Im planning on looking at a convertible "project" this weekend and was wondering if there was any certain areas I should concentrate on investigating the most.

I assume rockers and shock towers are number 1, but what exactly am I looking out for when I examine those areas (other than the obvious rust). I know the floors have been patched, and I think I could handle replacement of those if necessary, but I'm not sure about the shock tower stuff. From the pictures the fellow sent me, it looks like the trunk needs replaced (are the shock towers part of the trunk?).

On the rockers, how can you really tell if they are good or not. Do they rust completely through or what.

This will be my first "project" so I don't want to make a mistake and get something that is beyond repair.

Thanks.
Rob

I would insist that most of the interior be removed. Check for rust perforation under the rear seat - this is where the front spring mount is joined to the frame rail. When this area rusts the mount breaks off the rail and may puncture the floor. I know people that have claimed to repair this but I'd pass. Check the inner rockers for rust perforation. Also lower the top and check the windshield header for rust. If the header moldings are quite bad, so is the structure under it. If the dash top at the base of the windshield is heavily rusted grab the wiper arms at their mountings and try to move them. If they are loose the cowl is rusted also. Floor & trunk pans will probably be rusted but can be replaced. Check for rust under the rear weight cannisters in the trunk. There is always some but if it is heavy it may be into the frame rails. If the front cannisters are missing plan on paying plenty to replace them as they are hard to find.

When you arrive open both doors and leave them open for as long as possible. If they do not close cleanly afterwards the chassis is already sagging.

What he said above, but I will add that I was concerned about the area under the rear cocktail shakers on my pace car. I just removed the trunk extensions this past weekend and found yet another "gusset plate" under the extension ( the stabilizers bolts to this ) and saw that the this plate took most of the rust ( but not all the way through). The rear frame rail below it was suprisingly in good shape. So don't assume frame rot if that area of the trunk is corroded.

The rockers, as stated in previous post, will almost assuredly be rusted, but they're made of fairly heavy gauge. The gutter that drains water away from the periphery of the convert. top drains right down inside that cavity. I found about 5 lbs. of silt in there, which is almost certainly the reason it rots in there.
Without the quarter off it may be real hard to assess, unless of course you do see rust "perforation" If you see no crap and silt or rust through it may be that that area drained well. Good luck !!