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My 71 AIM shows that there are supposed to be plugs inserted into the large holes on the lower outer corner pieces. Neither of the corners on my car had the plugs. I think that the missing plugs allowed water to get inside the hollow innards of the corners and cause rust damage.
With how common the corner rust problems are on our C3s, I wonder how many cars left the factory without those plugs. They're not really readily visible once the fender and hood surround are on.
Those holes were put there to locate the metal part in the various dies to make the part. It takes at least four to five different dies to make a metal part. I worked in maintenance at an automotive parts plant for 34 years until they closed my plant in 2007. We made Corvette parts, mainly all of the Corvette metal radiator supports from 1960-1982. I think that I read in older posts that they just used calking to plug those locating holes and eventually it dried out and cracked, allowing water into the car. Then they must have gone to the plugs. Lou.
Those holes were put there to locate the metal part in the various dies to make the part. It takes at least four to five different dies to make a metal part. I worked in maintenance at an automotive parts plant for 34 years until they closed my plant in 2007. We made Corvette parts, mainly all of the Corvette metal radiator supports from 1960-1982. I think that I read in older posts that they just used calking to plug those locating holes and eventually it dried out and cracked, allowing water into the car. Then they must have gone to the plugs. Lou.
I tought locating holes would have been smaller...but then again I have ZERO experience in manufacturing (and I didn't even spend the night in a Holiday Inn Express)
My 78 has holes in a different position to yours (as you can see in the replacement panel I fitted), but there were no plugs fitted.
At first glance it looked like your holes might be under the windshield and therefore in a drier area that would see less water intrusion. But then again the shape of your corner were it transistions from the A pillar to the curve towards the cowl looks like that could actually channel water towards the hole or actually below the hole. I guess it'd depend on the windhield dams & sealant were applied...
At first glance it looked like your holes might be under the windshield and therefore in a drier area that would see less water intrusion. But then again the shape of your corner were it transistions from the A pillar to the curve towards the cowl looks like that could actually channel water towards the hole or actually below the hole. I guess it'd depend on the windhield dams & sealant were applied...
Exactly correct, the hole is hidden under the windshield but as I discovered driving home through really heavy rain, if you don't make sure the sealant goes below the hole, then it can blow up under the windshield down the hole and end up soaking your left leg
SURVEY - Lower Windshield Corners
