Stevec

Need to remove the driver side inner fender well to access the nuts that secure the stainless trim piece on the driver fender.

Just looking for some pointers /tips that will help me through the process. The engine is out of the car and I would like to get this done before I install the new motor.

The car is a 1968 442

Steve

Octania

Any chance of rust? If your bolts are rusted to the J nuts they might twist and destroy the plastic fender liner. To prevent that you may have to remove the fender/liner assembly and attack it with vice grips to hold the J nuts, penetrating lube, maybe even a cutoff wheel and coolant so as not to melt the plastic...

by the time the fender is off attaching the trim will be easy.

Don't ever put any grease on the J nuts when assembling because they might come apart easily later [sarcasm]

Stevec

They don't look to bad as far as rust I might spray some wd40 on them and let them sit for a couple of days.

Macadoo

I just did this on the passenger's side. It was fairly simple. Check post #975 here:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-motor-25.html
Now I don't know about getting it back in. Haven't gotten that far yet.

Macadoo

Or am I not talking about the correct thing?

Stevec

Thanks Macadoo!

Octania

post # NINE HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE??

wow

I went and looked

I see NO RUST on those J nuts.

If you are anything like MI, that will not be the case.

Apply lube
wait
try 'em
If it works, lucky you
If not, and you don't want to shred the plastic... well, not so easy

dc2x4drvr

Good info here, I would try spraying PB Blaster on the bolts, and even try to spray over the fenderwells. If the bolts don't readily turn I wouldn't keep turning..if you do the J-nut is going to break the plastic. I've actually used a cutoff wheel to cut the bolt head off. Tough job to save a piece of plastic.

Octania

here is an idea
put a 1/2" socket on the bolt head
maybe 1/4" drive
hold it with say vice grips
using a drill that just fits thru the socket drive hole, start the hole right in the center of the head.

Remove socket, drill first with small bit like 1/8", then about 5/16 just thru the head depth, then it should break or twist off easily.

Only IF they do not unscrew readily

dc2x4drvr

Good idea Chris, the fenderwells are hard to find and worth trying to keep intact.

Yellowstatue

If it is a '68 fender well it should have 1/2" nuts trapped in the J-nut. Later on, about '70 they went to extruded J-nuts. So, if you have the older style then put a 1/2" box wrench on the nut (hopefully a six -point) and hold it steady whilst you loosen the bolt with your ratchet. It helps to have long arms to do this trick otherwise you must employ an unwilling helper! This saves the J-nut and the hole in the fender well.

Macadoo

Yeah, my "pulling the motor" thread kind of became a build thread. I think it's popular because I have no idea what I'm doing