General Category > Early Chevy/GM Discussion
Headlight Bolt Spinning
Senior31:
Okay fellas I have a small issue. I have decided to swap out the headlights on my '35 standard, but I am having a small issue with the headlight nut. When I built the car I purchased new stanchions (headlight bars) to mount ford headlights on the car, but now I want to run a set of Chevy truck headlights.
When I dug up the old original headlights for the car one of the stanchions was still attached to the bucket. Of course the acorn nut is rusted solid. After a day or two of soaking it in PB blaster I tried to loosen the nut with no luck. The carriage bolt is just spinning in the bucket and the head of the bolt is not accessible. I have tried wedging a pry bar in between the bucket and stanchion and hitting it with an impact with no luck. I am to the point now were I need to drill our the factory rivets on the bottom of the buck or cut off the acorn nut. I wanted to check here first to see if anyone has any tricks before I start drilling and/or cutting. If anyone has any suggestions it would be appreciate it. Thanks!
ghost28:
I have always just ground off the rivets to get theis problem done. And a nice set of nuts and bolts to put it back together, plus with the new nut and bolts it gives you a good secure point for the ground wire.
chopper526:
Wish I had a better solution, but I don't....Did you try heat?
EDNY:
Anyway to give us a picture to work with?
Senior31:
Thanks for all the replies. I did try heating up the nut, but I couldn't get it hot enough with just MAPP gas. I am going to go to my Dad's in a couple weeks and I will try the oxy/acletylene set he has. He has in the past he has been able to get the nut hot enough to just pull off without damaging the stanchion. I will give that a shot and will let you know if that works. Otherwise, I am going to grind the rivets as Ghost recommended.
Sorry Ed I don't have a picture right now. It will try to get one in the next couple of days. Thanks for all the comments.
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