Now that I have gotten past some major mechanical issues - coolant leak fixed, new cat, fuel filter, pump/fuel tank sending unit, front wheel bearing( 2nd right side one in 20K miles), new plugs, wires, and MAF sensor, and the car is running REALLY well, I want to get after the rocker panel repairs. My local body shop who did the deer damage repair and replaced the right door on my nickel, will repair the rockers, but it up to me to come up with the replacements for him to put on.
Over Christmas, I cut out all of the rot on both sides. A very large part of the right side external rocker and the internal stiffeners are gone, the inner structural part is still very solid. I cleaned out all the cavities and road grit, and put on some heavy coats of black rustproofing primer on the exposed inner rocker and whats left of the external on the right side. There was a bit more rot on the rear of the left side external than I expected that I took out as well, sprayed several coats of the rustproofing primer into the rocker internals there also.
Still looking for suggestions from someone who hads gone through this already on what repair sections I should be getting. Still thinking of the Sherman 84404 for the right side, can probably use something like an external side only repair section on the left rear.
Standing water must have gotten into the right side, when I was clearing out the rot, the vertical internal stiffener plates were completely gone to about half way up, the upper halves of the plates were still solid.
Other than the external rocker rot, the underbody was remarkably solid. It looks like the car was never aftermarket or dealer undercoated, the underside of the floor pans must have been powder coated or painted with some sort of very durable gray epoxy paint at the factory, they look like new under there.
