xkeots

Hi,

Can someone please send me the links for checking the areas prone to leakage in a 77 C3? I replaced all t-top and door & window rubbers, I adjusted the T-Tops and door windows but when I get a rain, only my foot area on the inside floors soak. I have new carpeting I bought from Wilcox last winter that I will not put in till I solve this. The irony is this, last month the east coast got hit with bad rain and I had 32 inches of water in my garage that is under my house (that I use for storage) and my new carpets that were on a shelf, got soaked. When the company came that sucks out water, I had them suck out and steam clean the new carpets (I got lucky).
I did read the new issue of Vette and they talk about checking the windshield posts for rot. I think that mine are good as I had my windshield replaced and the mechanic said that the frame looked good.

Thanks
Jack

SIXFOOTER

Man, your not going to like this at all. The leaks are likely coming from the lower windshield frame corner(s). They are under the rear end of the front fenders. When it was built they riveted the fender mount directly to the WS frame corners. The problem is they trap water, then rust through.
Looks like this

Then when your done fixing it

Had to fab the part, but I think you can buy them now

This means pulling the front clip off, or cutting the fenders. Lot of work

jman1

i just used a roofing silicone to seal a hole where water was getting in... but yeah.. it was coming in right in that area of the pic...

BBCorv70

Another area you may look at is the wiper well. Sometimes seams open up or rivets come loose. I had both opened seams and loose rivets on my 70. I dug all the undercoating out of the area, sealed up all seams I could find, fixed loose rivets which allowed water to get in around the shaft of the rivet, them recoated the area with a heavy application of undercoating.

Maybe check the sealing where the firewall bonds to the lower windshield frame.

You can check the area mentioned above by digging out the wads of caulking the factory stuffed between the fender tips and lower windshield frame area. When the caulk gets old it pulls away from the metal a bit forming a pocket which holds water. Unfortunately, if you find holes, only way to fix for sure is to remove the front clip or cut away part of the fender to gain access. I'd look into cutting away part of the fender before pulling the entire clip.

xkeots

Hi All,

I had the windshield replaced last summer after a rock kicked up and broke it. It never leaked before the change.
I lost my garage spot for now as my 63 SWC is in the spot and I am stripping the paint on the C3 and getting the car water tight. I have a new interior waiting to go in.
The job was done by Safeglass auto glass. I have used this company for over 40 years. They used to be good and caring about their customers, they now have gotten so big that they are totally nasty (the one that I am going to at least) and if (with their lifetime warranty on leaks) they find and fix it tomorrow, I will never use them again.
I asked them to cuts piece of flat glass for my 61 Caddy Convertible and they went off on me.
I don't think that any of us, that want parts for our cars and want to give someone our business and walk in with a smile that they should talk down to us.

J
C3

xkeots

Wiper well is fine. It is coming in on both side frame posts,

Jack

xkeots

Where can I get black caulk? Can I use a caulk gun and fill in where the leaks are?

Thanks
Jack

Ganey

Black RTV will work.

sly vette

Make sure the water is not coming in from the vents behind the kick panels due to the drain holes being plugged.
Good Luck!

xkeots

I bought the book on Corvette water and air leaks.
I am finally dry.
I had to pull out the dash and was able to track light leaks at night and water leaks by day.
We have had storms the past few nights and my floors are totally dry!
GM used Dum Dum on certain spots to cover manufacturing holes on the upper and sides of the firewall. That stuff and all of the hidden seals that GM used has dried up in the past 35 years and needs to be repaired in all of the spots.
That book is the best for water and wind leaks!
Too bad it is out of print.

Thanks
Jack

jcloving

I agree with those above. Rivet holes on the birdcage and the wiper tray. I put a small amount of silicone into those holes and stripped the old undercoating out of the wiper tray. After that I cleaned out the loose body joint filler and then filled it with new silicone and put down a small amount of new undercoating and the painted it. I also redid the wipers at the same time.

No more leaks.

My weatherstriping is all original...for now.

xkeots

Most of my water was from dried up Dum Dum that I pushed out from the inside and I used POR 15's Epoxy Putty from the inside to repair it.
Now all the water runs out of the lower fender drain, no more detours to my inside and nothing comes into the floors after 5 inches of downpours.
My weather stripping was replaced last year.
Try to get that book for your shelf, or for a great read. I can't put a price on it for 63-82 Vettes.

Thanks
Jack

Easy Mike

That's were my leak was. I used 3M automotive undercoating in the rattle can and sealed the wiper trough. No leaks since.

Sully1882

Are you talking about the book by Michael J Davis? I have been looking for it for sometime. Looks like it's final print was in 1999. Where did you find yours? I can only find one copy on the internet and it's at amazon where some sorry individual has cranked the price to an ungodly proportion!

Sully

xkeots

Yes,

That's the one.
They sell for big money unless you can find one from someone who doesn't know that they are out of print.
I got it on Ebay misspelt for $20.00
I looked for a while and finally bought it.
I bid up to $50.00 but paid $20.00 free shipping.
Great tips.

Jack

gborley

I narrowed down as close as I could as to where the leak was coming through into the interior (at the bottom corner of the windshield post where it attaches to the bird cage) and also where I should pour the water to have direct contact with that the leak (that was the very bottom right corner of the windshield).
I then poured 1/2 bottle of Permatex Super Bonder (Super Glue)
down past the cortner of the windshiled and got some glue into the leak inside the car. I then did again two more times before the leak was sealed. I still have good drainage from that corner of windshield to the ground and no more water coming inside!
Just be prepared for the glue that you will have running on the floor of your garage.