I was in the process of redoing the front end on my '72 Chevelle when I had to pack up my garage to move. ("I'll remember I put them here" - sound familiar?) Of course I cannot find the bolts to the shells that hold the swaybar bushing to the frame. I've tried various bolt size / thread pitches, figuring I'd go buy replacement hardward once I found the correct size and nothing is going in like it fits. I'm afraid to force it and strip the threads on the frame. Help! What other bolts on the car are like these that I can use as a go-by?

they are the pointy ones, like between the front fender & rad support. they have a 1/2" bolt head with 5/16"-dia-NC threads. i used some new grade-8 bolts from the hardware store for mine cause they matched the color of the new poly brackets for the old swaybar.

That's what I was afraid of....I found 4 that I thought were them but they were totally loose. I checked all the holes and one would thread. Are the holes for these tapped into the frame or is there a captured nut? If the nut I'm in trouble...I think it's tapped. Should I just step up a size and screw it in to "self tap" it or do something different? The right answer is to probably drill it larger and tap it. If I step up to 3/8" thread, what size hole do I drill before I tap it?

Before you do anything, Check the head size of the bolt you plan on using. Will it clear the bushing bracket? You may consider the type bolts that hold the fuel pump on. Or Mak a plate and with tapped holes, and fish it in the frame. Bob ACES 2825

They were just self-tapped into the frame, there was no nut on the top side. I've had good luck stepping up to the next size bigger. Maybe go with a metric bolt, which may be just a little bigger.

Try a self tapping bolt and see if it will clean up the threads. They are also a good idea if you have to go up a size.