#4 Body Bolt
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,206
Likes: 17
From: Sewell NJ
#4 Body Bolt
I was under the vette this past weekend (What's new 
) and I can see that I have to replace the body support for the #4 bolt on the passenger side. I've read all about how to do it including getting your hand behind the fender to hold a cage that spins. It occurred to me that there should be an inspection plate for this bolt just like the one in front of the rear wheel that covers the # 3 bolt. Has anyone done this? It seems like all you would have to do is cut an opening the same size as the cover for the # 3 bolt and use the same part. Maybe I'm simplifying this but it sure seems like it should work and it would make changing that body mount a lot easier.
) and I can see that I have to replace the body support for the #4 bolt on the passenger side. I've read all about how to do it including getting your hand behind the fender to hold a cage that spins. It occurred to me that there should be an inspection plate for this bolt just like the one in front of the rear wheel that covers the # 3 bolt. Has anyone done this? It seems like all you would have to do is cut an opening the same size as the cover for the # 3 bolt and use the same part. Maybe I'm simplifying this but it sure seems like it should work and it would make changing that body mount a lot easier.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,683
Likes: 201
From: Waterford Mi
I just used a pair of vise grips to hold the nut while I tried to remove the bolt. Of course I had to cut the old bolt off because it was rusted to the body mount sleeve. Putting the new bolt and nut on wasn't any problem.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,669
Likes: 3
From: Kingston Ontario
If the same as my 77, inside the car, lift the carpet above the number 4 bolt to have access to the nut and nut cage. If nut spins inside cage you will need to have someone secure nut while you undo the bolt from below. Good luck
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
I was under the vette this past weekend (What's new ) and I can see that I have to replace the body support for the #4 bolt on the passenger side. I've read all about how to do it including getting your hand behind the fender to hold a cage that spins. It occurred to me that there should be an inspection plate for this bolt just like the one in front of the rear wheel that covers the # 3 bolt. Has anyone done this? It seems like all you would have to do is cut an opening the same size as the cover for the # 3 bolt and use the same part. Maybe I'm simplifying this but it sure seems like it should work and it would make changing that body mount a lot easier.
) and I can see that I have to replace the body support for the #4 bolt on the passenger side. I've read all about how to do it including getting your hand behind the fender to hold a cage that spins. It occurred to me that there should be an inspection plate for this bolt just like the one in front of the rear wheel that covers the # 3 bolt. Has anyone done this? It seems like all you would have to do is cut an opening the same size as the cover for the # 3 bolt and use the same part. Maybe I'm simplifying this but it sure seems like it should work and it would make changing that body mount a lot easier.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,206
Likes: 17
From: Sewell NJ
Don't forget guys, I have a 74 with the older sugar scoop back. If you've ever tried to crawl back there you know how confined it is. I just think an inspection plate would make it a lot easier and allow you to lube the bolt from time to time.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 958
Likes: 1
From: In the Beautiful Shenandoah Valley of VA
Originally Posted by dannyman
If the same as my 77, inside the car, lift the carpet above the number 4 bolt to have access to the nut and nut cage. If nut spins inside cage you will need to have someone secure nut while you undo the bolt from below.
In my case, I wasn't able to get vise grips on the nuts, so I (shudder) simply took a hammer and drove the bolt remains, nut and cage up through the fiberglass. It rips the rivets out of the fiberglass, and the cage isn't usable anymore, but the cage was simply to make assembly line assembly easier on the guys on the line. Clean the nuts up, run a tap through them and hold them in place with a large crescent wrench, and you can easily reassemble everything.
Oh, and watch out putting your hand down in the holes the first time. Remember, you can't see what you're doing. My first encounter was with a broken piece of pop bottle.....
Steve
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