Item Subject: cc:Mail Text
Hi Derek,
I recently went through the windshield screw thing too and can sympathize.
I tried a number of methods over about a two week period, which included a
few different types of penetrating oil.
The following did work on 1 1/2 of the screws: Take a 2 x 10 plank about a
foot long and drill a hole of appropriate diameter about half way through
the board, in the middle of it. The hole goes against the handle of the
screwdriver on which you have carefully ground the end to precisely fit
the
slot, which I later discovered really was concave, not an optical
illusion.
Place the board against your chest and pull yourself towards the car with
all your might as you turn the screwdriver with vice-grips clamped on to
the flat part near the screw head. Do NOT bother trying to turn the handle
by hand; I now have damaged my wrist and it seems that it will be a very
long time before it will recover.
I didn't try Armor-All as a penetrant, but now am seeing this mentioned on
the list with some regularity. Maybe it works. WD-40 didn't, Liquid Wrench
didn't, and Release-All did on one, but by then it could have been the
combination of the three for all I know.
Do NOT respond to the temptation to wiggle the stanchions all around once
one of the two screws comes out; this can (did) do damage to the body.
In the end, I finally drilled the heads of the remaining screws. The
stanchions then fall right off, and the best part is that there's enough
bolt left to clamp onto with vice-grips, whereupon they come out with no
effort whatsoever! Had I known this, I would have drilled immediately and
saved myself aggravation, time, and my wrist. The drill bit should be
about
5/8", if I remember right. I can check if you want. It's a bit tricky to
get it started but then it's OK.
Next problem is finding replacement bolts. I'm still looking for some with
a Robertson head but may have to use the slots from TRF or somebody as
nothing else besides hex-heads seems to be available.
Hope this helps. Now I'd like to know how you got the apron off! I can't
see how to get at the captive nuts in around the headlights, and I can't
get the headlight buckets out because the nuts on the back of those bolts
are rotating.
Regards,
Jim Wallace
TR3A TS81417
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You wrote:
"..... I'm having trouble removing the bolts that hold on the
windshield mounts and the bolts that are inside the edge of the trunk
that hold on the rear wings. Both sets of bolts have a flat-head type
bolt or screw and I've tried many different sizes and even an impact
wrench as well as many types of penetrants. Is there any way I can
get these out without havin' to break out the drill?...."
Thanx
Derek Van Treese
'60 TR3a TS67917 L
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