Morgen,

3 Ohio winters have made my originally kali 245 look less than new in certain spots....

My question concerns those cavities behind rear wheels and mud flaps, left side is where I keep orig. factory "special" undersized spare, right is "false" spare tire well, fuel filler neck runs through and is intended for a specially shaped Volvo factory spare fuel can I understand. I actually keep antifreeze, oil, rags, and a tire pump on that side.

Rust has eaten similarly sized, 1" or so, holes in body immediately fore of the tire wells themselves. Can peel off bits of the (fiberglass?) reinforecement and see through to the road.

Have plugged these holes with plastic /high grade duct tape as temp. measure to keep things somewhat in check through the winter, things are staying dry so far.

But I do want to avoid any more rust back there as well as serious body work that might entail replacing the wheel wells themselves. Any Volvo this old around here has gaping holes back there, all the way through to side sheet metal.

Is a largeish drain hole in left well below spare tire. Should I leave it as is or cover it up once I fix hole fore of the well?

How 'bout on right side? Overflow tube from fuel filler runs through what's left of a grommet, is really more of a drain hole now like on left side.

What have you rust belt dwellers done about things back there?

Thanks for your time--Frank
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83 245, 81 244