[TR] doing away w/ sealer plates?

[Paul Dorsey]

I've also noticed something else on my TR3.  On my car both 'bottoms' of the
front fenders were rusted out.  While this area is notorius for this, I think
I see a major contributing reason:  much of the rain which lands ontop of the
bonnet eventually rolls into the fender 'edges/troughs' and some travels
towards the rear of the car via these 'troughs' dumping water onto the
upperside of these front fender bottoms rusting them big time.
    I have cut out these rusted bottoms and do not plan to replace them and
hope that this new ventilation will go along way towards solving part of the
rust issue.  However, the concession I'll have to make is that the 'cavity'
created by this bottom, the fender above it and one one side being sealed by
the A-post and the other side being semi-sealed by the sealer plate (and
rubber strip).  This 'cavity' on my car will be filled with cold-road-moisture
blown air.  This is the exact same situation if you removed your sealer plate.
Having never driven a Triumph, I have to wonder what it's like when you drive
without sealer plates?  I mean technically, all the cold-moist-air is still on
the outside of the footwell side, isin't it?
Thanks,
Paul Dorsey- 60 TR3A