water coming in from RH kick panel

[sagsmi]

The 73' I recently picked up has a very wet right front carpet. (We've been having driving rain lately.) After a little inspection, one can see water coming in over the kick panel metal. Does this almost guarantee that it's the front windshield seal leaking? Also, I might have noticed that the bottom front of the door has some moisture and was wondering if that could be a potential entry way as well. I know that early vw's will drain through the interior of the door. With my luck, both areas are at fault. This car had previously been stored inside for a few years, and not driven.

[K-Swiss]

Mines leaking the same and I tracked down the leak to a leaky heaterbox to firebox seal. Gonna pull it this weekend and strip caulk it in my daily

Kirin

1975 Fecalbraun m20 project

1962 Beetle hardtop(Lowrider)

[Beaner7102]

I'd say windscreen, every time it rained I would have like 1" water in the passenger foot well. I had my heater box out a few months ago (to fix fan), I used black Butal Mastic as a firewall seal, and put some around the whole windrcreen - fixed the problem, no more leaks. I also had the problem of the rocker drains were blocked with crud and I could hear water sloshing as I drove, a small screwdriver cleaned them out - check that too. Beaner7102

[wohleb]

How does the sealant look around the windshield? Is it just at the seam between the body and the seal?

[Mike Self]

1. Look inside the right front wheel well at the spot where the cowl side, the toeboard and the firewall meet--if there's a rust hole there, water will penetrate into the pax side footwell. Sometimes it's easier to locate the spot from the inside, by pulling up the carpet in the pax footwell and from the bottom edge of the cowl side. Poke around with a thin screwdriver or ice pick. Rust here can turn structural, as it will allow water to migrate into the entire frame rail, rusting it from the inside out--you won't notice 'till there are holes and they'll be under the carpet (ask me how I know!)

2. Make sure the pax door's "acella cloth" (the plastic sheet glued to the door under the inside upholstery panel) is firmly fastened to the door. You'd be amazed at how much water can run down inside a door in a rainstorm. A loose or missing acella cloth will also allow your upholstery panel cardboard to get wet--and you'll be a customer for Al Canuk's new plywood ones.

3. Make sure the door gasket is sealing properly along the leading edge of the door, top to bottom. A gap there will allow water to run down inside the door frame and drip onto the carpet.

And of course check the previously mentioned heater box (make sure drains are clear) and windshield gasket (don't forget to check the top edge of the windshield for leaks too)

happy troubleshooting

mike