Help needed: hood hinge captive nut repair/replacement (fixed!)

[Dakota]

I removed my hood hinges to deal with some rust behind them.  One of the captive nuts on the body side was missing (the bolt had been fed into a standard nut which was only hand tight).    Access to the backside of the captive nut location is mostly blocked by the US Cartool inner fender braces that were installed when the car was painted.  Two questions:

1. Where can I get another captive nut?  I can find one on eBay that is 5/16" but can't tell the thread pitch (I think 20 is what's needed).

2.  Any suggestions on how to do the repair?  If I can thread the pieces in from under the fender brace, I'm hoping to use some structural adhesive to hold the nut in place. The alternative is cutting a hole and welding a replacement piece in place.

[Cuda Cody]

make your own or maybe give Tony a call and see if he can get one off a parts car.  I think David might have access to a parts car too.  But remember it's often more time to go remove the small part then what the part is worth so be ready to compensate them if they are willing to cut one out of a parts car.  That what I would do if I was fixing it.  Find a parts car and cut it out. 

[Brads70]

If you can make me a drawing of some sort I could machine you one?

[Dakota]

Really appreciate the offer Brad.  Let me checkout the parts car options and I'll get back to you. 

[gzig5]

The standard UNC thread for 5/16" is 18 pitch and the UNF fine pitch is 24.  I'd bet it is probably 18.  You can take your bolt to the hardware store and they should have a thread detective gizmo to tell you what it is if you aren't sure.  Or lay it next to a ruler, get your reading glasses, and start counting threads.

[jimynick]

It's non moveable, so why not get a regular nut up, run a bolt into it to hold onto it and mig the thing in? Failing that, those square nuts were used by everybody and you could usually find them in the doors as well. In the end you'll end up migging it in anyways so why make it more difficult for yourself? 

[RUNCHARGER]

Jimmynick has done it before.

[jimynick]

Jimmynick has done it before.

Yep, a few times. Failing doing it that way and if you absolutely have to have it the original way, I'd pick up a piece of scrap metal that's about 3/16th thick, cut it to size and then drill and tap it before you weld it in. A lot of work for little gain, but that's just my     

[RUNCHARGER]

Yes: I've done that as well.

[Dakota]

I was able to get this fixed without too much drama.   A 5/16th" captive nut (18 threads/inch) was available on eBay.  Based on the nut cage's size, a pair of holes were drilled around the location of the missing nut.  There was a small gap under the quarter panel stiffening components that could be used to thread a wire through to the nut location (the pieces had to be pushed through the gap individually).   The balled up wire allowed some tension to be put on the backside of the cage by pulling from the inside the engine compartment.   After a fair bit of jiggling, everything got was lined up and plug welded.  The wire was removed by pushing it back through the gap.   

[Cuda Cody]

Nice Job!   

[idfontenot]

Found a good captured nut replacement for the ones up against the firewall but does anybody have a source for the front hinge nut?

I'm about to replace an inner fender on one side and I don't think it comes with any of the hinge nuts.

[Cuda Cody]

Welcome to the forum @idfontenot       Could you remove the old one on your inner fender and reuse it?

Found a good captured nut replacement for the ones up against the firewall but does anybody have a source for the front hinge nut?

I'm about to replace an inner fender on one side and I don't think it comes with any of the hinge nuts.

[idfontenot]

No, that's rusted through also.  I don't mind it not being original, but I will have to USCT braces on top so it won't be easy to just have a normal nut and bolt there.

[Dakota]

Welcome aboard!

A picture would help me to make sure I know which position you're talking about.  Without the benefit orb seeing a picture, I'd think the approach of fishing a wire through a gap in the USCT stiffener to pull a nut and cage against the sidewall would work in any of the captive nut positions.