<VV> Drip Drip on our feet

[Tony Underwood]

At 02:05 AM 6/2/2010, J R Read_HML wrote:
>That is a reminder of the free LM Corvair I went to get.  The weeds 
>were over a foot tall and it was sunk so deep into the soft field 
>soil (former farm land) that pretty much everything below the body 
>crease was gone - including the engine.  There was no way to jack it 
>up since there was nothing to support a jack.  I saved a few pieces 
>of trim, the wiper arms, and the windshield.  Did I mention it was a 
>convert - and in that field for MANY years?


A club member about 50 miles from here had a 'Vair junkyard... some 
not junk, some barely parts cars.

One early that had been sitting there a LONG time was so rusted out 
underneath that when he tried to pull it out of the muck with a 
tractor the car broke in half, with only the roof holding the 
remnants of the front half to the back half.  .


>The upper windshield trim had slid down to the wiper arms and after 
>picking those parts off (absolutely no tools involved), I simply 
>picked up the windshield.  This was after chasing away several 
>snakes which had claimed residence.  There were two Vairs in that 
>field.  I never went back!
>
>Regarding the drip - drip:  Do you see Bondo at the corner (maybe 
>both) of the windshield base?


I always cut any bondo out.    Likewise ANY lead.   Then I make 
repair patches that eliminate that joint and its issues once and for all.



>If so, the only REAL way to fix the problem is with a patch panel 
>from one of our major vendors.


...or from my templates that I keep in the shed.    ;)



>You will need to know or have a friend who knows how to do the 
>appropriate body work.


I've done about a dozen or so.   None leak... (last ones I did were 
on David's race car)


>Oh - the original note did not specify body style.  I'm assuming - not a vert.


The preacher's car rustbucket was a '65 Monza sedan.   That's the one 
that leaked from the roof as well as everywhere else, lifted the 
windshield out without any prep at all.


>Second Oh - Water resistant foam will not stop rust (which never 
>sleeps). That "fix" is not permanent.


As I said before in the first post, rustproofing is done first.  In 
this instance, big time cleanup then two heavy coats of Rustoleum on 
anything that looks like it needs it.   Then, to block any potential 
water entry opportunities, comes the foam which is also painted 
afterwards.    Under the dash and between the air intake channel and 
that windshield panel, where that gap-seam lives, there's not a lot 
you can do otherwise...

This, after replacing that trouble-maker lower windshield panel which 
is NOT an easy repair no matter how good you are, especially if 
Nature had already been there before you.   Done it twice, once on 
the '65 Corsa ragtop and once on another guy's 'Vair.   I had to do 
some hammer/dolly and selective shrinking work to warp the panel into 
correctly fitting the car.

I'm not complaining now, about the panel not fitting exactly right 
thus needing corrections... I'm thankful the aftermarket replacement 
exists at all.



tony..