Trivia Question 14 - Cadillac Water Level Plug

[Jason Edge]

Ok. So someone asked for trivia. This one should be pretty easy. As noted before, my 50+ year old Cadillac and 100+ year old house projects often intersect, collide, overlap and just get twisted together.  Yesterday, I was starting to put up the batter boards to set the perimeter and level of the new house addition and needed to plug the ends of the clear vinyl water lever tube when moving the tube … and of course reached for my parts bin.

So the question is, "What did I use to plug the water lever tube as seen below?"

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Is that one of the plugs on the firewall that wiring or something else passes thru ?

Enjoy

[Jason Edge]

Nope... doesn't allow anything to pass thru else it wouldn't be a good plug.

[Tony and Ginny 429]

What is the water tubes purpose ?

Enjoy

[Jason Edge]

Water Levels are a quick and easy way to set level across a distance.  Much cheaper than the carpenter's transit that may be $500 or more.  Line levels that you snap on to the carpenter's string are ok but not that accurate. Nothing like putting basic science to use.

Here is a video showing the basic setup: https://youtu.be/0HMBZlZkqU4

There are many, many uses of water levels. You can put two containers on each ends instead of the one in this video and do a very quick check of the overall level of a house' floor. Just draw out a floor plan, set say 5 points in a room (center and 4 corners) and check relative level on markings. You can set one cup at the highest and lowest point and use that as your reference elevation and mark the difference at each point in the one room and each point on the other rooms. You can use this to level a long countertop, two countertops at each side of say a garage, etc. etc. The uses are endless. Some people put food coloring in the water to make it show up better but you can see the water fine in a clear tube. Main thing is to get the air out. This is where a container will help. Fill the container end and let it push water thru and it removes the air.

[Ian Osborne]

That plug looks unfamiliar to me. Does my '63 non A/C convertible have one?

[Kevin Campbell]

it's a retention plug for the interior perhaps.

Maybe a kick panel retainer?

[Jason Edge]

Nope.

[Jason Edge]

It may or may not. It does have something to do with optional equipment.

[Ian Osborne]

I'm going to have to bow out. I don't think I've ever seen one of these.

[Jason Edge]

As a hint it is shown on one of our Help Pages. That might help, but then again my wife always says I give the worst hints!

[Jason Edge]

OK. Here's a Hint. There are often 4 of these found in 1963/64 Cadillacs, and sometimes 8 found on 1963 and early 1964 production Cadillacs. After about a 1/3 of the way through the 1964 Production run, you would never see 8 of these.  For either year you might find zero of these!

[Ian Osborne]

Okay, I can’t not try. How about they plug the tapped holes where the seatbelts bolt in?