1965 Dodge Dart, Rain leaking in to the coupe

-
Bills65Dart

Bills65Dart

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2019
Messages
1,771
Reaction score
889
Location
Santa Rosa, California
Hi folks.

I discovered rain coming into the car today. Dripping under the dash, so I have been out with the water hose now, and when I flush water into the louvres between the hood and windshield, it comes water into the coupe.

You know the two black doors on outer left and outer right side above the feet when sitting in the seat. The water comes down there and fills up and drain out on the floor in the car.
And it is significant.
I have not done anything with this yet, the car is so wet inside that I have just put a heater fan in there to try to dry it up.

What can be wrong ? The seals gone bad, or is something rusted so bad that it has to be welded, and how on earth do I get to it ?

Bill
 
The most common issue is the wiper pivot seals, have you ever replaced them?

Rust can also be an issue, but that degree of rust in CA would be unusual unless the car was driven on the beach or from a salt state.
 
There is a drain hole/slot on each side of the cowl, when you raise you can see them near the fender/firewall. Make sure those are cleaned so water does not fill up the cowl and find its way inside.
 
Stick your hands up the heater and vent box doors as high as you can go. If you reach over the edges you might can find leaves and junk up there causing water to go places it's not supposed to. It also might be wiper pivot seals or rust pin holes. There are a few restoration threads with cowl repair that will give you an idea of what you are dealing with.
 
66jim said:
There is a drain hole/slot on each side of the cowl, when you raise you can see them near the fender/firewall. Make sure those are cleaned so water does not fill up the cowl and find its way inside.
Click to expand...

I am sorry, I don't understand. You say, "when you raise" you can see them. "Raise" where ?

Will these be visible and can be cleaned if the fenders are removed ?


Bill
 
Bills65Dart said:
I am sorry, I don't understand. You say, "when you raise" you can see them. "Raise" where ?

Will these be visible and can be cleaned if the fenders are removed ?


Bill
Click to expand...
Sorry, raise the hood and look where the cowl meets the firewall closest to the fender, there is a small drain that is there but hard to see. I don't have a smart
phone to take a pic maybe somebody can post up. This drain always gets plugged
up with leaves. When you run a hose into the cowl you can tell.
 
66jim said:
Sorry, raise the hood and look where the cowl meets the firewall closest to the fender, there is a small drain that is there but hard to see. I don't have a smart
phone to take a pic maybe somebody can post up. This drain always gets plugged
up with leaves. When you run a hose into the cowl you can tell.
Click to expand...

But I have a phone with camera.

It is sort of a hole under the spring that keep the beloved slant six hood open ? Where I am pointing with the finger. Is this it ?


Bill

1965-Dodge-Dart-cowl slot for draining-left-side-a.jpg


1965-Dodge-Dart-cowl slot for draining-right-side-a.jpg
 
These pics are not the best, but on the right side of the car it is really bad, and I have not yet found a way to empty it.
I think I need a hose I can connect to the shop vac I have and try to suck it out a little by little.

Bill

1965-Dodge-Dart-cowl-inside-left-side-a.jpg


1965-Dodge-Dart-cowl-inside-right-side-a.jpg
 
66jim said:
Thats it!
Click to expand...

Got them 1/4 open, so when I spray water down the louvres, the water goes out the slots, and does not go down and out the vent door holes anymore. Off to a hardware store to find a 1 inch hose OD or something like that to connect to the shop vac so I can clean it up in there.

Bill
 
Well, it is confirmed. It is rusted through on my car too.

Has anyone repaired rust from the inside of the car ?

Bill
 
I tried to get the left side vent duct with the door down today, and loosened the screw under it, but I can not get it down. Am I missing something ?

Bill
 
Oldmanmopar said:
there are times when the cowl has to come off to fix them right.

View attachment 1715450198

View attachment 1715450199

View attachment 1715450200
Click to expand...
So do you have rust holes in your fresh air openings like Oldmanmopar's pics? If you can't see it with your eyes or a mirror, put your cell phone up there with video recording and try to get a good video.

If that's not it, maybe your windshield gasket/seal is leaking. I know mine is leaking, so it's going to get all new rubber.
 
JoePowers said:
So do you have rust holes in your fresh air openings like Oldmanmopar's pics? If you can't see it with your eyes or a mirror, put your cell phone up there with video recording and try to get a good video.

If that's not it, maybe your windshield gasket/seal is leaking. I know mine is leaking, so it's going to get all new rubber.
Click to expand...

I bought a camera on a long cable, 15 ft I think. Not able to find the leak. But, when I lay in the car, and my lovely wife shower the car on the left side of the windshield, air openings for the heater, it finally starts dripping in that little space behind the kick panel on the left side. It drips and drips and drips.... and finally, somehow, it manage to get to the ... well, not sure what to call it, but like a "rain gutter" on the lower edge of the dash panel, so that it will drip on my pants between my knee and my shoes somewhere. That is when I get upset. I am talking about the room where the wire to the door switch is for the dome light. In that opening. Couple of inches or whatever it is. And the room there goes all the way up to whatever is there. Not able to see there.
I even tried what is it called again, Rustoleum undercoating, that black sticky stuff. But, they only have it in spray cans, so I am not able to get it all the way out where I suspect the hole is, somewhere around where the drain holes is in the cowl to let water out on the ground that rains down and into the cowl. I wish they had it in 1 quart cans so I could have it in my spray gun and then spray it in there through a longer hose. But, no such luck.

I have sealed the windshield, so it is not that. I taped the louvres in the cowl, and around the windshield wiper "thingies" and then I can shower the entire car with a tanker ship of water, and not a drop in the car. Open the louvres, and it starts dripping again.

So, that is how life is on this side of the Central Valley.

Bill
 
Seam seal it. You can cut the opening bigger behind the fender bigger to get to what you cannot get from the inside. Cover the rust with as much "Chassis Saver" or "POR15" as possible and let dry. This will help to seal it and allow for adhesion of the brushable seam sealer. Remember apply everything from the top and bottom. POR 15 makes a brushable putty in a tube gets solid like a rock. Depending on the hole size that will also work.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J594AQ2/?tag=fabo03-20
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top