to be.  Wish I could get the dimensions of the inner panel so I could purchase one of the many replacements available on line.  None say they fit a 54 Kaiser.