Slick 60's

is there any tricks to getting behind the firewall to install new studs? the driver side hood hinge had nuts spot welded to the back of the fire wall. they broke loose. I don't not have a welder to weld new nuts in, so I was hoping to be able to run some studs from behind the firewall. but I can find anyway to get back there. please help!!! 1966 f100.

Try gong thru the kick panel vents


Mike

Perhaps Riv-nuts ? ***Steel ones, not the cheezy aluminum ones:)
And don't worry about the fancy installation tools, all you really need is a bolt of the same thread pitch, a couple heavy flat washers, and a nut a size or two bigger.
->Place one washer on the bolt, followed by the oversize nut, then the second washer.
->Now, thread the bolt into the rivnut until the flat washer is touching the rivnut.
->Place the rivnut into the hole (which you have already drilled to the recommended size).
->Take two wrenches, one the size of the head of the bolt, the other the size of the oversize nut.
->Now, using one wrench on the oversize nut to help stabilize things, slowly crank up the bolt with the other wrench, which will begin to pull the lower half of the rivnut up on the backside of the panel.
Voila! New threads for your hinge bolts!!

http://www.rivnut.com/

http://www.rivnut.com/rivnut-cardinal-components.html



Various Types of Installation Tools:

Okay, I'm going to have to comment on this somewhat in a negative way. First , do you not have a friend with a welder? Or lacking that, how about a welding torch setup? If you are close to me, I would be glad to help with this problem, Southeastern Illinois. These nuts need to be welded in. This problem has been covered before, but let me say this. If you are having problems getting the studs out, stop and take your time removing the blind nuts. I would even say to go as far as drilling several small spots where the nuts a crimped in and weld the nuts in securely, before getting rough with these. You can weld these in from the outside. If the original nuts are already gone, then you can go in through the vent area by standing on your head. I suggest you take the seat out to begin with, and lay something in the floor to make yourself more comfortable. You can reach up into the cowl area but it is not an easy thing to do. At this point with things already screwed up, you have few options , welding is the only real one. Also, this is a two man operation, but may be doable by yourself, with the gnashing of many teeth and a chosen word or two. Blind nuts were the original problem, once the studs/bolts began to rust, the blind nuts would spin in the hole and would not hold. I suggest you do a search in site for any possible better solutions . Otherwise, you will be holding a nut while standing on your head while someone else screws in the stud. I also suggest investing in a tap and die set. I always run taps into all holes and dies on all threads, and install with antisieze on all the bolts if needed. In this case it is.

Rich

Rich has pretty well nailed it! "Keenserts" is a trade name for a removable insert which has tabs to secure it in place. However, as noted, if they twist, you will be back at square one the next time. Studs and plenty of anti-seize are well worth the effort, even though sacrificing appearance and "originality".
Paul