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65 GTO help

 
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Turk



Joined: 11 Apr 2013
Posts: 1
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 1:55 pm    Post subject: 65 GTO help Reply with quote

I have a 65 GTO that I am restoring and doing all the work myself. I took the front end off and two bolts broke off holding the fender on the lower side, just in front of the door. One spins and one is still the same except for about an inch of bolt sticking out.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I should do to get those out. The area where the bolts go in are enclosed and I could probably cut it open on both sides to work on it. I was just seeing if anyone had any other suggestions.

Thanks

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Larry
Site Admin


Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4768




PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 8:37 pm    Post subject: Bolts and Access Reply with quote

I am facing the same problem with the bottom fender bolts on my '40 Pontiac. The only difference is that many years ago when I "restored" it the first time, I managed to get the bolts out and drilled holes clean through the lower cowl "legs" and used about 4-5" bolts and nuts. This time I want to fix it the right way.

What I have seen before is pretty clever. Because the original "nuts" were actually plate nuts of some type, meaning nuts that were either riveted or (probably) welded inside the body before the access was eliminated, if they have failed in some way, they will have to be removed.

You may need to carefully cut them out. That is, the metal around where they are (albeit on the inside, unseen). Then you weld a nut onto a small piece of heavy gauge sheet metal (with a hole in it, of course). If you can, try to finagle the hole and the metal so that you can work it into the hole. Once inside (gaps are OK), pull it outward. If you can, some clever washers and a nut can tighten it into place. Just leave some room to get a weld started. Once the welding is started, you can remove the nut and washers and finish welding around it.

Now, this other technique may not be a pretty, but if you just can't wiggle the new "plate nut" you made into the hole, do some creative hammering to pean the area inward. Then weld the new "plate nut" you made to the outside of the area. A little grinding and nobody will be the wiser.

If you've ever patched a hole in drywall by sliding a long piece of wood into a smaller hole to screw into place and then screw the patch piece to, it is the same idea.

Let us know how it goes.

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rexs73gto



Joined: 17 Sep 2015
Posts: 94
Location: Niles MI

1973 GTO

PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 12:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Turk, your best bet is to cut the area where the bolt & nut are out & then make a patch panel where it goes back in with the cage nut already in place. That way when you weld it back in place you will have a new cage nut & new metal in an already weak spot that you have now made stronger . If you are able to use a tig welder you'll end up with a lot less grinding to make it look correct but it will be stronger by the time you get done. If the bolts & nut were rusted that bad it's best to cut it out to see whats behind it & fix it if needed.
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I have a 73 GTO that I bought new, well it was a demo because the car I ordered was an SD car which never came in & i had to take what was left because I was in the Navy & had to talk to the dealer when I could.
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