Once you get to this point, how do you remove or separate them without breaking them? The rocker is still attached to the 1/4 and fender, but the fender and 1/4 each have a hidden fastener I can't get to with the rocker attached. ALL exposed rivets and fasteners are removed. I ran into this at a junkyard and ended up just breaking the pieces off at the fender.
Looking inside 1/4 down to rocker Looking at lower fender to rocker panel.
You actually have to remove the entire rocker first (remove the plastic rivets under the car). The rocker and the fender snap together (its tricky to remove without gouging things) . Once removed you will see 1 or 2 rivets that need to be drilled out of the bottom of the fender that the rocker was covering.
To remove the under-door rocker panel, do the following:
1. Pop out the rectangular plastic covers in the door sill area, drill out the aluminum pop rivets (1/4" dia) you find there. 2. Unscrew the screws in each fender well that hold the ends of the panel. 3. Drill out the plastic rivets that hold the bottom of the panel to the frame of the car. 4. (now for the trick) There is a latching tang at the back end, at the top of the piece, and two on the front end, where it mates with the body in front of and behind the door. With a thin piece of stiff sheet metal, find these and release them, and the top of the panel will pull out. If you have the replacement pieces, look at these for locations on these tangs. I would recommend NOT trying to use a screwdriver for these, as the fit is pretty tight to the top trim piece, and they're easy to ding up if you're not careful.
You can use a plastic rivet installer from harbor freight. If you are taking apart panels you will use it frequently.
If you view this video you will see the holes at the bottom for the rivets that are covered. This might be a non gt fender im not sure because its been awhile since I have looked, but it would be similar.
4. (now for the trick) There is a latching tang at the back end, at the top of the piece, and two on the front end, where it mates with the body in front of and behind the door. With a thin piece of stiff sheet metal, find these and release them, and the top of the panel will pull out. If you have the replacement pieces, look at these for locations on these tangs. I would recommend NOT trying to use a screwdriver for these, as the fit is pretty tight to the top trim piece, and they're easy to ding up if you're not careful.
Thanks. This is the part I can't figure out how to do to release the rocker. What "piece"? The rocker? I've been using a really thin screw driver and get no results.
Yup, that's exactly the guy. Pick up an extra pack of both the larger and smaller Rivets. I found a pair of side cutters (or a box cutter) was useful in trimming the left over stub that is sometimes left behind. To be expected with a 15$ tool.
Just about to put wheel well liner back in. Great timing. I got the TFS kit, but apparently they are the pound 'em in type. The fifteen dollar tool with rivets seems like a better way to go.
BTW, are you the guy with the non-running black GT for sale? Or do you know of him? There's a thread about a guy who wants to buy said non-running vehicle in Hamilton, ON.
For those wondering. Step 4 refers to the tabs (1 on the front and 3 on the back) that need to be carefully pushed down in order to release the rocker.
Here is a pic
The 3 on the rear are pretty easy to see, the front one not to much.
I need to replace the small rocker piece at the bottom of the rear fender. It looks as thought the entire rocker needs to be removed to permit installation. Can anyone confirm this?
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The 4" wide (or so) piece on the 1/4 panel of a GT? When the rocker comes off there are 3 plastic rivets hidden under it holding the bottom of that little trim piece. You have to take the 1/4 panel lose to get off another 3 holding the top of that little trim piece.
didn't want to make another thread so figured i'd add some pictures and a question here are the 3 rivet locations at the top of the rocker panel unfortunately all of the rivets at the bottom of my rocker panel were all aluminum too, vice grips and a drill worked well
but im stuck here as well, that tab sticking up seems to magically hold it together however i noticed these slots in my rocker panel on the 1/4 panel and fender
i put a screwdriver in there and pushed the tab but the rocker panel wasn't wanting to come off any tricks to those tabs? do they push inward towards the car?
[This message has been edited by RudyGT (edited 12-20-2017).]
The tabs want to catch if pushed down too far. A table knife that has been ground down to about 3/8 - 1/2 inch wide worked for me. It's thin enough that it doesnt depress it too far. Learned it from Aerodonamic.
So i managed to get the panels off, removing the rear 1/4 panel was the only way i could get the rocker panel from the front and sticking a screwdriver into that slot does push the tabs out, they lock into those slots
read a guide on how to remove the trim, but it seems like the whole top and 1/4 panel need to come off together to not break things i had to pry this little guy off of the trim that hides the rivets connecting the upper and the lower 1/4 panel
^^ this piece was destroyed
here is a view looking down the trim piece at the clip shown in the first image
and here is the end of the trim, i guess they changed the panels out in 88 because the guides i've read say slide the trim piece foward or back to remove, but you cant slide forward because of this clip and you can't slide back because of the front 90 degree's into the door.
any ideas on how to not break those clips? or are they just old and thats going to happen?
It's been a while, but I believe that after you remove the retainer at each end of the trim, you can lift upward and roll the top off of the clip. The springy part of the clip mounts downward so it will allow the trim to move upward. The inside lip of the trim strip slides downward over the solid part of the clip.
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