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Necoa #: 12237
Location: 5(NC,SC)
Joined: Aug 03, 2008
Posts: 6
Year: 1974
Model: El Camino
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:50 pm Post subject: Tailgate Removal
Hey guys, I'm in the process of stripping down my 74 Elky for restoration. Does anyone know the best way to remove the big phillips head screws that hold the tailgate hinges on. I tried a #3 phillips and it was too small. Any ideas would be appreciated, I really don't want to mess these up as I have a feeling they would be very difficult or impossible to replace. Thanks
You're going to need to use an impact driver to get those out. I'd soak them down with some penitrating oil first. An Impact driver is a tool that looks like a big round peice of steel that you hold in your hand and it has a 3/8 drive socket attachment on one end. Most tool dealers have them and they usually come with a couple different size phillips head tips, including that big one on your tailgate. Anyway, you put the big tip in the screw, hold in in place tightly while putting as much pressure as you can in the direction you want to turn it and smack it on the end with a big hammer. You might want to practice on something else first. Good luck.
A really BIG phillips will work if they're not froze up, thus the WHACK like sccoutryboy mentioned.
Mine wouldn't come out even after doing all the above, soooooo, I took a die grinder and cut slits in them, then used a big pry bar type screw driver. It worked great, a little armstrong and they begged to come out but I'll need new bolts.
Good luck with it. _________________ 74 El Camino 454/400turbo work in progress!
Necoa #: 12237
Location: 5(NC,SC)
Joined: Aug 03, 2008
Posts: 6
Year: 1974
Model: El Camino
Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:02 am Post subject:
Caveman49 wrote:
A really BIG phillips will work if they're not froze up, thus the WHACK like sccoutryboy mentioned.
Mine wouldn't come out even after doing all the above, soooooo, I took a die grinder and cut slits in them, then used a big pry bar type screw driver. It worked great, a little armstrong and they begged to come out but I'll need new bolts.
Good luck with it.
Yeah, thought about doing something like that, but like you say the problem will be finding replacements. I found a #4 phillips socket attachment at Sears that I think I'll try, hopefully that will do the trick. Thanks for the input.
Necoa #: 4203
Location: 18(N.CA,N.NV)
Joined: Oct 30, 2004
Posts: 303
Year: 1975
Model: El Camino
Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:21 pm Post subject:
^That's what I used to remove mine...got it from Sears too. That plus a breaker bar and you'll have that tailgate off piece of cake. _________________ 1975 El Camino http://elcaminocentral.com/gallery-album_album358.html
Necoa #: 2321
Location: 15(AZ,NM)
Joined: Jan 30, 2004
Posts: 1169
Year: 1974
Model: El Camino
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:37 am Post subject:
I got 3 of them out with an impact driver with a big phillips head bit. The last one was impossible even with a torch. I ended up cutting flats on both sides of the bolt (it took a really long time) a big pair of vice grips and a breaker bar to get it out.
I replaced mine with grade 8 bolts. Just matched up the threads. No problems with interference and once I repainted the El nobody noticed the difference.
_________________ 74 El Camino Classic - project car #1
96 Camaro - RIP, Traded 10-16-2007
2008 Mustang GT, It ain't a Chevy but at least it's American!
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but I'll need new bolts.
