Dirt Catcher!

[Ooooner]

I was messing with the right front wheel well area on my GT this afternoon and just happened to notice that there was a pile of packed hardened dirt on the very top of the area where, I guess, the heater box area is located. There is around 3 to 4 inches between the top of the box and the fender itself. I cleaned this pile of dirt out, cleaned it and repainted the area.
Then I got to thinking, which is dangerous. If you were driving your GT in wet weather and this pile of dirt is sitting on this little ledge, then it will just attracted and hold the water, which in turn, over time, will rust that area out.
I just thought I would pass this on to anyone that hasn't thought to look in that area. It seems the wheel throws the dirt up on this "ledge" and over time, it builds up.

[namba209]

Hey Roy, check the other side wheel well too, it has the same shelf. Found that out on Willit? during the vapor blasting.

[jmbinjax]

This is a common area for rust especially if you live in the northern states. You'll see the rust under the hood on the inside of the fenders first. By then it's too late.

[jordan]

I found another area where dirt likes to collect. This area has become very rotten very quick. It was noticed as some bubbles in the paint that bothered me, and I brazed that area when I did my restoration 5 years ago and there was solid metal all in this area. Though I did not do a very good job sealing behind the affected area so I think that accelerated the rust. I finally got around to working on it today and I still don't like welding sheet metal, I am running straight C02 and I think I might use some mix or straight argon next time not that it would be necessary it would just make it easier. The patch was made in 2 pieces that I seam welded together. I will finish welding it in tomorrow as I stopped because it was burning through too much and it was time to walk away.

[yellaopelgt]

When I dropped my motor the first time, I pulled off the engine cross-member and happened to strip out the nut nearest to the wheel well. Well,to make a long story short I had to cut a small patch to fix this,and inside the channel inside the wheel well was the BIGGEST mouse nest I have ever seen! Along with string and grass, there was ALOT of dirt. So I suspect that this is also a favorite hiding spot for varmits as well. How the little buggers got in there, I still cant figure out! Luckily, it was a dry fresh nest so no damage done.

[Killer Texas GT]

The front fenders of the GT like to collect dirt and rocks. And with the cowl catching the rain water like a roof gutter and the down spouts being concealed behind the inner fender extension just beyond where Roy found his dirt stock plie. If you allow leaves, dirt(usually mud when you first get it trapped), rocks and sand then you a building up a sponge in your fender and it starts. But if you keep the drain holes and openings clear then you won't have the problem or worry of rust out. Same for the rear quarters and panel.
This is a GT that was not checked for clear drain openings and the results are are expensive ro repair. It is now in the hands of OPEL WERKS and it is a pain in the As_ to fix. It is a lot of work and a donor car is now needed to make the repairs.. And to be honest about it if it went another year or so, the engine would have fallen out of the car and folded up at the front of the front doors.
I will be putting some pictures together of where to find all of the drain openings on the GT, Kadett, Manta and Ascona so that you can prevent this from happening to your OPEL. Most openings where sealed at the factory by accident cause I have not found this to be a consistent case on the same model Opels.

[kwilford]

Gee Rodney, I thought that rust like that was agin the rules in Texas.

When a GT gets stripped down and blasted to bare metal, rusted spots show up that were NEVER visible when the car was still painted. And how do I know this? MONTHS of MIG welding new panels in...

We could make an entire Forum on where to find rust in an Opel, especially a GT. When I get done all the body sheet metal repaired on my GT (and thanks for the rear wheel arch Rodney, it's installed and looks terrific), I'll put together a thread showing where my particular GT was rusted and what I did to repair it (a LOT of hand-formed sheet metal and a few donor panels). There are some pretty common spots, but also a few that only some GT's seem to experience. The blocked drainage holes that some have and others do not certainly might explain that inconsistency.

The bestest part about the mud collecting along the top of the inner fenders is that when (not if) the passenger side rusts through, then all the mud and such now drops down STRAIGHT into the heater fan, which in no time will fubar that as well

[bear's GT]

Originally Posted by yellaopelgt When I dropped my motor the first time, I pulled off the engine cross-member and happened to strip out the nut nearest to the wheel well. Well,to make a long story short I had to cut a small patch to fix this,and inside the channel inside the wheel well was the BIGGEST mouse nest I have ever seen! Along with string and grass, there was ALOT of dirt. So I suspect that this is also a favorite hiding spot for varmits as well. How the little buggers got in there, I still cant figure out! Luckily, it was a dry fresh nest so no damage done.

I had the same thing on a 69 with a 1.1 that I am parting out. I will put a 1.9 back in after I fix the rust. I cut a hole on the drive side wheel well and had to vac. out installtion, string and all kinds of stuff just to get to the nut that had turned loose.

[namba209]

I had the same area on Willit? rusted out in to the door hinge pillar on the driver's side. There is a seal that supposedly closes off the inner fender well from the outer well in the rear. Also the cowl drains dump in to the engine compartment and are sitting in the lowest part of the cowl plenum. To clean out the inner fender well in front of the door hinge panel, you could pull the kick panel and access it through the foot vent holes. Lotsa places where moisture can hide on a GT.

[jordan]

Here is the patch welded in...haven't changed my mind yet, I still don't like welding sheet metal.

[Ooooner]

Originally Posted by namba209 Hey Roy, check the other side wheel well too, it has the same shelf. Found that out on Willit? during the vapor blasting.

Ron, I ran out to my GT when I read your post to check on the draver's side, too. There was a little dirt there but nothing like what was on the passenger side! Thanks for pointing that out.

[jtb]

When I do sheet metal welding, I like to just gas (oxy-acetylene) weld with a really fine tip, I find it easier than MIG.
The glob on the right in the second pic is lead - don't know if this was factory body filler or from a previous repair.

JMTCW,

jtb