Fellow x1/9 people!

please can someone tell me if there are any drain holes for the underside of the doors. I cannot see any which surely cannot be right, unless they are hidden by the lip-seal trim.

If there are none, I suppose people are making their own drains?

Pictures of hole location would be appreciated.

(and no jokes about looking into whether there are holes!)

Many thanks

RDS

anyone help with this please?

I have door sat in my car, had a look at the weekend and there are no obvious drain holes. However, there is a seal strip running along the outer edge, which I didn't have time to remove - there maybe something behind that. I'll try and remember to remove next time I'm in there.

Thanks Steve

that's what i wondered re the strip; but even if there are holes behind it, the flow of water will be slow and easily blocked - perhaps this contributes to the notoriety of Fiats to rust!

I can't get to ,mine for a week or so and now it's started raining, i am beginning to worry.

Anyone let holes into the door bottom?

Cheers

RDS

Remembered to look at this earlier. Removed the seal - rivet each end and 5-6 christmas tree fasteners along the length. Removal of the strip reveals that there are 3 oblong drain holes - see photos.

If yours have none, then it could be an earlier model (mine is '89 GF, and this door is also from a GF) and were not there when it left the factory, or the door bottom/skin has been replaced and the holes were either not in the repair section and/or not added by the repairer.

Hello Steve

many thanks again; i have been in Italy looking for x1/9s and saw exactly none.

The pictures are a great help. I can locate one drain on the drivers side, having taken the Christmas tree clips out. The passenger side has been pop riveted in place throughout so they will have to come out. Now drilled out and see that there are no drains on the passenger side as you forewarned.

I am contemplating drilling out some more drain holes on the door underside and hidden by the trim; any thoughts on the wisdom or efficacy of this? My worry is that i just let the water sit above the trim and it still does not escape...

Thanks again

RDS

Taken the decision to let some drains in; fairly thick base to the door though! took ages. Deliberating whether to enlarge into slits, eg via multi tool....very little room to work without damaging something else.

After drilling through from the underside, it's worth working the edges so that water doesn't get trapped around the lipped perimeter...
You are in Italy just now, looking for X19's?!

good point, thanks! I started with a small bit size and worked up without bursting through and have treated with paint though. will have another poke and perhaps relieve the rubber strip also so that water flows through.

I WAS in Italy, idly waiting for one to cross my path but no chance; their version of classic car mag's price guide had them at a healthy figure so must be rare there too....

I will be putting waxoyle/dinatrol inside the bottom of the doors and also I'll paint some on the outer side behind the trim strip so if any water drains out the holes and sits behind the strip, it won't rot the door.
I wouldn't expect too much water to be getting inside the door, unless there is an issue with seals around the window.

good idea Steve; i ought to do the same but the door clips are a real faff to get off and on without breakage.

The seal is generally good but there is a bit of a gap at the rear of each window glass where water will undoubtedly enter.

cheers

RDS

On the later cars they came with drain slots in the doors, not sure on the earlier models. Underneath the door card at the back of the door there’s is a dimple and another dimple toward the front of the door. The drain slot towards the rear of the door is directly adjacent to the dimple, it’s hard up against the door skin and behind the bottom water seal and runner.

The front slot is a few inches back from the front dimple. Both doors on my UK ‘88 SE where blocked. I have checked a 1978 car and the dimples are there but no slots so the doors may have been repaired or they where not there from new.

hello Neg

yes i know what you mean about the slots: mine has one side of each!

it is things like that and the seams in the various pockets that retain the moisture and rot out.

I'm hoping the three new holes will help for now.

Cheers

RDS