My son-in-law's new 245 had been parked under a tree for a periord of time before he took posession of it and it collected quite a bit of tree leavings inside the grille vents at the base of the windshield. I was able to get some of the junk out with a pair of hemostats, but a fair amout remains. My shop vac flat nozzle won't fit between the grille slats. Has anyone been successful at getting debris out with any home tricks?

Thanks.
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm on it this weekend.


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If the car has been under a tree, then chances are the debris has worked itself down into the rockers. To prevent rusting of rockers, you should clean them out. You'll need to pull the carpet from the sides to access the rocker plugs.

If you're going to do that, you might as well blast the grill area with water to wash the leaves into the rockers where you can get them.
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1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb but electronic ignition and M46 trans in Brampton, Ont.

Also once you are done make a screen for the vents.I used a black plastic mesh and tapped it in place with black electrical tape.No more need to clean your "gutters"!

I took my shop vac and duct taped a narow clear vinyl hose to it,the kind you use to drain a fish tank.It is soft enough to squeeze in between the slats and since it is clear you can see when it gets clogged. A bit slow but very effective.One note,drape a towel or sheet over your fender so you don't scratch the paint with larger shop vac hose.Ask me how I know this.

I have had good luck with one of those long, flexible push things that when the top button is pushed in, it opens a three prong "claw" at the other end. They are
used to retrieve nuts and bolts that drop in very tight places in the engine compartment. Less than $5 at Harbor Freight, Pep Boys, etc.