Water ingress to trunk

[Stanglover]

Is that picture taken towards the rear or the front? I don't seem to have that spout. Maybe that's why mine is draining over the interior wheel well.

That was taken looking forward through the trunk opening. All I could do was point the camera and shoot. I could not get my head in far enough to see, but I could feel it, that's how I know it is a channel and part of the cross member under the rear window (package tray).
Your car ought to be the same as mine, 71 M code Mach1.
Would you like me to try to take more pics for a different angle?

 

[tony-muscle]

That was taken looking forward through the trunk opening. All I could do was point the camera and shoot. I could not get my head in far enough to see, but I could feel it, that's how I know it is a channel and part of the cross member under the rear window (package tray).
Your car ought to be the same as mine, 71 M code Mach1.
Would you like me to try to take more pics for a different angle?

I will check tonight by taking a similar picture. I just don't remember seeing this "spout" last night when I was in there.
I think we have two "spouts" back there, so please correct me if I am wrong. I am taking @Hemikiller's picture to indicate them.

So I think the drain to the inner wheel well takes care of the water draining between the top trim and body. The drain towards the rear of the trunk seems to take care of the water that seeps between the seal and window. This drain towards the end of the trunk falls short of the drop off in my car. Maybe that's by design or someone cut it on mine. Can you take a picture of this drain in the rear?

 

[Stanglover]

I will check tonight by taking a similar picture. I just don't remember seeing this "spout" last night when I was in there.
I think we have two "spouts" back there, so please correct me if I am wrong. I am taking @Hemikiller's picture to indicate them.
View attachment 75339
So I think the drain to the inner wheel well takes care of the water draining between the top trim and body. The drain towards the rear of the trunk seems to take care of the water that seeps between the seal and window. This drain towards the end of the trunk falls short of the drop off in my car. Maybe that's by design or someone cut it on mine. Can you take a picture of this drain in the rear?

Hi Tony, yes, it is the one marked "drain to inner wheel well". I'm not sure about the other marked "drain towards the rear of trunk". I should check that myself too.

 

[tpj71mach]

Ok, here is my report after spending a good time in the trunk.

• The water that seeps between the rear window trim and body ends up draining on top of the inner wheel well, which part of it drips down to the trunk and some stay in the area behind the rear seats - probably if too much water drips, some will end up on the rear seat floors.
• The water that seeps between rear window seal and the window drains down on the rear trunk floor near the drop offs, for some reason it drains short of the drop off so some of this water can stay on the trunk floor. This seems to be mainly due to cracking and separation of the seal from the window.
• The water that seeps between the rear window seal and the trim ends up draining outside of the trunk lid seal.

In any case, my problem is that the seal is cracked and there is a unsealed gap between the rear window trim and body. Since I am not planning on removing the rear window (at least for now), I will proceed to use some thinned down seam sealer and brush it in those areas to minimize leakage to the inside of the car.

That was what caused the rusted trunk floor on my car. The rear window seal was cracked and water was leaking in and sitting on the trunk floor

 

[Steed73]

Today i drove in rain. Not by choice but i brought the car for alignment and it took a lot longer than planned so mother nature gifted me with a storm.
In any case, i got home and saw water accumulated in the drop offs. The is not the first time it happened but pretty much when i drive through rain. I saw no wetting along the wheel wells, or from the brake lights or from anywhere. I am suspicious that those silly rubber drains are letting water in. These are no more than 5 years old and they look good but obviously not sealing water in and not letting water out. I am thinking of completely "siliconing" them. Is there any reason for not doing this? Why are they there to start with?

I had a similar problem and fixed it by removing the rear window and re-installing the rubber, but this time I used sealant with it (according to the factory manual). It hasn't leaked since.

 

[tony-muscle]

Ah, now I see the light............. or rather the spout.
And yes, I see what you mean Tony, this will drain into the fender drop off, BUT the rubber drain valve is supposed to take care of any water, according to Mr. Ford!! Not one of their brighter ideas for sure.
I posted 2 pics, not sure which one is better. Feeling this "spout" it is without doubt a channel. You can't see that in the pic.

This is very strange. Look at my pictures. I don't have that spout sticking out towards the outer wheel well. I don't even have the tray from which the spout comes in @Stanglover's car. In my picture you can only see the plastic from the inner well panel. Both of our cars are Mach 1. Does your have a fold down seat? I don't think that should make a difference though.

 

[Stanglover]

This is very strange. Look at my pictures. I don't have that spout sticking out towards the outer wheel well. I don't even have the tray from which the spout comes in @Stanglover's car. In my picture you can only see the plastic from the inner well panel. Both of our cars are Mach 1. Does your have a fold down seat? I don't think that should make a difference though.

View attachment 75385

This is WEIRD!!!
No I don't have a fold down rear seat. The only other option might be when your car was built compared to mine. But why that change would be made doesn't make sense either.
My car was built Feb 22 1971, and is totally original steel, no replacement quarters.
I'll go and take another look to be sure of my findings. I'll see if I can get better shots using my cell phone as I can get that closer than with my camera. Stay tuned Tony.

 

[Stanglover]

Tony, here are pics of the left side. (easier for me to get at!!)
What I clearly see is the part with the drain channel, is a long piece spot welded to the center section of the package tray framework. It is not just a small part added to the tray which, I was thinking, might have been missed when your car's tray was pre-assembled. I.e. lazy operator not giving a damn. Hope that make sense.
I see no reason why your car should be any different.
The shot with the mirror shows that this spout is indeed a channel.

 

[tony-muscle]

This is WEIRD!!!
No I don't have a fold down rear seat. The only other option might be when your car was built compared to mine. But why that change would be made doesn't make sense either.
My car was built Feb 22 1971, and is totally original steel, no replacement quarters.
I'll go and take another look to be sure of my findings. I'll see if I can get better shots using my cell phone as I can get that closer than with my camera. Stay tuned Tony.

Tony, here are pics of the left side. (easier for me to get at!!)
What I clearly see is the part with the drain channel, is a long piece spot welded to the center section of the package tray framework. It is not just a small part added to the tray which, I was thinking, might have been missed when your car's tray was pre-assembled. I.e. lazy operator not giving a damn. Hope that make sense.
I see no reason why your car should be any different.
The shot with the mirror shows that this spout is indeed a channel.

Can you please take a picture of that area from inside the car? I think the difference is that the fold down option does not have the package tray so there is nothing there behind the rear seat. This is a picture with the rear seats down. Just ignore my custom rear seat belt and it will be stock.

 

[Stanglover]

Can you please take a picture of that area from inside the car? I think the difference is that the fold down option does not have the package tray so there is nothing there behind the rear seat. This is a picture with the rear seats down. Just ignore my custom rear seat belt and it will be stock.

View attachment 75391

Ah ha! That might well explain it. I don't have a fold down rear seat. There is no package tray base on your car.
Taking a pic from the inside won't show you anything that the underside doesn't. These pics from when it was stripped for painting don't show much either.

 

[tony-muscle]

Ah ha! That might well explain it. I don't have a fold down rear seat. There is no package tray base on your car.
Taking a pic from the inside won't show you anything that the underside doesn't. These pics from when it was stripped for painting don't show much either.

Thanks. That at least gives me an idea of what the structure behind the seat, that I don't have, looks like and it solves the mystery. In conclusion, the drain spout to the wheel wells doesn't exist in cars with the fold down seat option and the water drains on the inside of the wheel well, which eventually finds its way onto the area behind the seats, trunk and possibly under the rear seat. What a dummy design!! The solution is to replace the rear window seal, but in the mean time I will seal that area with seam sealer.

 

[Stanglover]

Thanks. That at least gives me an idea of what the structure behind the seat, that I don't have, looks like and it solves the mystery. In conclusion, the drain spout to the wheel wells doesn't exist in cars with the fold down seat option and the water drains on the inside of the wheel well, which eventually finds its way onto the area behind the seats, trunk and possibly under the rear seat. What a dummy design!! The solution is to replace the rear window seal, but in the mean time I will seal that area with seam sealer.

If that is the case, then absolutely a bad design, what were they thinking..... oh wait, they weren't. But then I suppose, water shouldn't get in there anyway as long as the window rubbers are good. I could see the Vert version being more of a possible problem, but not a coup or fastback.
I'm wondering if there would be a way to construct some sort of channel to replicate the drain system on non fold downs? How much work would it be and is it worth the effort. A person doing a complete reno or adding a fold down would have better opportunity and something those doing a reno might want to consider.
Anyway Tony, it's been a pleasure going through this with you and I definitely learned something today.
As I've said many times, it's not IF we get caught in the rain, but when!
Good luck with the reseal of the back window.

 

[tony-muscle]

If that is the case, then absolutely a bad design, what were they thinking..... oh wait, they weren't. But then I suppose, water shouldn't get in there anyway as long as the window rubbers are good. I could see the Vert version being more of a possible problem, but not a coup or fastback.
I'm wondering if there would be a way to construct some sort of channel to replicate the drain system on non fold downs? How much work would it be and is it worth the effort. A person doing a complete reno or adding a fold down would have better opportunity and something those doing a reno might want to consider.
Anyway Tony, it's been a pleasure going through this with you and I definitely learned something today.
As I've said many times, it's not IF we get caught in the rain, but when!
Good luck with the reseal of the back window.

It is interesting that they added drain channels in some models to only work IF the seal fails. I wonder if the seals were designed or were expected to leak in some instances because otherwise it doesn't make sense to go to the effort/expense of designing and adding these drains. Similar to the quarter window seals. Although, they are "seals" they still will let water through and there is a drain in the quarter panel to deal with this water.
Thank you for your help!

 

[Stanglover]

It is interesting that they added drain channels in some models to only work IF the seal fails. I wonder if the seals were designed or were expected to leak in some instances because otherwise it doesn't make sense to go to the effort/expense of designing and adding these drains. Similar to the quarter window seals. Although, they are "seals" they still will let water through and there is a drain in the quarter panel to deal with this water.
Thank you for your help!

You're most welcome tony.
When I stripped the car, I found that at some point, both quarter windows had been broken. When they were replaced, the person didn't bother to clean out all the glass. The windows that were put in, weren't adjusted properly, leaving a gap between the glass and seal. When my painter and I put the car back together, we made sure the quarters were tight against the seal, then we doubled down and use black body sealer along the out edge and around the trim pieces. This can't really be seen unless you look close, It was amazing there was no rust other than some light surface rust on the floor below the quarters. Prevention is better that cure.