1968 C10 Cowl Bolt Help

[swood]

All, thanks for reading my post and hope someone out there can help me. I am trying to figure out how to tighten the drivers side outer cowl bolt that is shown in the picture. I was hoping that there is a nut on the other side and a simple tighten would do but the bolt just spins, I am even having a hard time backing it out. After looking on LMC's replacement parts it seems that this is just a screw and has no bolt or washer holding it together from inside.

Does anyone have an easy way to access this bolt, it seems impossible to get to without creating a 5 hour project? The main issue is that it is loose and the door is now rubbing on the bolt every time it is opened or closed, and it is getting worse.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated, thanks.

[GMC Canuck]

The nut should be welded on (caged) and looking at my truck I don't see any way to access it.

The only suggestion I have is to cut the bolt and install a nutsert (threaded rivet) Sorry, I don't see an easy solution. Maybe someone else has a better idea.

[swood]

Thanks for the quick response, I will cut it and try the threaded rivet. This little bolt has been driving me crazy.

[Mr Chevorlet]

As far as i know there was a nut welded on the inside that the weld has come loose. if you can drill a small hole close to the threads on each side to the nut then you can spot weld the nut solid to keep it from turning.
oops never mind that fix is for the cowl removed. But if you want to drill a bigger hole on each side of the cowl bolt then a smaller hole to the nut then spot weld it might work.

[WIDESIDE72]

No easy fix here

IMO

1. Cut bolt with sawzall
2. Remove cowl
3. Use nut sert/ comparabel to install replacement nut
4. reinstall

or ghetto method. THis depends on whether your truck is just a driver/ beater or nice truck

1. Cut slot in tab of cowl panel where nut is loose
2. Cut tab from cowl panel
3. Remove tab
4. Since tab is now removed, you can spot weld nut to cab cowl
5. Remove bolt from nut (hopefully)
6 reinstall tab on cowl (spotweld) and use a washer where tab was cut

With method, you would not have to remove wiper arms and all of the scres retaining the cowl, but it is an "iffy" repair

[magwakeenercew2jh]

This is going to sound stupid, because I'm sure you've already tried it....but here it goes anyway:

If you have not already tried this, get a few flat blade screwdrivers of different sizes. Sometimes, a little grease on the tip helps.

Wedge 'em (usually one at a time, unless you have four arms) in the spot between the cowl and the bolt head meet (I don't believe these call
for a washer, but if there's a washer, wedge the flat of the screwdriver under the washer and still next to the cowl metal), but not hard enough
to completely screw up the cowl.

As you pry out, just hard enough to get some stress on the bolt/body screw, with your 1/2' open end, slowly go "lefty-loosey".

Another possibility is using a set of Vice Grips and lefty-loosey while pulling back like you are pulling a tooth.

If it doesn't work, then no harm, no foul. Personally, I'd use a Dremel on something like that if nothing else worked.
Remember, though, if you cut it off, you'll have the pointy part of the screw/bolt rattling around in your air pocket...
Probably no biggie. But something to think about.

When it's out, there are a ton of good and ghetto fixes available to you.