Problem with mounting slave cylinder bracket

[JayEstes 172]

All,

 

I am restoring my 69, and currently in process of cleaning up the frame so I can paint and treat with undercoat (all functional parts removed from frame). When I removed the stock slave cylinder bracket from the underside of the main beam (drivers side), it had 3 bolts holding it in place. One on the inside going in horizontally, and two going in (more or less) vertically (through the bracket) up into frame.

 

One of the fasteners on the underside, was a bolt that goes into a nut (or nut plate) that was held fast in the frame. The other- oddly - was a bolt with a head on the inside of the frame, and a nut on the underside (outside).

 

My problem is that this second fastener (a bolt with a head on the interior of the frame) on the underside is loose inside the frame. It has "some metal" attached to the head (can't see it), it can be freely turned, but can't come out of the frame - best I can tell.

 

It's kind of hard to describe, so go to this video so you can see the area and the bolt in the frame:

 

I'm baffled how this went together in the first place, AND how to fix it.

If you have a solution or advice - I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Jay

[69gmachine 15]

There's supposed to be a nutsert in the frame that compresses when the bolt is tightened, but it's not unusual for them to fall out because the hex opening gets enlarged and they don't expand very much when compressed. You can buy replacement nutserts, but I would just weld a nut in place (or weld a nutsert in place).

[JayEstes 172]

if it was a nutsert, why does it look like a bolt - with the head inside the frame (see video)? I actually removed a nut from the end of that bolt that is protruding. Any recommendations on how to get the bolt out of the frame?

Edited August 6, 2012 by JayEstes

[69gmachine 15]

The nutsert (or crush nut) is gone and someone stuck a bolt in there to replace it. How they got it inside the frame rail I have no idea, but it's not supposed to be there.

 

I would remove it and either put the correct nutsert back in or weld a nut in there.

[Grabber70Mach 107]

The nutsert (or crush nut) is gone and someone stuck a bolt in there to replace it. How they got it inside the frame rail I have no idea, but it's not supposed to be there.

 

I would remove it and either put the correct nutsert back in or weld a nut in there.

 

+1, any way to get a three finger retriever up in there and grab the bolt to remove it?

[JayEstes 172]

I don't think it will come out. That beam is closed up pretty much everywhere. Even if I cut the bolt, I think the head will be stuck in there. I could push the whole bolt inside, but I don't want the rattles.. Really want to get the whole thing out.