<VV> Advice: (Info about 4 factory holes at rear of LM rockerpanels)

[J R Read_HML]

Joe,  Every couple of years I attach (duct tape usually) a length of PVC (a 
little longer than the rockers) to the garden hose, jack up one side of the 
car and remove the wheels on that side.  Then remove the caps on the holes 
in the wheel wells at the end of the rockers and flush out the rockers.  The 
PVC lets me push any debris along that the water does not move.  Then, give 
the same treatment to the other side of the car.  I like to do this on a 
bright sunny day so that things will dry out faster.

Some folks leave those plugs out on the theory that air passing through the 
rockers will help keep them dry.  I'm not real sure if that is a good idea. 
I DO leave them off for a few days after the "cleaning" treatment - so long 
as the weather is not wet.

Some folks spray a rust inhibitor up in the rockers as well.  Perhaps I'll 
get around to doing that some time (before it becomes too late).

Later, JR


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Taruffi57 at aol.com>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2010 2:02 PM
Subject: Re: <VV> Advice: (Info about 4 factory holes at rear of LM 
rockerpanels)


>I guess I should direct this one to the known Corvair encyclopedic  minds
> out there.  You know who you are.
>
> There are 2 round holes at the vertical end of the rocker panels.   They
> have rubber plugs.  There is a rectangular hole with rubber "flap" on  the
> vertical inside rear of the rocker panels, and there is a small round hole
> under the rear of the rocker panels - obviously for water drainage.  I'm 
> not
> sure why the rectangular hole has a "flap" instead of a plug.
>
> Small leafy debris and dirt collects toward the rear of the rocker panels
> and blocks up the smaller of these holes.  The one under the  bottom.
> Result?  an invitation to rust-out. I have managed to  laboriously drag 
> most of
> the debris out.   What I don't understand is  the Chevrolet designers
> thinking in making the underside drainage hole the  smallest of the 4. 
> The 2 end
> holes are curious as to their purpose - since  it is difficult to reach
> through them with a thin tool to drag debris out and  once you get the 
> debris all
> the way to the end, even more difficult to get it  out of the holes.
>
> I forgot to add that I have already jacked the front of the car up, stuck 
> a
> water hose into the side, underdash air vent holes and ALSO blasted air
> down  through the rockers in the same way.  All that came out
> was.....air....and....water.......
>
> What I would really like to end up with is completely clean rocker
> "insides" so that I can somehow primer and heavily paint in there.  At 
> least
> toward the rearmost areas of the rockers.  My drivers side rocker had 
> zero rust,
> but the passenger side had the rear, vertical end area badly rotted  out.
> This will not happen again as this car will be garaged and never  collect
> debris in the rockers.
>
> So, what was Chevy's thinking in respect to the design purpose of these 4
> drain/access holes?
> Why auto designers did certain things intrigues me.
>
> Joe Dunlap
> Florida
> (doing one task at a time) --- (just 872 to go.....
>
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