'63 Valiant V200 wagon - rare bolt issue

harrisonm said

@shortmort37, I agree with @RustyRatRod, tap the hole. You said you didn't have room, can you provide a picture? Now I have NOT seen it yet, but it seems that if you can get the bolt and a wrench in the correct area, you should be able to get a tap in there. If the area is like inside the tailgate and there is no room to use a standard 1/4 x 20 tap, then try to find a short/stubby tap or make one. If necessary, I see no reason why you couldn't cut a regular tap shorter and grind a square top on it like on the top of a regular tap. That is what I would do.

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I can get my 1/4-20 tap in there, but not with the handle to turn it. Although I could turn it with a crescent, the tap doesn't want to start, and I'm not going to be able to apply the pressure to get it started. But I have a plan B...

On the driver's side, the bolt was so badly rusted that even after continuous soaking with penetrating spray, I managed to snap the head off. No room to drill it out from the inside of the tailgate; so I measured carefully, and drilled it out from the *outside* of the tailgate (inside the cargo space). I then tapped it, and with a bolt that's longer than the old, it will come through the tailgate panel - I'll cut it flush to plug the hole. I can do the same, on the passenger's side.

Like I say, plan B. But I know this old bolt - of which I need two, because there are three clamps - is not 1/4-20. I know that, because I bent one 1/4-20 and snapped another trying to get it in either of the two remaining holes. This is def a 7/32-20 bolt (#12-20), frequently used in motorcycles in the old days from what I read. As to why it was used here, only heaven knows.