59 Grille Removal

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Dec 18, 2015 | 08:34 AM

HelloNewman

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59 Grille Removal

Does anyone have any helpful hints on removing the grille from my '59? Between the bolt heads being rather thin and the age of the bolts, I can't get a good grip on the heads. Also, those heads are way up in the fender well and options for wrenches, vise grips, etc. are limited. I'm not the first guy to have to do this so there has to be a way.

Dec 18, 2015 | 10:28 AM

Deez-67

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A lot of deep creep and get ready for some sore knuckles. When they say "they don't make them like they used to" I think people are talking directly about these trucks... lol. There is a 1/2" bolt on every inch of these things.

These are the only pics I could find that might help.

Dec 18, 2015 | 11:07 AM

HelloNewman

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Maybe I need to be more specific. Can someone suggest a brand of socket that might bite onto the thin head of the bolt or a tool they used that might help? For example, I tried gripping onto one with a vice grips and then using a pipe wrench on the vise grips but the one pipe wrench was too small to get on the vise grips and the other pipe wrench was too big for the fender well.

Dec 18, 2015 | 11:15 AM

hardlyrider

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The taper on the inside of sockets allowing them to easily slip over a hex head prevent a good grip on thin head bolts. I've taken an inexpensive (dispensable) six-point and ground the end off 1/8" or so to get a better grip. Of course, the end needs to be flat and square, but not too hard to do.

Dec 18, 2015 | 12:23 PM

mcdonaldm

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From: Edmonton, Alberta Canada

i bought a set of sockets from Sears that are designed to grip old rusted or rounded heads of bolts. they kind of have a serated design to them and work amazingly well. not that expensive either. they are also designed to be able to use a wrench on them if the space is too tight to get a ratchet in. i would think that most tool places should have something similiar to this if you don't have a Sears nearby.

rgds
Mike

Dec 18, 2015 | 01:04 PM

HelloNewman

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I went to Northern Tool over my lunch hour and after looking at their sockets I came up with the same idea that Hardlyrider suggested. Figured a deep socket will give me some room to hold it while grinding it down and avoid grinding the ends of my fingers off. Theoretically, this should work. Thanks for the input.

Dec 20, 2015 | 01:14 AM

hoss73ford

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Seems Ford put way too many bolts in these things. I've torn apart two of these and two 61-66s and he is right about the sore knuckles. The 58-60s are more difficult with all those bolts near the headlight housings. Plus more often than not, the thin cage nuts will snap so you'll have to clamp the other side with vice grips to hold it while turning.