Hi all, long time visitor and customer first time poster. I have a 65 Impala SS convertible I frame off restored 8 years ago. One hood hinge bolt hole has stripped, would like some input on repair of threads. My first option was to drill out re-tap and helicoil the hole or use a larger bolt. Another was to remove hood, MIG weld hole and re-tap however with hardness of MIG welds that is not my first option. Yet another option would be cut slot under hinge next hole to use a Nut plate clip. Would like an opinion on the best solution.
There are certainly multiple ways to approach solving that problem.
A larger bolt seems simplest, but I also see no issue w/ tapping what's there and using a helicoil.
Perhaps you could use the same size bolt as original (thereby keeping the bolt hole in the hinge the same size), and just use another nut on the backside of the fender's stripped nut (true, holding it while getting it started might be difficult...BUT, how often does one really need to pull their hood hinges off anyway?)
You could also try a "Set-A-Nut" (or something named like that, as there are several varieties). Basically, it's a "threaded insert"...you start w/ a hole, put this thin gauge metal insert in place, and can use a tool available, or sometimes an allen key and bolt, and it collapses the walls of the insert against the wall of the hole, wedging it all cleanly in place.
Those are the simplest approaches.
IF, you're going to go through the added time and labor of welding (and subsequantly repainting and blending the inner fender edge), then I'd opt for getting to the backside of the original "weld-nut" that is stripped, grind it off (access may be tricky), and just weld a new nut in place...but certainly there are easier ways.
A Helicoil is probably one of the simplest and strongest repairs if you are retaining the original bolt size. I believe the threads are actually stronger than the originals. I do many of these types of repairs and am very happy with the results.
Hood bolt hole repair
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