The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Source of floor rot

Today I removed my seat so I could pull out the three layers of insulation and floor mat. After vacuuming quite a layer of sand, I found that my floor pans are a bit worse than I thought. Where the floor pans and toe panels join the side walls forward of the doors I have through-and-through rust to include the area on the side walls between the bottoms of the pull vents and floor.

Did the water likely come from a rotted firewall by way of the cowling vent?

I don't have the heart yet to turn a hose on it to look for water.

Darren, most of the mid fifties vehicles with kick panel vents will also have a gutter system over the vent to keep water out if driving during the rain. Unfortunately, these gutters also became a trap for leaves and debris, which then turned into a rust generator. Here is a similar repair on a 55 wagon that should shed some light on the issues...


http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31244

So it can be repaired! Thanks, Robert, that's an awesome pic series.

I am so impressed with people that can do that kind of metal work. It's like some sort of magic.

So, Robert, is my rot most likely from kick panel vent leakage and not cowling vent firewall rot?

Darren, the problem is the junk trapped in the ventilation passageway holding moisture there for years, starting at the drain outlet below the kick vent opening and continuing right up to the cowl inlet, only way to tell how extensive, is open it up where possible, clean it out and evaluate what needs to be rebuilt

Bill

Darren, as can be seen in the pictures on that link, the wagon has a hole at the top of the outer cowl once the fender has been removed to do a visual inspection. (one retaining screw in the cover) Unsure if there's a similar one on the truck, perhaps someone else can chime in.. This access permits inspection to identify any issues inside, and to clean out any debris that exists (before it would have become an issue) Yours likely was caused from debris collecting inside.

Thanks, guys! I'll put that inspection on my to-do list.

On my 58 gmc steps side there are no inspection plates for the cowl and vent areas from the fender side of things.
I did however remove at least a full gal by volume of sticks, leaves, and assorted debris from each side of mine when I got around to that area. At first I didn't realize that small triangular area was even a weep hole. I cleaned it out with a screw driver and opened it up a bit thinking it was just mud in a crevasse. A day later I was knocking around and more dirt started falling out. So I poked and prodded a bit more. Finally I realized it was one continuous duct space all the way down the side of the cab to that 'still' plugged up hole. After a good 30 minutes of vacuum at the bottom air nozzle down the top via the cowl and a rubber mallet banging on the side I reached a point where the dirt and dust stopped falling out at the bottom and the rattling of leaves and sticks inside the vent area ended. I will say it all looked like grade A composted dirt and I was wondering just how long it had been composting there considering the truck had sat for 18 years before I got a hold of it but that's for another forum I think.

This thread has made me consider making an inspection plate in that area though. It would be very easy to do and make future cleaning of that area a LOT easier. Sort of like reversing the bottom two bolts for the timing cover so you don't have to remove the oil pan to loosen them to pull the cam. I don't remember where I read that but it sure was a great tip.

Well, CASO, I think I'm eager to see what all is piled up in mine!

The thought occurs that instead of an 'inspection window' cut into the inner fender/cowl area one could make a "Sky Light" and cut the hole all the way out through the fender and plant a shrub in there... just insure you establish proper drainage.

On my '53 the windshield seals in the lower outside corners rotted while it sat and water eventually worked its way down inside to the kick panels and floor...rusting them through.