69 quarter panel ornaments are a pain!

[dpuwookie79 11]

I've been trying to use speed nuts to attach the studs from the chrome piece on the back of the quarter panel ornaments... but they keep popping off and in general aren't working too well. What have you guys used to attach these?

[dpuwookie79 11]

I've been trying to use speed nuts to attach the studs from the chrome piece on the back of the quarter panel ornaments... but they keep popping off and in general aren't working too well. What have you guys used to attach these?

[JayEstes 172]

I don't really have a good answer for you, but I'm hoping others do. Those cheap little "sheetmetal" screws (for lack of a better term) are not very secure. From my experience, the "bolts" don't hold them well after they have been removed a time or two - it's hard to get the "threads" to track properly and re-seat as it did originally.

 

I'm not sure if it is possible, but have you considered putting a die on the bolt to give it a real thread, and then using a real nut? I suspect that the "bolts" on the quarter panel ornament are soft, and it might not work well.

 

I've got this same issue - my ornaments are off right now, and they don't match the side body skin curvature very well, so you need to torque these nuts down a bit to get the ornament to hold flush everywhere.

 

Hoping someone else has some thoughts for you - I would like to hear them.

 

I'll take a look at mine and see if I can get some other ideas. I have the same issue.

 

J

[JayEstes 172]

I don't really have a good answer for you, but I'm hoping others do. Those cheap little "sheetmetal" screws (for lack of a better term) are not very secure. From my experience, the "bolts" don't hold them well after they have been removed a time or two - it's hard to get the "threads" to track properly and re-seat as it did originally.

 

I'm not sure if it is possible, but have you considered putting a die on the bolt to give it a real thread, and then using a real nut? I suspect that the "bolts" on the quarter panel ornament are soft, and it might not work well.

 

I've got this same issue - my ornaments are off right now, and they don't match the side body skin curvature very well, so you need to torque these nuts down a bit to get the ornament to hold flush everywhere.

 

Hoping someone else has some thoughts for you - I would like to hear them.

 

I'll take a look at mine and see if I can get some other ideas. I have the same issue.

 

J

[Vegassman 10]

Was looking into that since I'm about to pull mine off soon to media blast.

 

Is it possible the old ones are just too worn to be any good and replacements will work?

 

Here's a bunch: http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Nuts_Self_Threading_s/131.htm

[bigperm2 10]

I can tell you that I did try to use a die to put a standard thread on the pot metal ornaments. I can tell you that it does not work. The pot metal is not a consistant diameter, and it is not strong enough to take the torque required for the die to cut threads. In my limited experiance, the factory sheet metal nuts are the best. I did pick up a selection of them at the local hardware store, and found a set similar to the ford pieces that did the job, but had to "recut" the threads. If all else fails, you could try pushnuts, but they would have a hard time pulling the ornament against the body.