I am working on my 65 Buick Special wagon and I have removed the front clip. Also, I have read this thread called "Rusted Bolts" (https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/chassis-body-frame/59451-rusted-bolts.html). His problem was with Core support bolts and my core support bolts came out fine. My problem is the bolt that goes in the heel of the fender, sorta under the rocker panel and a hard place to reach without a lift. It seems to have a captured nut and both of mine twisted off. One has a piece of the bolt visible but the other one has snapped off clean (level with the metal it goes into). I had drilled a very small hole to fit the straw of a can of PB Blaster into, but the Blaster didn't seem to work very well.

In the past and on other cars, I'd just ignore it but my fenders never seemed tight and, of course, it's part of the fender adjustment. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who ever had this problem. Anyone ever have this happen to them and how did you handle it?

HELP !!!!!!!

 

You need to grind the bolt heads and washer off and the fender will come loose.

 

You have a couple of choices here.
1. drill out the snapped bolt and re-tread the hole. (careful not to over drill)
2. drill a larger hole heat bolt with torch and use a easy out. careful not to snap the easy out as they are all but impossible to drill out

That's my two cents

 

I was afraid that would be the answer. I'm just not looking forward to laying on my back, on the concrete and drilling for an hour or two. Still, no one is standing in line waiting to do it for me, so Saturday morning I'll be under the Buick.
Thanks Pat.

 

First of all, you don't "re-tread" or even rethread those holes. The bolts go into clip nuts that snap over a flange on the bottom of the cowl. They regularly rust and the clip nuts snap when you try to loosen them. Grind or cut the heads of the bolts off, remove the fenders, and the clip nuts are accessible for removal. Install new clip nuts and bolts and shim to your heart's content.

 

[QUOTE=...and the clip nuts are accessible for removal. Install new clip nuts and bolts and shim to your heart's content.[/QUOTE]

Thanks Joe. I was hopeful, but the 64-67's don't work that way. The clips (or nuts) are inside the rockers. there's no way to get to them. Go look at your 66. I have the fenders off, as we speak (er type). Nothing there except a bolt or part of one.

 

I think at this point a picture is needed.... I have pulled 64 fenders and 67 fenders and 66 full size fenders and really do not know the bolt you are referring to.

 

I should have my camera back in a day or two. Then pics.

 

The bolts are at the heel of the fender, where the fender, door and rocker panel come together. Here are the pics. I hope this clears up any confusion.

This is the car in question.
010-Left3-quarterView_zpscdbac591.jpg

Here is the passenger's side.
004-PassengerSide_zpsac634da3.jpg

Here is the driver's side. You can see a piece of the broken bolt sticking out.
007-DriversSide_zpsf4a3969b.jpg

 

Thanks for the pict... well that is something I am not familiar with...not an Olds design and maybe a Buick thing.

 

Here are two shots of my fender heels taken from the inside. 1965 Buick, Chevy and Pontiac have only one hole for mounting. It appears that 67 f-85/Cutlasses have two holes. I haven't been able to find pics of 64-65 f-85/Cutlass fenders. I suspect that the attachment point(s) may have changed between the years and the brands may have followed suit (ie:66/67 Chevelle or Tempest).
If anyone has a pic of a 65 Cutlass fender, I would be interested in seeing it. I'm sure the only way to remedy my problem, however, is to drill .

009_zpsbdc7d174.jpg

008_zps2610c59a.jpg

 

 

As much work as it would be you are far better off grinding flush and drilling it out. Tap the new hole and install new bolt/stud. Maintains factory alignment adjustments anyway. I was lucky enough to have clips on the 73.

 

Looking at my 64 cutlass parts car its about the same as yours. Not sure if you can access it from inside the car through the fresh air vent? Might be worth taking a look. On mine it looks like I could either weld a stud on as I mentioned earlier or cut the section out and weld in a new one depending on how detailed you want to get. Most folks as mentioned would just try to drill it out. You still would be stuck with having a problem with the nut spinning on the inside if yours is in fact spinning?

 

Thanks for all the feed-back, guys. I'm going to drill, first then tap and if the nut spins, I'll cut a "U" shaped hole in the cowl, fix the nut and weld the hole shut. (You'll never see it when the fender is back on, anyway.) I need to get some new, sharp drill bits and I'm on it, next week.
With any luck, I'll be able to reach it through the fresh air vent and save myself some welding. (thanks JATA)

 

Well, after 9 months I have finally remedied my problem. I was not able to reach through the fresh air vent, so I drilled and tapped, but had to cut the rocker open, anyway, because the captured nuts twisted. I set the nuts straight and re-captured them. I have included pics so that anyone who is doing a similar job can see what's inside. The captured nut is a piece of 1/4" plate about 1"X3/4", tapped with 3/8"X16 threads. Thank you all for your help.
Next job: convert to front Disc Brakes. Wish me good luck.....