56 Nomad hole identification

I was working on the final detailing of the tailgate and liftgate area and I'm trying to find out what the two extra holes next to the ends of the beltline stainless trim in the pics below are for.

Attachment 8092

Attachment 8093

Several guys told me their cars don't have these holes but mine was original when I bought it in '73 and I didn't drill them. I posted similar pics here some time ago and nobody seemed to know, or at least I got no replies.

I also found this picture that doesn't seem to show the rear hole:

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/fb...tgate_Seal.jpg

I posted on the Nomad's Only Facebook and several guys say their car doesn't have the holes. I had decided to weld them up but this morning one guy said the rear hole was for a metal retainer clip and now I remember one being there. They look like this:

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/s...ZqlDA&usqp=CAE

Bamanomad or LeeT or anyone else, do you guys have any pics showing these clips? Are they needed? Also, any idea what the forward hole is for? I'm trying to decide whether I should weld them up or not.

The retainer clips go on the door weatherstrip just below the door post, and I'm not sure but I think that rubber strip in the third picture uses the holethat is in line with it. The hole in the 1/4 panel flange looks strange to me.

Lee, I'm pretty sure there's supposed to be one of those metal clips on the lower hole, but not positive about that. Don't know what else that hole could have been for. The forward hole looks like it was punched, so I wonder if it was used to line up the panels or if a weatherstrip pin went into it.

Got the lower rear holes welded up but I'm hesitant to weld the other two until I determine what they're for. I put the c-pillar stainless on and it doesn't cover the hole on either side. I don't know how far down the weatherstrip extends. I don't want to be re-drilling this hole after paint, nor do I want it to show if it's not used for anything. :confused:

Well I checked my weatherstrip and it doesn't have any pins on it, and I can't see what else those front holes are for so they're getting welded up too. ;)

just reading this thread, and although I'm still 'sick', I was interested enough to go out to my shop and check my two Nomads. while this info probably won't help you much, I thought I'd toss it in..

The '57 model has the 'upper' two holes, while on the '56 model, the liftgate w/s comes down far enough to cover up where those holes would be located. Neither car has the lower two holes.

Thanks Bamanomad. Seems that the two holes close to the stainless trim aren't used for anything, so now they're gone. :)

Also, I didn't like the looks of the gap between the tailgate frame and the outer sheetmetal so I put 2K seam sealer in there to smooth the area out some.