Hey there, i'm cleaning the roof here. Removed the rear window I can't see any manufacturer designed drain holes around the window, only the holes made by rust:)
Is that normal or water should go down somehow to avoid accumulating moisture in cavities?
As far as I've ever seen on our cars there was no provision for water to drain away. When I wash my Strato Chief I sometimes take a blow gun and do the bottom of sides to get all the moisture out from under the moulding.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
On most "B body" cars that have spent time out doors they will have water/rust in the trunk. This is started by the stainless window trim holding moisture because of the angle of the body sheet metal under the trim.
Number one reason for rust and replacement trunk floor... When purchasing a B body, two places to look for rust. Look UP from the trunk at the piece of sheet metal the goes between the window bottom and the leading edge of the trunk for water stains, signs of rust or replacement.
The second place is at the bottom of the A pillar, pull the vent trim off and pull carpet back. The pillar may be rusted out at the bottom....
On most "B body" cars that have spent time out doors they will have water/rust in the trunk. This is started by the stainless window trim holding moisture because of the angle of the body sheet metal under the trim.
Number one reason for rust and replacement trunk floor...
I would have said the first thing to rust the trunk floor is that stupid brace for the body mount that is right behind the wheel tub. That brace channel fills up with sand/silt, the crap in there gets wet and rusts the trunk floor above the brace from the bottom side up. That's the repair I'm making on the Grande Parisienne right now. That particular spot on the B body trunk floor is actually a high spot and any water that would happen to get that area would actually run off to lower spots. I can show you the trunk floor in my Strato Chief to illustrate if you like.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
On my 65 Laurentian Post sedan, the front window channel lower was complete rust, yet the rear channel was intact but for a pin hole or two.
Maybe the steeper angle of the sedan glass helped save it. The coupe angle being flatter maybe retains more moisture. All in all it's a poor design (but hey, were these meant to last 50 plus years?)
Looks like you'll need channel repair sections, or better ones cut from a good donor.
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
I'll try patch it up till I find a donor with a decent roof/sail and deck panels and someone to replace those. Everything that was covered with a vinyl top can now be used to separate spaghetti from water.
These cars actually look like they supposed to last for centuries. I'm over a hundred kilos and I can sit in the hood, the metal won't even slightly bend. Won't risk to do the same on modern disposable cars:)
My 59 had front drains and rear drains in the channels with rubber hose down into the body panels, front fender and rear quarters. I think the 62 still had rear drains but I cant remember. The xframe years rarely rusted as bad as what I see in 65 up B and A body. Youd never see the top or bottom of the front or rear windshields rusted out. Not sure what changed.
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
I just learned something new today. Never knew someone made replacement channels for our cars. But as noted on their site, these are for 2 door hardtop only. They don't fit sedan or the concave rear window like the Olds Starfire, Grande Parisienne etc use.
I just learned something new today. Never knew someone made replacement channels for our cars. But as noted on their site, these are for 2 door hardtop only. They don't fit sedan or the concave rear window like the Olds Starfire, Grande Parisienne etc use.
I have owned 2 GM convertibles'. Both had a metal drain l trough below the rear window One 'a 59 and one a '64. I believe the '59 had a rubber hose fastened to the trough trou
The ;59 Impala conv was the worst car I ever owned. 28 trips to the dealer in the first 2 years. Dale
-- Edited by NOS on Thursday 9th of November 2023 05:54:15 PM
-- Edited by NOS on Friday 10th of November 2023 09:38:42 AM
