tips for removing fenders/body panels?
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: South Texas
tips for removing fenders/body panels?
I'm helping out my brother restore a 72 Chevy C10 (I know, I know...
)
Neither one of use have alot of experience with body work, but want to do everything we can ourselves. I need some tips from those with experience removing "blind" bolts on fenders, ect. Most of the bolts are rusted and stuck and I don't want to make more work for ourselves. I'm trying to remove a couple of fender bolts that are almost inaccessible from inside the engine bay and the metal clips the bolts attach to broke so the bolt just turns and wont come out. I'm trying to grab on to the broken part of the clips from the inside with locking pliers but it's almost impossible to get my hands in there. Any other way to do this, other than grind off the bolts?
)Neither one of use have alot of experience with body work, but want to do everything we can ourselves. I need some tips from those with experience removing "blind" bolts on fenders, ect. Most of the bolts are rusted and stuck and I don't want to make more work for ourselves. I'm trying to remove a couple of fender bolts that are almost inaccessible from inside the engine bay and the metal clips the bolts attach to broke so the bolt just turns and wont come out. I'm trying to grab on to the broken part of the clips from the inside with locking pliers but it's almost impossible to get my hands in there. Any other way to do this, other than grind off the bolts?
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2006
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If your careful a torch and just melt the clip off the bolt. Then replace with new clips and bolts whe reassembling. This is a typ problem with those chebbies. The easiest way is to remove the entire front clip is as a unit, then you can get better access without the other stuff in the way. Depending on the amount of rust, it may be cheaper and easier just to get new fenders and put them on. I will bet you are talking about the ones in the front that connect the header panel to the fenders.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Vancouver Island
That's not unlike how much fun it is to get the front clip apart on a '57 to '60 Ford. Captive nuts that don't stay caught, in nearly inaccessible locations. Don't knock grinding, if you can reach them. If one part is a writeoff because of rust or collision damage, don't hesitate to cut through it for access if that'll save damaging what it's bolted to. Another idea: weld a nut onto a stripped bolt head, or weld the loose nut solid, if you can reach it. And you have a welder.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: South Texas
no torch, no welder, or else the truck would be on fire by now.........
The engine and tranny are already out, so there is room to work, but a couple of those bolts are impossible to take out once the clip breaks and the bolt just turns.
I got the whole front clip off so far, took a cut off wheel to the worst of the stuck bolts and sliced off some bad sheet metal repair that was previously done. Just taking my time and trying to keep the bleeding to a minimum.........thanks for the tips.
The engine and tranny are already out, so there is room to work, but a couple of those bolts are impossible to take out once the clip breaks and the bolt just turns.
I got the whole front clip off so far, took a cut off wheel to the worst of the stuck bolts and sliced off some bad sheet metal repair that was previously done. Just taking my time and trying to keep the bleeding to a minimum.........thanks for the tips.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,236
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From: Vancouver Island
Drilling the head off a bolt is another option. If the nut is so loose that it just spins, hopefully you can restrain the bolt with a wrench or something.
Fun; I can't get enough of it, so I'll see if I can get the ugly rusty chrome grille off the '57 panel, and put a nicer '60 or '59 on there, without removing the entire front clip...
Fun; I can't get enough of it, so I'll see if I can get the ugly rusty chrome grille off the '57 panel, and put a nicer '60 or '59 on there, without removing the entire front clip...
