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The obvious function to me would be to drain water from near the window. But was it such a problem that they required these massive drains to handle the water that wouldn’t pool unless you were parked downhill? On level ground water easily runs off since the panel has a few degrees of slope.
Anyone here ever glass over them?
make them disappear?
NO. But I did delete the rotted rubber baffles/filled the air holes with fiberglass patches/added 3/8" diameter aluminum drain tubes to keep the pockets from filling with water because I wanted the original look of the chrome bezels.
The latter notch back models didn't have the vents. My 77 didn't come with them. I'm not really sure when they dropped the Astro Ventilation but when they did, the vents went away. So, I guess at one point the factory glassed em over so to speak.
IF you don't have Air Conditioning then you would really appreciate the Astro-Ventilation! It is the only convertible car that doesn't have the buffeting inside when the windows are opened. The air moves through the car and is gone without any human intervention. That is a well designed cooling system as far as I am concerned.
I keep my Astro-Ventilationfully functional just to stay cooler in the summer. I have 427 cubic inches with absolutely no concern for my physical comfort. Just get up and GOOOOOO with a smile on my face.
I like Astro Ventilation, my 68 Camaro has it and moves air very nicely. My 73 here was a factory air car so non functional rear vents. I installed Vintage Air and it had me close off the kick panel vent completely.
Yes, and when Astro Ventilation went away for the '76 model, so did the rear vents. Interestingly, at the same time cowl induction was also eliminated on the C3 yet, curiously, the '76 retained the vents at the rear of the hood. Chevrolet blocked them off until they too were eliminated for '77. Why they stayed one more year--I have no idea.
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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Originally Posted by C3Highway
Yes, and when Astro Ventilation went away for the '76 model, so did the rear vents. Interestingly, at the same time cowl induction was also eliminated on the C3 yet, curiously, the '76 retained the vents at the rear of the hood. Chevrolet blocked them off until they too were eliminated for '77. Why they stayed one more year--I have no idea.
Yup, and as a result there's a one year only '76 hood...
Explain these to me.
