Rear Qtr Drain Plugs

[Machspeed 219]

Hey friends, been some time since I've been here. Life and such caused me to shelve the car for awhile but I'm back now and working on it. I'm doing some work on the lower rear qtrs of my car and seek information on how the drain plugs go in. I know where they go, just not sure how they fit up. As many pictures as I took in the disassembly, I seemed to have missed this. Looking at pictures of the plugs that I've found seem to show just one side.  

BTW, this is a real pain in the arse repair. It's one thing to do the outer skin patch but trying to fit up the inner fender patch with all its compound angles is a real challenge. I'm almost there though.  

Thanks

 

[aslanefe 333]

@Machspeed I am working on the same area on my latest 70 Grande nowadays. The metal tabs of the plug go in the square hole and the plug covers the big round hole below the square hole. Depending on how the car was assembled, some times the big round hole is covered by the bottom of the fender leaving little to no hole exposed for the water to drain. 70 grande I am working on is like that, almost all of the big hole is covered by the edge of the fender. Looking at your picture, about half of the big hole should be covered when you weld the bottom of the fender. Also looking at your picture, looks like you used the "patch panel" which is does not have sharp corners and missing some details especially on the corner you are working on. Hope I answered your question.

[Machspeed 219]

Thanks for the response, very helpful! It's been a while since I removed the plug but it seems like it was very secure in the panel, as if it was secured in both the square and the round hole. I can't seem to find a picture of the back side of an OEM plug to confirm its fit. Would you have a picture of the back side of the correct plug?

Thanks too for the input on where the bottom of the "patch panel" floor should go, that was important to me as well. Yeah, that "patch panel" is a piece of garbage and I have modified it a bit to shape it more like it is supposed to be. Still not fully content with it and will be working on it more. Is there a better option available today? I bought this several years back. 

Thanks again! 

    

[Brian Conway 264]

On my car.  Brian

[SWPruett 83]

There is a thin membrane of rubber that is supposed to cover the large round hole to effect a "valve" to prevent debris, water and critters from going back up the drain into the fender cavity.  The image of the new drains above is missing that membrane.  Looks like it may have been cut out actually.  Just an FYI.

 

[Brian Conway 264]

SWPruett is correct I did cut the membrane out of the new drains pictured.  However, the OE drains are untouched by me.  The OE drains, in my car, seem to function as designed so I have not replaced them as yet.  Brian

[aslanefe 333]

As far as I remember, there are metal tabs on the plug on both sides. You push the tabs on the flat side of the plug in the square hole and squeeze the tabs on the outside (side with the bulge on the plug). When you squeeze the tabs on the outside, the tabs on the inside expand outwards and grab on to the square hole. As SW mentioned, there should be membrane and it is missing on the photos posted by Brian. The repo plugs I tried, the tabs broke when I tried to install them. So I do not waste the $ on them any more and use thick self adhering  alunimum sides AC tape and cover the square and big round hole with a rectangular plastic attached on back of the tape so the tape won't stick to the area at the bottom of the big hole and there is a drain path from the big hole.

For patch panel, I buy a quarter panel skin (the cheapest one) and cut the section I need. Costs a little more than the patch panel but saves a lot of time and aggrevation as they fit a lot better and have sharper edges and more detail in that area. The rest of the skin is used on other areas as they have different bends, curves etc and sections of it fit other parts of the car like door lower edges etc.

[Brian Conway 264]

Comments about the drain and membrane are accurate.  Probably why I have left my originals in place.  That said my originals, for whatever reason, don't have the membrane .  I actually was trying to show an original sheet metal panel.  Brian

[aslanefe 333]

3 hours ago, Brian Conway said:

Comments about the drain and membrane are accurate.  Probably why I have left my originals in place.  That said my originals, for whatever reason, don't have the membrane .  I actually was trying to show an original sheet metal panel.  Brian

 

Brian, I think I can see the left over pieces of the membrane at the bottom corners on the picture in your first post. The membrane is thin, disintegrates and falls off in time. As you can see on your pictures, the rubber on other areas are disintrating and falling off exposing the metal frame they were molded on.

[jmlay 80]

The drop offs in my car were replaced and the holes were not transferred to the new panel. If I may ask, what are the dimentions of the square hole and the larger round drain hole?

[Machspeed 219]

Gentlemen, thank you for the input here!

jmlay, I will get you dimensions either tonight or tomorrow. 

 

[Machspeed 219]

On 12/26/2021 at 6:25 PM, jmlay said:

The drop offs in my car were replaced and the holes were not transferred to the new panel. If I may ask, what are the dimentions of the square hole and the larger round drain hole?

Hopefully this helps you. Measurements were taken with a set of vernier calipers. The square is .335"; circular hole is .870"; distance between them, edged to edge is .355".  

 

[jmlay 80]

Thank you for the info and allowing me to hijack your thread.

[stangs-R-me 120]

I've had my car since 1981 and the drop-off metal is all original and complete, but these valves appear to have never been installed on my Metuchen built car.

Until today seeing Briain's original valve in place, I had no idea how or where these things mounted !!

Looking at the NPD catalog, they show 3 options for '69:

67-70 "Good Repo"

68-70 Dearborn built "Exact & CC"

68-69 San Jose built "Exact & CC"

Is it possible that these were not installed on Metuchen built cars ??

Figured pics would be good to show OE metal without the valves in place.

Doug

 

 

 

[Machspeed 219]

9 minutes ago, stangs-R-me said:

 

My car is Metuchen built and it had the drain plugs. When I pulled mine, they were obstructed with trash and dirt such that water could not drain, thus causing some of the rust issues I had in this area. I suspect your car had them or someone removed them, but it may be a blessing in regards to the integrity of the panel.  

[stangs-R-me 120]

Just went to the NPD site and there is says the Exact and Concours Correct Dearborn versions (011202-1C) are for Metuchen built cars too.

My driver's side with the factory sealer oozing out really looks as if a valve was never there though.

So now that I know where they go and how they install, I probably should order a set !!

Doug

[aslanefe 333]

6 hours ago, stangs-R-me said:

Just went to the NPD site and there is says the Exact and Concours Correct Dearborn versions (011202-1C) are for Metuchen built cars too.

My driver's side with the factory sealer oozing out really looks as if a valve was never there though.

So now that I know where they go and how they install, I probably should order a set !!

Doug

It is possible that they might have missed to put them on your car. I have seen missing and extra parts on non molested cars. Found couple window cranks and the rubber piece that goes on door pull area of deluxe panels, screws, nuts, bolts etc under the carpet of my 69 Grande.