Hi! A newbie member from Finland here. I have a -65 Valiant (have had it for 25 years now, my parents bought it new). The car being a daily driver and the Finnish winters not being kind to cars I've had to get some rust problems fixed over the years.

Now some rust repair has been made in the trunk. The repair shop did not know what this rusted thing was that was sticking up maybe an inch and a half halfway between rear inner fender and tail light (right side of the trunk).

My guess is it's a ventilation thinggy (air out), but I'm not sure. I haven't found it one a single picture when googling, nor have I managed to find it in the Chrysler parts book.

They replaced the hole temporarily with the lid of a pain can. I've been thinking of trying to find a suitable piece of plastic tubing to put in there (flat with the trunk floor, not raised as the original was). Don't like plastic that much but it might be easier (cheaper) than have them build a new one (also plastic does not rust).

I have a picture of it, but don't know how to get it here.

Ay ideas? Is it for ventilation? Any help appreciated

Maurice[/img]

G'day Maurice, sorry to hear about your problem mate. Unfortunately I am unable to chime in as I'm not into '65s - although at a guess I'd say it's a drain plug???? But I really don't know.

If you don't get a reply soon just send a Pm to one of the big boys like SSD and they will help.
Just watch your post to see who offers advice.

Sounds like your car is certainly special after all these years in the one family. Good luck with your question.
Regards
Gary

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Gary from Downunder
2 weeks ago I couldn't even spell mukanic - now I are one!

Thanks for the input Gary.

It seems a regular household ventilation shaft collar (if that's the right word) is almost exactly the same size, so I'll be using that (plus a few inches of tube to keep water out thrown by rear tire)

Trying to attach a picture here, don't know if it works... Here we go:



Another picture (if it works) from the good old days (Italy -72, I believe)

Partial success... This is hopefully the trunk picture (I just put the thing back to about where it used to be)

Thats not a regular 65 Vaiant trunk item

I think the paint can lid delete option is the best.

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Trunks aren't ventilated... They share airspace with the cabin. A hole or tube in the trunk means water (and exhaust fumes) might come in.

Seal it up tight.

- Mac

I´ve seen several different type trunk ventilation in finnish Valiants. Drilled holes and rubber flaps for example. None are from factory.

Btw, where are you from, I see Oulu area license plate

How did you get the boat on & off the roof? Enquiring minds want to know!

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1964 Dart GT

Thanks for the input everybody. Maybe it is something the importing company has installed back then. Like the black knob controlling an electric windshield washer installed in the place the lighter should be (to avoid import taxes it is rumoured).

How is the air supposed to exit? It enters in the front cabin (heater, summer doors), exits from the cabin to the trunk through the holes in the package tray (and various other holes of course). But how is it supposed to exit from the trunk? Many other makes have ventilation holes (usually covered with a piece of plastic molding) somewhere in the rear (sides, below bumper etc).

I'm having extensive rust repair work done and getting new weatherstrips/seals etc. I know it will not be air tight, not the way new cars are, but closing the trunk lid or a door creates quite a pressure and I don't want to have to roll down the window every time just so I can close the door without exessive force.


Answers to questions:
1) I'm from Haapajarvi, not far if you are from Oulainen. The car was bought in Iisalmi back in -65.

2) The boat: It weighed almost 300kgs (600lbs) with the engine. I believe it was hoisted on and off using good old manpower. I remember my father telling me he had once asked a road crew to lift it off in Greece. Being a friendly people they did, but they had been very disappointed when my mother had offered them coffee afterwards (they had apparently expected something stronger).

Believe it or not, but we crossed the Alps several times (the roads were a bit steeper there in the 60's and 70's than they are today) with the boat and the caravan. Who ever said the 9-inch drum brakes were no good? The only place my father didn't dare take boat was the Soviet Union (the roads were so bad). There we just had a canoe on the roof.

Great stories! Cool Car (boat & caravan!), Welcome to the Forum! -Dan

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1964 Dart GT

The problem with ventilation in the trunk would be that it would have to be one way airflow only.

When you roll down a window (especially partially down) at highway speed, the air traveling past your window creates a negative pressure in the cabin. The cabin wants to pull air from wherever it can get it.

If you have a hole in the trunk (or the trunk is open a bit), air will be pulled through the trunk, into the cabin. Because the exhaust exits in the rear of the car, the air pulled in is often mixed with carbon monoxide fumes.

- Mac

I appreciate your concern Mac and I can't say I'm an expert on air flow or -pressure. However, the hole has been there for almost 50 years without causing any problems. Carbon monoxide is dangerous and odourless I believe, but the other smelly exhaust fumes would also have to enter and I have never noticed anything, nor has anyone ever complained inside the car. Perhaps it is because the hole is on the right side and the exhaust on the left? Driving with an open window is not of course very frequent in this climate either.

I took a closer look at the package tray and have another question: The three small crome ventilation things, are they something installed by the importer or are they standard factory stuff? I always took it for granted they were factory as they've always been there, but now, looking at the sloppy holes made in the cardboard, I'm beginning to wonder.

That rusty item in your first picture looks like the "hats" in the fresh air plenum to keep water from running down the fresh air boxes below the dash. I have no idea what its purpose would be in the trunk. The vents in the package tray seem to indicate that some air exchange was intended from the trunk to the cabin. I wonder if there's a government rule about cabin ventilation (or if there was one in'65).

Unfortunately all I have to offer to this thread is more questions. As was said before, inquiring minds want to know....

ATB

BC

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'64 Dart GT convertible, 64 Dart 170 2-door post sedan in faded blue and rust (the Az Dart) & a sixty THREE Dart 170 2-door post sedan in faded blue and rust. (future project)
Early Dart Disorder (EDD) is real, and I've got it!

My quess is that the modification was done to keep the rear window clear during the winter time. If you have open tube to under the car it will create a low pressure near the end of the tube (while driving) and that low pressure will draw air from the trunk and cabin as there are holes to
both departmens and helps to keep the windows clear.

Thanks again everybody.

I talked to my repair guy today and he said he remembered that they punched extra holes (both cabin to trunk and cabin to outside) in quite many cars in Finland in the 70's (mine must have been earlier though) so the windows wouldn't fog up (and freeze) from the inside in winter time.

I think I'll keep this "original Finnish" ventilation idea. Foggy and/or frozen rear window tends to cause mishaps -especially on parking lots. It's not "original factory", but it's a kind of "original car" anyway. I'll just make the system a little more practical by making the hole in the trunk flush with the trunk floor instead of the impractical thing that stuck up 1,5 inches (and which is totally rusted by now). There's going to be a "grill" to keep stuff from falling in the hole and a 6-8-inch long tube downwards to keep any spray from entering the trunk through the hole. I found all the pieces in the local plumbing/ventilation shop.

It's interesting to see all the modifications they have made for various reasons (climate, local laws, tax evasion etc). When one has seen them there on one's own since -well, forever- one naturally assumes they have been there on all Valiants... And that seems to be very much incorrect.