Why so many floor and trunk holes?

[SDCoronet]

Why did ma mopar add so many of these things. Seems like way overkill to me.

Since plan on adding heat and sound deadener, are there any downsides to patching most of them up with sheetmetal?

 

[dadsbee]

So the primer would pour back out after dipping..

 

[tnfastback]

They should have never put plugs in the holes that way all the rainwater could run back out

 

[funknut]

The only time you would need them is if the car is flooded, I guess, so no harm in closing them up.

 

[odcics2]

Don’t forget the trunk holes!

 

[Ron H]

I dyno-matted over mine and can locate them easy enough need be but if I had to I'd be thinking it wouldn't be the worst of my problems with the car...

 

[eldubb440]

Fred Flintstone was a Mopar man!

oh wait.........I thought this was about rot holes

 

[chtampa]

The holes were also used for jigs to form and setup body panels for assembly

 

[WileERobby]

Blame the Swiss. They also did that to cheese.

 

[Charger Dana]

Since plan on adding heat and sound deadener, are there any downsides to patching most of them up with sheetmetal?

Don’t park in a flood plain, should be fine. I used the plugs too and dynomatted over them. No floods! All good! Trunk holes a different issue, you seem to get water in there and it’s nice to drain, but also want to keep dust out.

 

[66Satellite47]

Jig setup holes to properly locate panels prior to spot welding, producing consistency.

 

[68Moparmaniac]

Pop in your body plugs and call it good..

 

[dvw]

When I built my racecar every plug hole was filled with metal welded in. It was easy. Now if there is fire all entrances are blocked.
Doug

 

[Ron H]

Blame the Swiss. They also did that to cheese.

Yeah - it's irritating making a sandwich with two slices of swiss and the holes align keeping the hole...a tip, flip one slice around so the holes don't match up...I know this is just genius...

 

[WileERobby]

Yeah - it's irritating making a sandwich with two slices of swiss and the holes align keeping the hole...a tip, flip one slice around so the holes don't match up...I know this is just genius...

I think that's a bunch of baloney.

 

[Dave Eamon]

Ma Mopar began the seven step dip and spray process for the 1960 model year. During manufacturing, they dunked the bodies in vats to a level about 2/3 of the way up the doors and sprayed them from above with cleaning, rinsing and rust inhibiting chemicals. The seventh step was a phosphorous dip that left the bodies appearing white in colour. Hence the term "Body in White". They still use this process today, but the bodies are dunked 100%.

The holes in the floor and trunk pans are there to aid fluid inflow and drainage during this process. It's probably okay to weld 'em up, but easier to buy a plug set from a supplier like Classic Industries and just insert 'em in the holes...