Airbox drain hole access?

[Editor]

I was looking closer at the remains of the fresh-air deflector plate on the Type 3 (the plate under the air vents). It does have a separate part number, both in the Type 3 and Type 4, and in the Type 3 seems to have a gasket on the top to seal on the underside of the scuttle It's the tray that has the drain and opening to the air box in it, and is spot welded onto the bulge on the bulkhead ('70 on). At the moment I can't check whether it's just the spot welds that hold it, and it looks as if the under dash stuff will have to come out, and probably the seats to get access. I need to know if the air-box undoes from that plate. I can't really repair the plate with welding if the airbox is still attached, or the seals and box itself are likely to be affected. I suspect that removal and repair off the car is the only solution. Maybe someone has a scrap front end that will give me the clue.

I think someone on here did remove the tray (air deflection plate) a while ago. It sounded a lot of work, but I don't see much alternative in thiis situation.

[cbst3]

I have been repairing this area on my Fastback recently so I decided to add a few pictures of my solution.
After cutting the top of the outside off to get access to repair the rust I decided to make an access flap so it is easy to keep the drain hole unbloked and also to reapair if it does rust in the future.




Its not finished yet but you get the idea. I will put a rubber seal along the front edge to prevent water leaking into bonnet area. Once painted it should look cool.
Hope you like.
Paul

Any update on this mod?
How did you create the "lid", how does it look finished and how effective is it?

After sorting out the drain hose and patching up the tray some time ago, I am going to have to do this as the front of the airbox under the bonnet has rusted through in a few places. Is a bit gutting as the rest of the car is pretty much mint and original, having been copiously waxoyled during its life.

Colin

[Editor]

I bashed metal to shape for the lid part - it took a while to get it to fit nicely, but doing it in two with a join made it easier to fit to the sound part. Something isn't fully sealed, and it let a few drips in on the left, so I've made some vent covers using magnetic tape on flexible plastic for the time being. I think there are some pinholes on the tray I didn't spot. I've left it for warmer drier days - trouble is it sits on the drive with the left end down so doesn't drain out the hole.

[cbst3]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for that response, did you repair the deflector plate from above then, or did you manage to remove it. Mine had rusted through like this:



so I liberally covered it with kurust and stuck a patch on the underneath to stop the leak - that, and clearing the drain hose at least stopped the water coming in the car. However, you can see from the picture that the front of the airbox was starting to rust from the inside, and with the difficult access, I must have missed some bits with the kurust. Should also have covered it with some other paint too I suppose. Anyway, it appears that some water gets into the car now during heavy rain and while fixing the washers for the MoT that's due soon, I noticed that the rust had broken through the airbox.

So, what I think I'll do is chop the top of the airbox off carefully, and make a lid from it as I hope it can be repaired enough to do so. I'll use some strip to cover the gap and provide a means of locating, fixing and sealing it. It's a pain as my inner wings, spare wheel well and everything else under the bonnet are mint, but hopefully I can make it look like it's supposed to be there. Once I have access, I can then properly repair the deflector plate, and the removable top would enable regular unblocking and maintenance of it.

Now I just have to find the time and the money/tools to do it!

Colin

[Editor]

In the UK we mostly got bare sides in the front luggage compartment, but the higher trim 'L' models got lining, including an airbox piece. That's another approach to it.

Yours is in a far better state than mine was!