Finally finished the restoration of my 1973. Well, almost since I don’t have the horn working yet. I have a new relay but hadn’t got to it. New 383 stroker and tons of time assembling from rolling project, paint, interior, engine rebuild and just put 383 stoker in with 450 hp using original numbers matching block. And then... a wheel came off while driving 30 mph on a country road. No warning. No shimmying. No vibrations. Just felt like hitting a pothole, then noticed wheel rolling in parallel beside for a moment before my attention diverted to bringing to safe stop. Found the wheel over hill and over dale. Retrieved hazarding a barbed wire fence and being chased by two llamas. Found two studs broken off cleanly and one with damaged threads. Two seemed normal and was able to get two “borrowed” lug nuts on to replace tire for flat bed tow. Bummed and discouraged!

 

I feel your pain but it’s just a minor set back, she is beautiful, fix her and get back out there.

Did you forget to tighten them?

 

Oh, man-that's a bad day. Car is gorgeous, keep plugging and bring her back to life again.

Peter

 

I love the look of aluminum mags. They really set-off a period classic such as yours. But I am reminded that you have to constantly babysit the lug-nuts. It seems they like to work loose. You think that is the issue here?

 

Ouch! As long as you are OK, that's all that matters. I have a set of rockers if yours got destroyed. Jerry

 

Were you the last one to put on the wheels and tires or did someone else?
It almost sounds like the lug nuts were over torqued and snapped the lugs.
I cringe when I see someone in a shop install wheels with an impact gun.
Check the other three wheels, nuts and lugs before you put that beauty back on the road.
Beautiful 73.
Send us an update when it back together.

 

Sorry to see...

I had a custom wheel come off my truck once, the wheel failed where mounted to the studs.

 

I was the last one to put the front wheels back on to move into trailer to be transported to have engine installed. Had taken them off in order to remove engine and do restoration in the wheel wells and engine compartment. I put on with lug wrench. Have not checked them since that time in July and have only drive about 100miles since. I don't think I could have over torqued but...?

 

Has your wife taken out a $200,000 life insurance policy on you lately?

 

Metric lug nuts perhaps?

 

Are those wheels hub centric or lug centric meaning which one does the centering of the wheel? Ouch.

Had some aftermarket rallyes that the lugs were supposed to take care of it...they kept working their way loose and beating the wheel up.
Brand started with a C..if I remember right.

 

I'm a rookie at fiberglass repair with no previous experience. The members walk me through the repairs and keep me on track.

It looks as though you need a complete repair panel for the driver-side...…..around $300 .



You could probably shop-around and pay less for a non-GM repair panel.

Were you able to collect/save any broke pieces after the accident? If so, you could graft those pieces back onto the remaining fender.

I repair small cracks until I feel comfortable....then I repair larger cracks until I feel able ti cut and fit larger holes (as you see me doing in my thread.









Use a quality electric 120V A.C. heat gun to warm the sections that need to be removed and replaced....use a paint scraper tool to help separate the loosened warmed adhesive until the broken pieces separate from the undamaged areas of the fender.

Wait for members who are expert at fiberglass repair to advise you on the best way to make the repairs.

 

Feel your pain brother.
Beautiful car. Minor setback, you'll have it up and rolling again in no time.
Hope you were able to retrieve the fiberglass pieces. I think it would be much easier to patch them back in than to replace the entire fender.
Keep us posted on your progress.
Greg

 

Something similar happened to my daughter in her G6 (not C6!) a few years back on I-95 outside DC.
Seems she had the car in for just an oil change at the local dealer. Well they proceeded to remove her front wheels and try to up-sell her on a full brake job without checking with her first.
I told her that I could always do her brakes next trip back home (I had just done them a year prior), so she had them button it back up and send her on her way.
On her way back to DC from NC, she was (thank God!) creeping in B-to-B traffic on the interstate (after driving 70mph for some period of time), when she heard a bang in the left front, and as she was inching over in between the construction barrels to the median shoulder, her front left wheel just fell off and her front left rotor gouged into pavement!
Turns out, several of the studs had sheared off or backed off somewhere behind her on the trip, and the last ones gave way as she was creeping in traffic.
My inside technical experts confirmed by suspicion that this can happen if the lugs were not torqued sufficiently. Apparently, loose lugs can back off partially, causing the studs to feel excess vibrational stress and ultimately fail.
Thanks to God that she wasn't driving at highway speeds when they finally gave way.
And also thankful that the first few lugs that spun off didn't kill or hurt someone on the road behind her (imagine that ruining your day!).
Of course, the Dealer dis-avowed any responsibility for not torquing the lug nuts, but it still burns me today that they put my girl at risk by #1) Not performing safe work practices, and #2) Doing work that was not authorized, trying to solicit more income from an unsuspecting young woman by up-selling a brake job that she didn't need!

 

Sorry for your accident; what is most important that you are OK. Cool looking 73. With the help from the great people on this Forum, we will have you out enjoying more Sunday drives in no time!

Post pics as you do your repairs.

Fran

 

After having considerable difficulty finding a body shop to do the work and several rounds with the insurance adjuster who it seemed wanted to total my car, I finally have progress to report.

Has to be made worse before it can be better.

There is hope!

Salem Autobody doing great work

Made my amateur paint work look bad with this professionally done part.

Getting there soon.

 

You are close! Hang in there, you're almost back on the road!

 

Looks like you pick the right shop ,that color looks awesome .Wont be long now till your back on the road .I am off to check my wheel nuts

 

Looks good. Is the interior car being painted? If no, I would be concerned about paint match.

 

I had similar troubles on first drive of the year around two years ago . Wheel came of but got stuck in wheel well not quit as much damage but still sucks . Car looking great with your paint and body work good luck