1933 Ford Coupe - The Lowdown on Getting Low

Here are the sheetmetal panels cut to shape and ready for installation. In the upper portion of the image you can see a bit of the floorpan edge and the side of the framerail with the inner rocker temporarily bolted to it. Bolting the floor in place and the inner rockers to the 'rails will ensure that everything stays in the desired location while the filler panels are fit and welded to each. Once the floorpan and the inner rockers are bridged and connected by the filler panels, the lower rockers will be unbolted from the 'rails. The body will then be bolted into place upon completion using the original through-the-floor body mounting points.

Here you can see one of the guys fitting a section of filler panel in preparation for welding. Remember, these are welded at the top edge to the floorpan and at the bottom to the inner rockers. They are not in any way attached to the framerails.

One of the things that set a professional apart from a novice is attention to detail. A case in point is the effort these guys expended forming the vertical ridges in the filler panels to match those formed in the original inner rocker panel. Truth be told, I more than likely wouldn't have thought to do that ... I guess that's why I'm not a professional.

You can see the bolts that are holding the floorpan and the inner rocker to the framerail in this image. It's extremely important that everything stays in place while the welds are made; you run the chance of having the job end up all cockeyed if something moves or shifts. Believe me, I've learned that one the hard way.

With most of the fabrication and welding nearly complete, it's almost time to lower the body back into place and begin to reattach it to the floorpan.

A few more whacks with a body hammer and a bit more welding and grinding will make the filler panels look almost factory.

Here's a view of the lower portion of the inner rocker panel from under the vehicle. If you flip back to about the third image in the story, you can see how they originally ended well above the bottom of the 'rails. Now the rockers dip down below the 'rails.

With the body lowered back into its channeled position, you can really begin to get an idea of the difference between stock and channeled. This particular coupe was in need of some new outer rocker sections. You can see the newly fabricated pieces sitting on the edges of the floorpan just waiting for their turn to be welded into place.

The lower rear sections of the door openings have small flanges where they were originally attached to the inner rocker panels. The flanges attach to the filler panels now that the body sits much lower.

The bottom front corners of the cowl now sit even with the bottom of the framerails, leaving just enough space to not interfere with wishbone travel.