stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

[William F.]

Rear most of the 2 machine screws that holds the inside door pull/armrest on my '62 falls out, won't tighten. Have tried insering a flat tooth pick into screw hole but no help; maybe toothpick didn't stay put since hole slants upward. What does the screw screw into-metal or plastic-looks like plastic best as I can see? How to repair? Will I have to remove door panel?Thanks

[William F.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

By the way, can't pull anything on subject in archives-brings up a lot of irrevalent posts, as often seems to be the case with the program that is now in place. Any suggestions on how to frame a search for this problem?

[Edward J.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

Bill, scroll to the bottom of this page prev. similar threads there is a post on stripped threads on door handle.

[Art B.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

William: It's been several years since I replaced the door panels on my '61, but as I remember the door handle used rather large machine screws that went to holes on the metal inner door panel. Yes, I think you may have to remove the cardboard fabric panel and repair the enlarged hole or else use slightly larger screws.

[Richard M.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

Arm rests use 1/4"x20 screws. They screw into a metal nut plate which is riveted to the door on the inside of the inner door fiberglass panel. To access these plates you must remove the door panel.

Once you get the panel off you should see the nutplate. Chances are the threads are stripped. IIRC, the '62 armrest nutplate is unique to '62, but the '62 armrest is like '63 and '64.

I have not seen reproduction 58-61 armrest nutplates as I recently needed one, nor have I seen a repro for '62. The '63-'64 nutplates are reproduced and available at most vendors. You may be able to modify one of these for the '62.

.......or if you remove yours(by drilling out the rivets), you may be able to weld on new nuts after cutting away the old ones. Another option is to use a helicoil. This way you could do the repair without removing the nutplate. Actually you could probably do this without removing the door panel either.

edit.....BTW, I did a search for armrest AND stripped AND screw. The only thread in the database is this one. That's why you couldn't find help using the search.

63-64 armrest nutplate below:

[Art B.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

Once again Richard comes up with superior solutions to problems. Thanks, Richard, you are a valued member of this discussion board.

[Richard M.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

Thanks Art....I'm happy to help when I can.

So to follow up from my earlier assessment, Shown in the 1962 AIM, the armrest nut plate is certainly unique to that year. It looks like a helicoil cannot be used for this repair as the threaded area is not a square nut like on the '63 nutplate, but in fact it's a narrow wall cylindrical shape like what's used on the 58-61 nutplates. Because of the unique shape of the 58-61 armrests and inner door skin, you can't use the '63-up style nutplate for the '62 armrest.

For reference also pictured is the armrest nutplate assembled on a 1960. You can see the rounded threaded portion protruding through the inner door and the rivets attaching the plate. One of these threaded "round nuts" is actually cracked and spread open(left side in my blurry photo), probably from a stripped screw in the past. I'm going to try to do a silver solder repair to keep it simple. I'll clean out the threads with a 1/4-20 tap. If that doesn't work I'll have to remove the nutplate. Maybe a hardware store threaded T-Nut welded in from the back. A '62 plate may be able to be repaired in a similar way. Either way may require removal of the nutplate. Pop rivets could be used to reinstall it.

Rich

[William F.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

Thanks for suggestions, but all sound complicated. Think the cylindrical screw receptors on the plate are cracked on mine. What about drilling out receptors and replacing with plastic drywall screw holders? or something really quick and dirty like some kind of glue that won't permanently bond screw to receptacle?(already tried paper clip and wood toothpick trick with no luck)

[Richard M.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

Last week I took the nut plate off the '60 I'm restoring. One T-nut was cracked. Actually it was cracked because the screw must have broken or seized and someone drilled it out a tried to rethread it.......unsuccessfully. I bought a few T-nuts at the local Ace Hardware. The originals are tack welded in 3 places. I drilled out the spot welds and tack welded the new one in place. The new nut threaded barrel is slightly shorter than the original but it'll work fine. I just pop riveted the plate back in using 3/16" rivets. When I did the repair I took some pics for you if you wanted to try your hand at a permanent repair. See below.

I wouldn't use drywall anchors. You'd need the size for 1/4-20 screws and it'd be too big. You'd probably have to drill a 3/8 or larger hole in the T-nut, and have just the thickness of the T-nut flange to hold the anchor. The anchor will just spin around. Anchors need depth to hold properly.

So if you want to try a quick fix, maybe try this. JB Weld. With the armrest off, put some oil on the screw threads. Pack the periphery of the threads in the T-nut with the JB Weld, and put some on the (oiled)screw threads. Insert the screw into the T-nut so it's past the backside of the T-nut. Make sure it's straight. Let it cure. Unscrew the screw and you've made new threads. The oil on the screw should keept it from bonding to it. This may work for a while.

Rich

[Edward B.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

[William F.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

Edward,How 'bout an explanation for this "Astro rivet nut tool kit" use.Who would have one? Probably expensive for a one time use.Thanks

[Edward B.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

I got mine a number of years ago to effect belly pan repairs on a 300 SL Coupe, hence the metric sizing, but the unit is available in SAE as well. Works just like a pop rivet gun, but when the mandrel is removed after setting the rivet you are left with a threaded fitting of whatever size you have selected. Perhaps "expensive" for a one time use, but you will be suprised by the number of uses you find for it once it is in your tool box. I've had to stock up on replacement rivets in several sizes during the years I've had the tool.

[William F.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

Has anybody the "thread restorer" kit that Locktite makes? Sort of an epoxy sort of deal.

[Richard M.]

Re: stripped '62 inside door pull screw reciever

It looks like what I suggested using JB weld and the oiled screw. Seems like a premium price for items you may already have on the shelf.
http://www.glasswarepro.com/2180792-...-A-Thread.aspx