Replace some panels or patch it?

[bergers59]

I'm digging in to the rust on my 72 nova, once I'm done with this, cage will be next. So far the RH door skin, front left and right floor are getting replaced, as well as the bottom few inches of the firewall. The car had gm quarters put on it in the early 90s by my dad, as well as outer wheel houses I believe. The rocker is the piece in question. It has a pretty good sized hole in it, however aside from the hole, the rocker appears solid. I just don't know why it would rust that high up the rocker, rather than start from the bottom, which worries me. I'm fishing to see if anyone has patched a hole this size on the rocker, or should I just replace it.

[minendrews68]

I would replace everything I could. I've just not been a big fan of patching. Especially the rocker panel, once the patch was welded in you could never get to the back of the patch to seal it.

[dontlifttoshift]

If a panel is available, I will replace every time.

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

The rocker is a pretty easy panel to full replace, being two rows of spot welds. Do that, and do some rust control within the rocker so it doesn't come back. The only way IMO.

[bergers59]

Yeah that's what I figured, shouldn't be too bad. I looked into ordering some sheet metal this week and there's a massive price gap between Sherman rockers and AMD, anybody know why?

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

AMD is well known for having much higher standards than pretty much everyone else. I've never heard bad about them or their parts (they also resell brokered parts that they don't stamp, but I assume with the higher price that they are their own stamping). Basically I think if you have the option of AMD... go AMD.