55 century sheet metal replacement recommendations

I am going to need to replace front floor pans and rocker panels (inside and out) on my century. I have seen several offers on ebay and Hemmings and was wondering if those with any experience with any of these vendors / individuals provided a better product (better fit, better gauge material, etc.)? Thanks for any input.

Rust free used is alway best. Post links to potential vendors with links.

The older NORS replacement panels were the best. The new stuff made today is lame........................Bob

I am going to need to replace front floor pans and rocker panels (inside and out) on my century. I have seen several offers on ebay and Hemmings and was wondering if those with any experience with any of these vendors / individuals provided a better product (better fit, better gauge material, etc.)? Thanks for any input.

Thanks for the advice. I will start looking for NORS or rust free old panels. Is the lamness of the new panels related to the quality or gauge of metal used or the poor fit characteristics of the panels?

Poor fit is my experience. Mud

Thanks for the advice. I will start looking for NORS or rust free old panels. Is the lamness of the new panels related to the quality or gauge of metal used or the poor fit characteristics of the panels?

Google "Rocker King". He has a huge stock of NORS patch panels and rockers. The stuff I got from him was fairly ok. Expect to have to massage any repro panel. For the inner rockers just go to your local sheet metal shop and have them shear a couple of 6" wide 1/16" thick steel pieces. Thicker, better, stronger and cheaper than repro junk.............................

Google "Rocker King". He has a huge stock of NORS patch panels and rockers. The stuff I got from him was fairly ok. Expect to have to massage any repro panel. For the inner rockers just go to your local sheet metal shop and have them shear a couple of 6" wide 1/16" thick steel pieces. Thicker, better, stronger and cheaper than repro junk.............................

Thanks for that advice. The idea for thicker inner rockers makes great sense and probably less expensive. Also thanks for the lead to Rocker King, I will be sure to check it out. As an aside, while I was checking out the iron oxide that is the current rockers, my attention was drawn to a leak near the oil pan and then to a tear in the flywheel dust cover. About a 1" x 1/2" tear. Wonder if anyone has actually repaired a tear in the cover to reuse or is the tolerance between the cover and wheel too close deeming this too iffy. If not repearable, any ideas on where to start the search for a new cover? Thanks for all the help. Cheers , Ttownbob

Thanks for that advice. The idea for thicker inner rockers makes great sense and probably less expensive. Also thanks for the lead to Rocker King, I will be sure to check it out. As an aside, while I was checking out the iron oxide that is the current rockers, my attention was drawn to a leak near the oil pan and then to a tear in the flywheel dust cover. About a 1" x 1/2" tear. Wonder if anyone has actually repaired a tear in the cover to reuse or is the tolerance between the cover and wheel too close deeming this too iffy. If not repearable, any ideas on where to start the search for a new cover? Thanks for all the help. Cheers , Ttownbob

Hey guys, I am taking Old Tank and Bob's advice and trying to find old good floor material to replace mine. I have ordered copies of the frame and body parts manuals but they haven't arrived yet. I am talking with a guy that may have a complete floor for a 56 century and I am wondering if it would fit my 55? I know with the small bodies that there is alot that does interchanges especially between the Special and Century 2dr hrd tops, but do they interchange from 55 to 56? Thanks a bunch guys. Ttown Bob

54/5/6 main bodies are essentially the same as long as you stay same size and model. BTW, 88 series Olds main bodies are also essentially the same as 40/60 Buick................Bob

54/5/6 main bodies are essentially the same as long as you stay same size and model. BTW, 88 series Olds main bodies are also essentially the same as 40/60 Buick................Bob

Thanks Bob,

Looks like I will probably go with the whole floor replacement instead of the multiple new fab pans which look to be quite generic:( and might not really take care of all the damage. So another question for the experts out there. If you were going to replace your floor in a R66, and you had to have it shipped to you in at least 2 or 3 pieces, would you split it down the center over the drive shaft tube, or in 2 or three cuts side to side (front, middle, rear)? I am wondering if it would make any difference later with strength, stability,and structural integrety or if one way would decrease a chance for warping due to heat from welding? Thanks for y'alls input. Ttown Bob

I don't think it much matters. When I did a total floor replacement on my 55 60C I did it in 12 or 13 pieces. If you search in me and my buick.........."bob becks 55" ...

my floor replacement is documented..............Bob

I don't think it much matters. When I did a total floor replacement on my 55 60C I did it in 12 or 13 pieces. If you search in me and my buick.........."bob becks 55" ...

my floor replacement is documented..............Bob

Holy smoke!!! You are da man. I just finished restoring a 1930's house guts out, but holy moley your restoration is amazing. I haven't read through the complete story but will be in the next day or two. Thanks for sharing the great pics and narrative on your project. This is just the boost I needed to proceed on with mine. I have one technical question for you if you don't mind me picking your brain on this. I am going to have to put my 2 door hardtop on a new frame because of damage on the original. Since my floor needs replacing as well as rockers and toe plates, I am thinking I need to do those first while the body and her doors are in their "happy" place with some bracing. Then when the floors an rockers are set as well as the trunk repairs..then take the body off and place on the new frame. The old frame damage appears to be limited to one of the inside beams and rust. I am feeling uneasy about the prospect of removing and transfering the body to the new frame in its current condition, but it might be nice to build the floor back on the new frame as a guide. Any thoughts. Anything I need to give consideration to in making that decision? By the way, after looking at your floor restoration progression, it looks like cutting the floor width wise makes great sense so you use the rockers as guides for the placement and to get the frame bolts aligned across with each section. Cheers, Bob

You are correct about not removing the body while it's in it's happy place and not until its structurally repaired. The frame itself is a poor guide as to body location reference points. The body mount holes are huge and the body is most likely slightly shifted on the frame and shimmed to various degrees. I didn't use any body to frame measurements for the body repair other than rough eyeballing. Your repaired body WILL fit on the new frame just fine after it's repaired on it's original one. Also Don't cut everything out at once. Always leave body reference points in their original place until they are replaced in turn. I think I touch on that in the text of the write up. Also door margins are EVERYTHING. Get them wrong and nothing is right....................Bob

You are correct about not removing the body while it's in it's happy place and not until its structurally repaired. The frame itself is a poor guide as to body location reference points. The body mount holes are huge and the body is most likely slightly shifted on the frame and shimmed to various degrees. I didn't use any body to frame measurements for the body repair other than rough eyeballing. Your repaired body WILL fit on the new frame just fine after it's repaired on it's original one. Also Don't cut everything out at once. Always leave body reference points in their original place until they are replaced in turn. I think I touch on that in the text of the write up. Also door margins are EVERYTHING. Get them wrong and nothing is right....................Bob

Thank you so much for your reply and ideas. For now I am going to read the rest of your restoration story, take a welding course, play with my friends mig welder, and start collecting sheet metal replacements. I know I will be asking more questions, but not until I familiarize my self with what has already been posted. Again, thank you for your time in response. Best wishes, Bob

I MAY have pair of rocker panels for a 55 40/60 2 DR HT. If I remember correctly I bought them to use on my Olds 88 but ended up sectioning and using some original's. If so you can have them for the cost of shipping. I'll see if I can find them later today..................Bob

Yo.......I do have a set of repro rockers and a quarter panel forward section right side, both for a 40/60 55 buick 2 door HT. if you want them your cost will be actual shipping cost and a beer if we ever run into each other....................Bob

Sounds great,

I know this sounds dumb, but I appear to be a bit confused about right side , left side. We ought to use port and starboard! As I was reading your epic restoration adventure last night I noticed that you said that when you had finished the first side (driver's) side that you would have to do the same thing on the "right side" (passenger's side?) I am in need of the quarter forward panel for the driver's side. Not sure which panel you have but I need it if it is the driver's side and the rockers would also be much appreciated. I am thinking of using your idea about the inner rockers; beafing up the size for better stability. Do you remember what thickness metal you used. Was it just cold rolled steel? Please let me know how much for shipping and how to get the money to you. Thank you so much for your help. Bob

The 56 Buick toe board may be different (brake pedal is hanging vs going through the floor; may not be provision for underseat heater).

See my website for an alternate idea on replacing the the floor and cowl. http://www.buickrestorer.com/66cresto.html

Willie

Willie is correct about the hanging brake and under seat heater but those should both be minor problems. Yes, you're correct about right and left. Driver/passenger works much better. Sorry, but the 1/4 patch I have is for the passenger side. For the inners I use 1/16" (16 gauge) CRS, don't use galvanized. The length runs about from the front of the door opening to the rear wheel well. I have it sheared about 1 or 2" wider than required then after the rockers and quarters are welded to it I just trim off the excess from the bottom. That gives some alignment wiggle room. I just tell the shop I'm in no hurry and when they get a couple of spare minutes shear them off for me and give me a call. Cost is minimal. PM your address and I'll see what the shipping will be and let you know..............Bob

Thanks Willie,

I think I may have found a 55 that I can use instead of the 56, so the brake problem would be resolved. I had a chance to review your restoration......amazing. I just can not get over the transformation you guys create. I love the red and white color and am seriously considering that for my R66. The body data plate is long gone and this car has had several repaints over the years. I checked with a data plate service and they said that in 1977 there was a fire that destroyed all data plate information for the buicks, olds, and caddys, only the pontiac info was salvaged. I understand that you can have a new data plate made to match your color, interior selections after restoration. Is that considered ok? I know that fooling with the vin plate is taboo. Do people ever remove the vin plate to restore and rerivet it back after restoration? Philosophically, what if most of your car body is from another donor car, can you cut out and transfer the door post with the vin plate to the restored vehicle to maintain the car type or exchange the vin plate after the restoration is complete? eg. what if the door pillar was damaged and had to be replaced with a donor? Probably thinking too much, but it did occur to me as I begin thinking about the use of a volunteer car to restore mine. Cheers, Bob

Don't worry about the data plate as far as color or accessories, as long as it matches your model. BCA judging allows any color or combination that was available that year.

Now for the VIN plate, I did change mine, BUT in Texas cars of that era were registered by the engine number (If you changed engines, a law enforcement officer needed to fill out (after inspecting both engines) paperwork to get a title change. That stainless steel VIN plate is spot welded to the door pillar at the 'dimples' and there are drilled holes in the door pillar at that location. Sometimes just tapping with a blunted nail through the holes will dislodge, other times careful grinding from the back side will be needed; on rusty cars they fall off anyhow.

Willie

Thanks for the information Willie. Nice to know that I can go with the colors I want that match the interiors for that model. That is interesting about the engine being registration point in Texas. I will have to research it a bit here in Alabama before making any decision regarding a transfer of vin plate to a donor body, but your insights are much appreciated. Cheers, Bob