Steve Braverman Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Why is it called a rocker panel anyway? I've always wondered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Braverman Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 Nobody knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 And why should any fixed panel be called a "rocker panel" when it doesn't rock?Another of life's mysteries in desperate need of explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) OK, so let's get rid of this mystery, and we'll be one more step toward solving the mystery of the universe."Rocker" is a naval term, meaning an object with a curved form, such as the keel of a ship. You guys who are military minded should also know what a "rocker" is, in reference to rank, a curved stripe for those who rank above sergeant.Thus, a curved panel under the door sill is called, what else, a "rocker panel."The term was supposedly first applied to automobile body parts in 1921.And last but not least, what do you call a chair with a curved piece under it? A rocker, of course, or rocking chair as the derivative....How about them apples? Edited January 17, 2011 by trimacar chair rocker addition (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 OK, so let's get rid of this mystery, and we'll be one more step toward solving the mystery of the universe."Rocker" is a naval term, meaning an object with a curved form, such as the keel of a ship. You guys who are military minded should also know what a "rocker" is, in reference to rank, a curved stripe for those who rank above sergeant.Thus, a curved panel under the door sill is called, what else, a "rocker panel."The term was supposedly first applied to automobile body parts in 1921.How about them apples?Well that might work if it were not for the fact so called rocker panels seem to be without curve on any plane or face.What car in 1921 had what is known as a rocker panel and what might its original functional purpose have been? To deflect rocks from being thrown against body or fenders perhaps?Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 The question was not about flat or curved surfaces, it was about the origination of the name "rocker panel". I am sure that there are rocker panel areas on many cars that are not curved.But, not being curved doesn't change the reference name of the part, if the name is already applied to that area of the car.I saw the reference to 1921 while researching the question, it may not be correct...Just trying to answer the question, if it doesn't suit, no problem, I've got no dog in this hunt..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poci1957 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Sounds good enough to me David. The question stumped me, thanks to you for doing the research.Actually lots of body terms have origins that are probably odd to us and predate automobiles. On an Alfa Romeo forum I posed the question about the origins of a two seat sports car being a Spider, of all things. I was informed that term was originally used for a small, light two seat carriage and it evolved into an automotive term, Todd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Why is it called a rocker panel anyway? I've always wondered.A little investigation leads to the term rocker having its origins in the word "rock." The apparent original intent of what became known in the automotive industry as a "rocker panel" was to act as a shield for the body from being damaged by rocks and other road debris. Makes sense since at the time of the origin of the part the majority of roads and so called highways were paved with gravel or were simply dirt. But that leaves rise to the question of in the era of running boards which functionally would have served the same functional purpose, where was the rocker panel located. Is today's "rocker panel" actually an evolution of the running board into a lower panel which hides the not so attractive aspects of a vehicle from sight? More modern definition describes the "rocker panel" as being for the purpose of hiding frame components, or in other words a valence.Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Boy, we must be in the winter doldrums!!:D Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Boy, we must be in the winter doldrums!!:D BenWould appear to be so!Next burning topic:Why are "parking lights" called "parking lights." In the times they first appeared on vehicles it was almost assured that leaving them on would run a battery down in pretty short order. If they are not useful with a parked car why do we have them?Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Would appear to be so!Next burning topic:Why are "parking lights" called "parking lights." In the times they first appeared on vehicles it was almost assured that leaving them on would run a battery down in pretty short order. If they are not useful with a parked car why do we have them?JimShould we have a separate thread for each term? Maybe they are called "parking lights" because if the headlights are on while parked, it may look as if the car is in the driving lane. If only the parking lights are on, maybe they are supposed to indicate a parked car only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Used to be laws that required lights on a vehicle that was parked on the street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Used to be laws that required lights on a vehicle that was parked on the street.Sounds about as intelligent as an old ordinance that was once on the books in Marshall, Texas; which stated: "Anyone entering the City Limits of the City of Marshall, Texas in a horseless carriage after sundown shall have a person walking ahead of said horseless carriage by ten paces waving a lantern and ringing a bell." One can only imagine the logic behind that to begin with in a time when "horseless" carriages were not exactly quiet.Actually we discovered that ordinance being on their books when I was in High School, in neighboring Longview, Texas. As a part of football rivalry we saw an opportunity to drive the citizens of Marshall and their cops nuts by periodically conforming to the ordinance on U.S. 80 by basically blocking all four lanes of traffic just abiding by the law. We had great fun with that one until their City Council was finally convinced by the Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety to repeal the ordinance.Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 So why do you park in a driveway and drive on a parkway... Badda BING! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Well, more research of course, and the reason they're called "parking lights" is that when you're dating, and you go "parking", you're supposed to leave those small lights on so that people know not to approach the car.I remember using them to illuminate the submarine races that my date and I were watching, Ross Barnett reservoir in Jackson, Ms.............And yes, it's time to get out and start driving instead of discussing such things, but it is winter.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Roth Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Parking when you at the side of the road -- even when David was not "SPARKING" -- an archaic term for "WOOING", oops, another archaic term - back to the early days of driving - Brass Cars? , or maybe the guy had "A Lot Of Brass" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ron W Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I think the "parkway" is the "way" through a "park". Ron W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest robatcook1987 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 It is one of the parts of the body panels of a vehicle, a car below the rocker panel compartment.The passengers is a part of the car? body panel, which is considered the lowest panel along the side of the vehicle between the two wheel arches. These include side skirts and the edge of the grass. The side skirts are attached to the rocker panel to examine the vehicle below the ground at the same time improve its appearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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