78 FJ40 - Front/Passenger Door Drain Holes (Don't See Any!)

[OleMul]

Hay guys...greetings from NoVA

Just purchased my new '78 two weeks ago. Was washing the car today and don't ask me why, but I checked for drain holes at the bottom of the passenger and driver door....couldn't find any! Can anyone tell me where the drain holes are (pic would be appreciated) and how many there are?

 

[NE78FJ40]

Far as I know there are no drain holes in the doors. I had my lower doors redone a couple of years ago and he took 3 spots where the doors are welded on the bottom and bent them out and left them as drains.

 

[Fast Eddy]

They drain between the outer and inner panels, at least originally. If they didn't you'd have a 10 gallon fish tank down there.

 

[OleMul]

Eddy...thanks for quick reply. From your picture, looks like three holes around the weld, each an inch or two long...correct?

 

[Fast Eddy]

They're not 'holes'. The inner skin has a channel in it. The outer skin is flat.

 

[OleMul]

I guess I'm a little slowwww...least my wife thinks so. But bottom line, these channels are where the water drains out from the bottom of the door...appears to be just avove the weld, correct? Issue is that I don't have channels, holes or any place where water can drain from the bottom of my doors. Plan on popping off the door panel tomorrow, to see if I have a fish tank inside my door.

 

[want2wheel]

Take some pictures of the bottom of your door and see if they are the same as the one posted above.

 

[OleMul]

Different...not a solid metal inner panel. Snap shot of door panel and lower edge

 

[sggoat]

I think your weatherstrip may be covering them up--pull it back a little to check--if so, use an exacto knife to trim a little away on the back side to let it drain(if it isn't plugged w/rust/trash. The last door pic looks like there may be a little corrosion starting out near the rear section of the bottom--prob where the drain is located

 

[sggoat]

Curious to see what you found on your door drains--was the weatherstrip covering them, or will you have to drill some holes?

 

[SSCR]

Nice looking 40! I have my 77 doors that are clean with no weatherstripping if you need photos of what they look like, pm me.


...via IH8MUD app

 

[Ken White]

My 84 BJ has them behind the weather strip on the door.

 

[OleMul]

Removed stripping...no holes, channels or any place for water to drain. Best I can tell is the bubba that did the "discount frame-off" (two owners and 5 years ago) replaced the lower panels, among other things and didn't add channels. Issue is truck has been garaged stored for the last four years by previous owner and only driven on nice days...go figure. That said, I can see bubbles starting to form on the passenger side and to a lesser extend, on the driver's side. Be purchasing new lower inner/outer panels from CCOT, cutting out current lower panels and then doing some welding. Wasn't part of my master plan, but so it goes.

 

[sggoat]

Seems like you could just drill some weep holes in the door bottom to let the water(if any) out. Would save a lot of $ for new metal??
As for the rust starting--clean w/Ospho, then coat with Daubert Nox-Rust--this should last a few years before you have to address it again.

 

[OleMul]

Ya, but issue is I already have rust forming...hence the bubbling paint...so new lower door panels it is