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All sunroof cars have 4 drain tubes - 2 to the front fenders
and two that went to the rear shock towers. A sore subject, the rears
prematurely created rust for not well undercoated parts of the car in wet or
snowy climates. Therefore, you want to prevent that in the back. In my
scenario we use new modern plastic tubes and snake them into the body cavity
of the car to the ground. |
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In front I used 1/2" OD, 3/8" ID Vinyl Tubing. You will need
approximately 20' to do the job and have some left over but needed while you
pull through the car's cavity. |
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The tube should be eventually visible through this hole in
the kick panel of the floor. In order to get the
tube to come through the location inside the fender well, use some braided
core copper wire, 12-14 gauge, and feed it from the fender drain tube
location inside the car. The wire and the tubing will both be able to be
pulled through this hole. At that point, create a knot with the wire and
stuff it inside the vinyl tubing. Make sure it's snug inside the tube... |
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Then pull on the wire and it will pop out the hole in the
fender well. |
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As shown here, I have pulled the excess down to and put it
where it will drain to the ground for now. I will later decide what to
permanently do to the drains. |
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When you are done, it fits like this. |
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There are some clamps you add over the hoses that came off
the original tubes. They hold the hoses in place for all eternity underneath
the head liner. On to the back of the car.... do this in the back as
well. |
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In the back I found it was easier to start at the bottom of
the inside of the rear quarter panel area and pull the tube uphill rather
than downhill like the front. First feed the wire used in front downhill
towards the fender well then attach the hose and pull it up as shown to this
point. |
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We put holes in the front of the rear fender wells to support
relocation of the drain tubes before we painted the car. |
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The back is installed and clamped up, top view. |
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Down below, this fits in the hole as planned. I have a better
idea on how to permanently mount the hoses so I don't have to use silicon
caulk. |
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Next month I will cover installing and adjusting the sun roof
system. |
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| NEXT:
Hot Springs Arkansas Drive, July 2004. |
