Rusted Rocker Panel... and Heater Channel?

[Morari]

Hi,

I have a 1972 Super Beetle. The body seems to be very solid, save for one spot. The passenger side rocker panel is rusted out from beneath. The top of the rocker panel (in the door frame?) is still mostly there, but the side and bottom are all but gone. Furthermore, it has taken out a bit of the rear quarter panel and is even showing through beneath the back seat.

If I understand correctly, the heater channel is intact, as it is the piece running inside of what is actually rusted out?

I have a metal bit that came with the car, that actually lays right in the spot we're talking about. It is the entire top of the rocker panel, as well as the side where the running board bolts in. Problem is, the piece is actually for the other side of the car, and still wouldn't quite fix the bottom area.

Is there a piece I can get to replace that area? I don't really have the skills to lift the body up off the pan or anything. It looks like I might be able to take the running board off and get everything cleaned back up however. I figured a little fiberglass afterward would smooth out the quarter panel.

I saw that this site lists a "bottom" and a "side" piece. The bottom piece appears to be in line with what I would need. Unfortunately, the photo for the side piece won't load in order to investigate it.

In the meantime, everything has been doused in a derusting solution.

[johnnypan]

Makita or Dewalt multispeed with a sheeps wool pad and some body shop compound....it that dont work try this:

glue screen to the back side and smear the henrys on the outside,let dry,repeat.

Okay,jokes aside,the best way to fix is body off,replace heater channel and right pan,and patch panel your lower quarter from a donor car...or,stiffen the heater channel the best you can without taking the body off,patch the floor pan and find a donor quarter panel and sill..

[bugninva]

the side pannel that you depict in your picture is the side panel that you can't see the pic of on the site... if you need the side and bottom, you probably should do the entire heater channel as Johnny says... the quarter pannel is done after the heater channel as it attaches to it...
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