Door Striker bolts stuck
 

I have a 57 Vette. The door was not closing properly. I tried to adjust the door striker. Two of the 3 screws were stuck solid and impossible to loosen. I tried PB blaster, using an impact screwdriver, and finally I've drilled out the heads figuring I could get it with a stub remover drill. Still not working. I think a prior owner has glued the striker bolts. Is there a way to access the bolts from the back side? Any suggestions to get that striker off? Help!

Uhh wow.. Went all in huh.. Wish you wouldn't have drilled the heads out already. I'm sure you didn't try heating with a torch.. Since you didn't say if it was painted, or restored or original, that may have not been an option.. But since your in the predicament your in, and I'm sure others will give options too, here goes. Drill all the way through with a small bit, then work your way up with bigger bits. Then pick the remnants out with a scribe or a pick. Start there and readvise here..

All mine were totally frozen, both sides on my '59. I'm not sure if your '57 is setup the same way, but you won't be able to fix it properly until you can get to it from the backside. The easiest way, I found, was to cut a 4" x 6" hole in front of the rear wheel well. Then you've got excellent access to the nut plate & retainer. Save the cutout & bond it back in when finished.

Are you sure the door hinge bushings are tight? If so, and you want to remove the strikers, rather than cutting things, drill out the screw heads then remove the gas tank and reach the plates from behind. Plates can be removed and studs safely heated and removed on the bench away from the car to avoid possible collateral paint and body damage. Tank can be R&R in a couple of hours and no permanent damage to anything. Now is a good time to evaluate the condition of your fuel tank and replace it if you have any doubts. A new fuel tank will pay dividends in the long run. :thumbs: :smash: Pilot Dan

I think Dans idea of accessing from the backside by removing the fuel tank is a good option. I really don't want to cut and bond the car has no bondo underneath. However, I'm not sure if I can remove the fuel tank or have the correct drill bits to drill out the screw heads, I'm not a mechanic. I may have to resort to a local restorer to take care go this.

Here is my two cents......The access from the gas tank well is not very good. There are four rivets that need to be drilled out of the cage to remove the nutplate . Look at the inset picture on this page to see what you're dealing with http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....5Z50000050x~~~
It is much easier to cut an access hole in the underside of the fenderwell. I ususally remove them by drilling off the heads, and then wire welding a nut to the end of the protruding stud. If you don't twist the cage loose (ususally from rust), then you should be able to crank them out with a wrench.

Mike Coletta

FWIW, if you remove the tank, plan on new bolts, clamps, hose, top protector felt, etc. You'll probably snap the nuts loose from the brackets under the car, and they are worse to replace. You'll also have to remove the drivers seat, and you'll probably want to remove the top frame for better access. Been down this road more times than I can count.

When I did mine the gas tank was out and the tank bolts came out easy. The door striker screws were a bitch and frozen. I did not want to weld around the finished paint so with the heads drilled off the screws, all you have to do is reach in and remove the nut plate with the screw shafts still attached. The retainer will pop off with a little pressure and can be re secured with a dab of adhesive once the strikers are reinstalled. I just could not bring myself to cut the body. Moved the top to full forward and temporarily tied it, I had no need to remove it Whatever works for you is good. :cheers:

It is quite common for those screws to become siezed after many years. They are siezed from rust on the threads. The screws are steel and the nut plate is steel. After years of moisture/condensation, that's what happens and as described by those above, they can be a major pain to remove and replace.
When replacing the screws, be sure to lube the threads thoroughly.

Thanks everyone. The door functions ok at least for now. I'll leave it alone and when I have to give it to my restorer.