Hi all. I just gave my 67 SS a good wash and have discovered some water leaks. The leaking areas are 1. drivers side by the dimmer switch, 2. passenger side by the kick panel area, and 3. under the dash/on the dash by the heater controls. This is a 67 w/o AC. Any ideas how to track and fix these areas?

In general, what is the water drainage path in the front of the car? I ask because water at the front of the dash (closest to driver, not by firewall-kind of under the radio in back) really has me stumped. I don't see how the water can make to to the front of the dash.

Thanks for any help.

Here's some things which can cause leaks:

-Kick-panel vent seals
-windshield glass seal
-cracked body seam sealer
-where steering column supports bolt to cowl
-radio antena cable
-many spots can leak if water flows over the engine side of the firewall

Kick-panel seals are a likely cause for your 1 & 2. Number 3 could be steering column supports , radio cable, or water running down a heater cable. I went through this with my 65 a few months ago. The carpet, kick panels, pedals, firewall pad, and heat/ac stuff were removed. I had my wife pour water, while I watched for leaks. Start low, work up. The water is supposed to go from the cowl, around the sides behind the kick panels, and into the rockers. The winshield channel should drain into the cowl. Good luck, these can be a PITA. The leak was what started me down the path of taking all that stuff apart. My main trouble turned out to be where my AC duct passes through the passenger kick panel (64-67 are like this). --- Carl

Whenever I have encountered these kind of leaks, they have all been from a poor windshield seal.
They usually trace back to the poor quality of the old rope seal used in older cars.
The purists will cringe at my fix, but my cars all get the new Urethane sealers, and the water leaks go away.

As a matter of fact I have discovered where mine is leaking on on the passenger
side. I know that there is alot of talk about kick panels (mine has no a/c) and
the kick panel seal but to me that theory doesn't make sense since the seal is
on the inside of the panel. Here is what I did do and have found.

I took a spray bottle and filled it with water then sprayed right on the
windshield edge where it hits the upper chrome trim. Made sure that no water
went into the cowl area. (I did this instead of soaking the car, soaking the car
too hard to track. Another words I used the rifle approach as opposed to the
shotgun.) I found the leak right at the curvature of the windshield where it is
sealed at the cowl area. It drips down right by the kick panel area. But it has
nothing to do with the kick panels.

I then continued to put water just on the windshield chrome trim area from the
middle and onto the other side by the driver side. No leaks in middle or drivers
side, which I expected. Findings at this point. Leak 1 on passenger side coming
from windshield seal. Leak 2 middle and leak 3 drivers side is not leaking at
the windshield seal.

Next steps. I noticed some putty cracks down in the cowl area. I will use the
same targeted approach to squirt the water on those putty cracks to see if I get
water leaks from this area. If I do, which I expect to on the drivers side since
the discovered leak was by the dimmer switch, then I will know that the cowl
area is what is causing the leaks at drivers side, not the windshield.

As a thought to make it easy, between each test of windshield seal, cowl area,
and/or any other areas you want to test, I use food coloring to color the water.
That way when I find water I know from what area it leaked.

If I remember correctly, the fenders have a support rib that has a drain at the bottom. When this gets pluged, it'll fill up with water and debris then the water will ultimatly find its way in thru the access panel behind the kick panel. A/C or not, there should be a cover plate where the A/C ducting would normaly go. Check inside for debris and dried seals. Water will work its way in there because it cannot drain properly. Also it'll save you a fender replacement due to rust.
There should be a "water damn" made of foam rubber under the hood near the windshield area.


[This message has been edited by Cardiac (edited 08-22-99).]

At this point I have found my windshield seal leak. I am planning on getting a new windshield with seal in the very near future.

Next I want to remove my cowl vent and reseal the area with seam sealer etc. Only problem is, how do I get the windshield wipers off of this 67?

Thanks for all your help.

Carl how did you fix your leak at the kick panel were the a/c vent goes thought? I cant find the seal anywere. Did you make the seal?

I have a '66 and the wipers are removed by a tab where the shaft meets the arm, just above the cowl vent panel. They are directly opposite of where the arm rises up to the wiper. They are usually very stiff and the arms are spring loaded on the shaft. Apply much tape around the hole where they come through the cowl vent panel or you are sure to mess up the paint.