Ohhh boy. Hood hinge bolts

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » May 3, 2008, 10:35 pm

Guys I left the bolts in my hood hinge nuts. No hinges on, just bolts. Went to take them off and the clips are just spinning. All six of them. All spinning in the hole. Can't take any of the bolts out. Anybody got a good solution? I know more than a few guys have had this before..can't get them from behind, they are in the cowl.

Post by **Greg D** » May 3, 2008, 10:49 pm

I know you may not want to hear this with new paint (at least it's under the hood). A small tack weld should hold them still for you to remove the bolts.
Only other thing I can think of is a punch to "pinch" them into place but they could come loose again before you get the hinges tight.
Good luck bud, hopefully someone else has a better idea.

Z-MAN · Post by **Z-MAN** » May 3, 2008, 11:15 pm

On my buddy's painted truck, we dremeled it off and didn't hurt a thing. Except when we put them back on he had to tack them and touch it up. We should have just used a chisel and a hammer in the first place.

Z

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » May 3, 2008, 11:52 pm

AAAAAHHHH Nuts!!

You sure you cant get to them from behind. I don't know what your cowl looks like compared to a 66

Alan,

grabber64 · Post by **grabber64** » May 4, 2008, 7:17 am

i tried to reach up into mine and i have little hands and i couldn't. you could grind it off and drill it out. or you can tack it with a welder. you still might need some heat on there. i would soak it really well for about a week with some penetrating liquid with either direction that i went. you still will have to tack it in the spinning nut either way. if you can't see the area anyway then you might as well just tack it. i would still soak it really well for several days first and while the welder has the metal hot then break it loose. i don't think there are any crush nuts for that size of an area. does anyone know of any? early mustangs have a crush nut that you can buy for the power ram on the steering. i was gonna check into that to see if it would work.

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » May 4, 2008, 9:41 am

I had one that would only spin. I finally hacksawed the bolt to get the hinge off. No way I could get to the back from under the cowl. I plan to put a Rivnut in it's place. I ordered an installation tool, but need to order a larger Rivnut to fit the hinge bolt.

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » May 4, 2008, 3:15 pm

Thanks for the replies guys. Alan the 66 is the same as a 64 where the hood hinges are. You can't get in there. Anyone know the shape of those clips behind? are they nut-shaped? i.e square, hex, not squirrel type nuts..
I can run a screw in to wedge beside beside them maybe. I sure hate to p!$$ around with a welder on new paint.

Garbz · Post by **Garbz** » May 4, 2008, 3:42 pm

John they are round with a flat spot.

A small screw on the side showing the flat spot will do the trick and be hidden by the hinge when installed. All you need to do is keep it from spinning. Some blaster or Gibbs on the bolt will help free it up.

And you can get on them with vice grips through the side air vents. Just need to be a little dexterous.

Garbz

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » May 5, 2008, 8:16 am

Dave I think you would have to be Reed Richards

to get that top bolt with vice grips, but thanx for the advice. I am soaking the bolts and will try the screw thing this week sometime. Cross yer fingers.

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » May 5, 2008, 8:38 am

Garbz wrote:A small screw on the side showing the flat spot will do the trick and be hidden by the hinge when installed. All you need to do is keep it from spinning. Some blaster or Gibbs on the bolt will help free it up.

Garbz: Sounds like good advice.

And you can get on them with vice grips through the side air vents. Just need to be a little dexterous. Garbz

Maybe if you have two right arms, but I don't have enough U-joings in my arms to accomplish that. LOL!

Garbz · Post by **Garbz** » May 5, 2008, 2:48 pm

I have reached them by laying on my back and reaching up vertically through the vent, There right there just above the cowl lip. I use the same method to slather POR 15 up into the cowl with a foam brush..... you can be amazed just how far up in there you can get...

I normally just torch them off, then pop the bolt with some heat and a swift hit of the O2 follow with a tap...If you are careful the threads are left behind and minimal rework is necessary.

I always hit them with the MIG just to be sure they don't do the twisty again.

But JC has pretty paint on em.......

GArbz

DocDave · Post by **DocDave** » May 5, 2008, 9:18 pm

Can you drill a 1/8 inch hole through the metal into the nut? Use a steel pop rivet to prevent it from spinning.
I havn't looked at what your into on the hinges but this method works for alot of hidden nuts if you cant tack weld them
Dave

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » May 5, 2008, 9:25 pm

Thanks for all your help so far guys.
Went to try Garbz' method of grabbing the back thru the vent with vice grips, and also tried a pipe wrench, no dice. Will soak 'em down again and try one more time, then try the screws. They are somewhat D shaped on the back, and recessed, hard to get hold of. Need them Mambo lips vice grips.No place to run a pop rivet in to dr. dave, I wish there was.

GLindley · Post by **GLindley** » May 5, 2008, 9:48 pm

John, what about using Dr Dave's idea, but instead of using a pop rivet, just leave the drill bit in there to stop it from turning?

Slick Fan · Post by **Slick Fan** » May 5, 2008, 11:37 pm

Sounds like those are the same "D" nuts used on the bottom edge of the hinge itself...

That nut...

Oh & pardon me while I show off one of the great looking bling hinges I just got in the mail today from 65TremecGT.

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » May 6, 2008, 1:19 am

OH yes just steal Johnno`s thread!, Why didn`t you show them bolted to your fire wall and really rub it in

Alan,

Hoofbeat Racer · Post by **Hoofbeat Racer** » May 6, 2008, 8:04 am

Alan Mclennan wrote:OH yes just steal Johnno`s thread!, Why didn`t you show them bolted to your fire wall and really rub it in

Alan,

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there!

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » May 6, 2008, 8:23 am

I have silver powder coated hinges look almost as good.
Yes those are the same nuts. I am thinking i will get some 1/4" plate and drill and tap it to use, instead of these nuts, if I have to destroy them getting them out.

Slick Fan · Post by **Slick Fan** » May 6, 2008, 10:13 am

Alan Mclennan wrote:OH yes just steal Johnno`s thread!, Why didn`t you show them bolted to your fire wall and really rub it in

Alan,

Sadly, my firewall doesn't look near as good as that hinge does.

RedStarr1000 · Post by **RedStarr1000** » May 16, 2008, 6:54 pm

The same thing happened to my 65' F100. I had to remove the fresh air vent covers inside the cab and reach in there with a stubby 5/8" open-end wrench to hold the panel nuts from the back side. I had a buddy of mine machine some 3/8" flange nuts with some extra material stick out from the underside of the nut. So instead of trying to re-install the old panel nuts, the special flange nuts we made sit perfectly in the center of the firewall holes from the back side. They are tighten with a 9/16" ratchet wrench from the backside of the firewall. Good Luck!