Bolting up body panels

[jonfletch01]

Quick question for you guys, has anyone used normal bolts and washers instead of body panel bolts to bolt up panels?

Any down side to it besides not having the lead in / self centering aspecs of the boday panel bolts?

[GMR-PERFORMANCE]

A bolt and washer will work the large head ont he bolt helps with body shims to prevent the metal from bending.. Those bolts are not overly costly and when done look good as well.. But in a pinch use a large head washer.

[1963c-10]

Welcome to the forum. Always glad to see another north carolinian here. There is a pretty big group here from the Charlotte /SC area. Be sure to check out the NC home page under regions also. I used stainless bolts from Lowes to mount my rear fenders. I have used their stainless section for quite a few things.

[losthope]

do you have a u-pull salvage yard around you? when i acquired my truck the front clip was barley bolted on missing most of the bolts , I went to the local pick-and-pull that had a couple 60-66 trucks and started pulling a bunch body panel bolts, had a couple hand fulls and they charged me $3.....just a cheap idea for the right bolts

[jonfletch01]

I'm not too far from Charlotte, I'll have to check out the NC home page in a bit...

The last time I checked the local pull a part, they didn't have any of our trucks.. Have to keep an eye out..

But probably will go with the SS bolts at Lowes, don't have to worry about rust which I why I want to replace them..

[1963c-10]

Trucks are hard to find around here also. The mid-atlantic area isn't very friendly to body panels and with the price of scrap steel....have seen at least 20 trucks go to the local crusher. Its a shame....alot of them were salvageable and the yard wont sell them once on sight.