Folks,

A new buy in August from Boise, ID. The car came from Littleton, CO. There was rust around the windshield yet I took a chance as I've performed this same repair over a dozen times on 240s.

Removed windshield to treat rust. We see several holes. This part of the seam comprising the windshield gasket is formed from the cowl beneath the windshield and the firewall sheet metal. The cowl side has rusted through and the largest orange circle shows the cowl metal has been ground away revealing the backside of the firewall sheet metal. The compartment is blind and to save it, I have to seal up the inside of it (under the seam inside the air / box compartment that you see when you look down into the vents.

I've done this repair on 240s a dozen times before. The sheet metal seems thinner on this year. All caused by some jerkwater auto glass degenerate using box cutters to cut the gasket and also cut through the paint and galvanization. They used a urethane gasket material. Urethane, as I've seen, is porous, absorbs water, and adheres very strongly to the paint. Removing the gasket with a heat gun successfully remove the paint to which it was adhered.

I have a 1991 240 and a 1990 240 - original butyl gaskets and windshield with no issues.

How the heck to I treat the backside and get into the blind compartment beneath the vents that are at the bottom end of the windshield/behind the hood? I have not yet called the NAPA Auto Paint Store in Spokane Valley, WA to see if they have some tool where I can spray POR-15 products (metal ready, POR-15, primer, paint).

Suggestion, please. I'm over my head. I can't afford Maaco or any of the dirty rip-off auto body shops in Spookytown, WA.

Thanks,

Bruce.
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"Long LIVE the Volvo 240!"