While pulling the front clip off my '64 Elky, the 40 year old bolts didn't wanna work like bolts, and a few of 'em snapped off. Most of them were held with "tinnerman" clips, but the 2 that concern me are the ones at the rear - lower end of the fenders, just in front of the doors, where the fender curves down to the frame. Anyone got some tips to get the broken buggers out?

I use a cutting wheel on an air tool. If you don't have air tools a high speed grinder can do the job but it takes a long time and you need to be careful not to let it get too hot.

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Redrum (or Mike)

68 Corvette - 383 CI, 427 HP, 700R4, 12.56 @ 108 MPH
69 SS Chevelle - 502 CI, 610 HP, 2004R, 1320 unknown
97 Z-28 - totally stock still under 14,000 miles

"Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar."
*Drew Carey

Maybe I should clarify my predicament, the bolts are snapped off, with stubs sticking out of the body/cowl. Drill & EZ-out? Remove the cowl vents and get at them from there?

Hi JOHN. Thanks for the e-mail. As my elky is a 66 I may be of little help. On the 66 the lower fender mounting bolt (at rocker) goes into a replaceable foldover style clip. there is only one on each side on 66. Upper inner at cowl (inside of door, just above hinge) is cage nut style where the nut floats inside of a cage welded to body. With cowl grille off you can touch back side of cage. On my 66 the fender must be off to drill and tap if you are to have adequate angle and clearance. Upper nut at rear hood corner and nut on firewall at hood hinge are welded solid (in place). By cowl vents do you mean the cable operated fresh air duct at kick panel? Or do you mean upper cowl grille? Hopefully someone with a 64 can verify their style and be of more help. Karl

John, I am in the same situation as you. I think Im going to just cut out the sheetmetal around the bolt and replace it with a patch that has a floating nut attached to it. If you find a better way please tell me. Good luck.

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1965 El Camino
350-turbo 350
"someday it will be finished"

If the head snapped off because the bolt is rusted in place chances are an ez-out won't help. Been there, done that. Ended up with the end of a busted off ez-out stuck in there as well.

You can get a finger or two on the nut from inside the cowl but it won't do you much good. My suggestion is to get the fenders out of the way and drill out the bolt, retap it. If you want to restore the whole floating cage nut system you will have to cut an access hole into the bottom of the cowl area and replace the area with new metal, nut and cage.

Thanks for the tips. This project is about #347 on the list <G> when the front end goes back on. I'll take a closer look and try a few things, and keep you posted.
John D

John D let me know if you want some help when the time comes. Karl

Well, the engine's back in, and I ran out of things to do (putting off getting this bolt out). It's out!
Very carefully filed the top/end flat, then center punched it. Started with a 1/8" drill, then a 1/4" (the root diameter of 5/16-18 threads). About 2/3 the way through with the 1/4" bit, the "shell" of the bolt spun through with the bit. What I had left kinda looked like a Heli-Coil, stuck on the end of the drill bit.
Ran a tap into the trap-nut to clean up any boogers the drilling may have caused, and the new bolt went in with fingers!

Congratulations, good work! Karl