Rocker Rivets Options

[Pat Garvey]

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Some discussion recently about the rocker panel/door sill rivets, indicated the white ones are NLA. I bought a large supply of these in the eraly 80's, because I remove the rockers every couple of years for cleaning & replace them because they seem to be good for one use only.

I have 4 left & need to do my removal/clean operation, so I obviously will have to change. I'm assuming that the factory replacement rivets are readily available, but color are they? Anyone get these recently? What's pricing like? Do they do a job equal to the orig's, or are they better (better, I hope)?

[JeffBowlsby]

rockers a while back on a friends Nov 75 car...And they were aluminum

I was wondering how long it would take for this to come up. Seems there are differentt definitions of what the 'rockers' are. Rockers...what an undescriptive name. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

There are the 'side valences', the long black exterior metal trim panels under the doors that need periodic cleaning. I cannot for the life of me understand why these are called rockers...somebody help me out and tell me. the side velences are attached with aluminum rivets and screws from beneath.

Then there are the 'threshold plates' or 'door sill plates' at the door opening sill, bright aluminum in the early cars, black plastic on the later cars. These were installed with the plastic rivets.

[sixerdon]

rockers a while back on a friends Nov 75 car...And they were aluminum

I was wondering how long it would take for this to come up. Seems there are differentt definitions of what the 'rockers' are. Rockers...what an undescriptive name. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

There are the 'side valences', the long black exterior metal trim panels under the doors that need periodic cleaning. I cannot for the life of me understand why these are called rockers...somebody help me out and tell me. the side velences are attached with aluminum rivets and screws from beneath.

Then there are the 'threshold plates' or 'door sill plates' at the door opening sill, bright aluminum in the early cars, black plastic on the later cars. These were installed with the plastic rivets.

Well Jeff, you are the first one I've heard using the term "side valance". The term "front and rear valance" is used all the time. Rockers is just a short for rocker panel or rocker cover. No big deal. It's in all the books I've read. Been around since '69. P. Paternie uses the phrase in his book as well as numerous articles I've read over the years. Or, we can always call it what the factory called them. "Outer covering for longitudinal member".
Also, not all were attached with aluminum rivets along the top as you state. Only the later ones as we are discussing. The early cars had white plastic rivets (NLA) for the first several years. Check out Johnson's book which is consistant with my cars.

Don