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    Results 1 to 15 of 15
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Dec 2004
      Posts
      381
      Country Flag: United States

      Clean up rusted body bolts or buy new?

      I am in the middle of tearing a 67 C10 apart to have the body work started. I am not looking for anything original and will turn it into a pro-tour hot rod of some sort. I just have a question regarding all the body, fender, core support bolts. They are all old and crusty, some have black paint and some have orange paint on them. I prefer to have a satin looking engine bay with nice bright zinc plated bolts everywhere for that clean look. Should I bother with these old fender bolts that I have soaking in rust remover or should I just go to the hardware store and buy a much of grade 8 bolts? I think grade 8 are the only bolts that are actual zinc plated.

      I welcome any advice and some pics of your engine bay would be amazing.

      Thanks, Erik

    2. #2
      Join Date
      Apr 2001
      Location
      The City of Fountains
      Posts
      15,971
      Country Flag: United States
      There are companies that make whole car bolt kits, some are available with stainless hardware.

      Andrew
      1970 GTO Version 3.0
      1967 Cougar build
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      "You were the gun, your voice was the trigger, your bravery was the barrel, your eyes were the bullets." ~ Her

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Oct 2009
      Posts
      220
      I would first try AMK to see if they have a kit for your truck

      If not then invest in a small media tumbler and that will strip the bolts clean

      Then theres 2 options

      1. Shine them up with a fine wire wheel mounted on a bench top grinder

      2. Buy a small zinc plating kit
      1969 frost green camaro
      LS3
      Speedtech pro touring front subframe
      ridetech rear 4-link
      moser 12 bolt eaton tru trac 3.73

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Feb 2013
      Posts
      799
      Country Flag: United States
      I've been buying mine from these guys:
      https://www.clipsandfasteners.com/default.asp

      They'll have most of what you need.

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Oct 2018
      Location
      Phoenix, AZ
      Posts
      584
      Country Flag: United States
      If they rusted in the first place they will likely do it again without plating everything...if they aren't too pitted anyway. For the money, I always just get new stainless everything. It's so much nicer to assemble the project with fresh, clean hardware while knowing it will keep looking that good. In the grand scheme, it doesn't really add much cost.

      Since you like the zinc look so much, yeah getting all new grade 8 hardware will get you there quickly and easily. But know that it's less expensive to make a semi-educated guess at your total quantities and just order it all at once online. Ever since I started doing that with hardware I'm less frustrated about the cost and having a few leftover always benefits the next project.
      '95 F-150 track ready street beast
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    6. #6
      Join Date
      Apr 2009
      Location
      Michigan
      Posts
      322
      Country Flag: United States
      I used a lot of the common offshore grade 8 fasteners on my build a few years ago. I noticed that within a year or two they all started looking kind of oxidized and chalky, and this is on a rarely driven fair weather only car. It's not a big deal to me, but something to keep in mind if you're building a show car. I think good quality stainless hardware would stay looking good longer.

      I found the cheapest place to buy grade 8 hardware by a mile was Tractor Supply Co. They still sell it by the pound as far as I know. Menard's is probably a close second. I like supporting my local hardware store but they were over double the cost, and it adds up.

      I think all the commonly available grade 8 hardware comes from the same place regardless of "brand." Real factory hardware is about as good as it gets (aside from high dollar ARP etc), but it is time consuming to clean up.
      - Ryan

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Oct 2014
      Location
      DFW, Texas
      Posts
      422
      Country Flag: United States
      Get fresh coated hardware. It should be extremely easy and cheap for something like a C10.
      1972 Plymouth 'Cuda - Not LS-swapped, 5.7L Hemi [MS3 Gold Box], T56 Magnum 6-speed - 'Cuda Build Page
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    8. #8
      Join Date
      Sep 2016
      Location
      Bakersfield, CA
      Posts
      603
      Country Flag: United States
      I just had a large batch of fasteners done in Cerakote Elite Blackout. Couldn't be happier.
      http://www.TheFOAT.com/92GTA
      1969 Pontiac Firebird
      w/535ci IAII aluminum block, Dailey dry sump, Holley EFI (full road race build). Primer black w/black interior.
      1992 Pontiac Trans Am GTA w/SLP Performance Package. Dark Jade Grey Metallic, grey leather, T-Tops.

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Posts
      641
      Fastenal has a huge selection of bolts. Both SS and mild steel.
      I used the black 5/16" washer head bolts for the inner fender, fender bolts and grill. Bought them in bulk (box of 50?) from NAPA.
      Other bolts I bought in bulk from Fleet Farm grade 8. They are kind of gold in color. I did not reuse any original bolts from my 68 C10 project.

    10. #10
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Jacksonville, FL
      Posts
      1,651
      Country Flag: United States
      Buy new.
      Chris
      1968 Chevy Camaro SS
      LS3/T56 DSE suspension


    11. #11
      Join Date
      Mar 2015
      Posts
      96
      Country Flag: United States
      I prefer flanged bolts. I like my bolts and hardware to blend in not stick out like a sore thumb. In a pinch Lowe's has a decent selection of body/fender bolts. My wagon's previous owner used whatever would fit in a hole and I've gone to great lengths to make my hardware match and blend in. KISS

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Jonesboro, Arkansas
      Posts
      2,506
      Country Flag: United States
      yeah, buy new. Definately!

      Carl Wilson
      1968 Camaro - T-56 6 speed - 383 Stroker, 2014 Mustang GT seats. FiTech EFI, Tanks Inc. Tank with Deutschwerks fuel pump.

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Sep 2004
      Location
      Metamora, Illinois
      Posts
      1,614
      Quote Originally Posted by anguilla1980 View Post
      I just had a large batch of fasteners done in Cerakote Elite Blackout. Couldn't be happier.
      X2...I'm getting ready to remove all my stainless fasteners and have them cerakoted

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Nov 2016
      Location
      Sulphur, La
      Posts
      598
      Has everyone had success with stainless fasteners? I have used them in Offroad applications and can’t keep them torqued. I asked a few of the mechanical engineers down the hall and they felt like stainless was a poor choice for fasteners so I have not used any since the .

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Sep 2016
      Location
      Bakersfield, CA
      Posts
      603
      Country Flag: United States
      I'm liberal with the orange lock-tite on most things so I have not noticed it, plus the Cerakote makes the thread tolerances tighter too. But where it would really make a difference, especially safety related, I'd agree SS is not the best. It should be safety wired if used depending on the application.

      http://www.TheFOAT.com/92GTA
      1969 Pontiac Firebird
      w/535ci IAII aluminum block, Dailey dry sump, Holley EFI (full road race build). Primer black w/black interior.
      1992 Pontiac Trans Am GTA w/SLP Performance Package. Dark Jade Grey Metallic, grey leather, T-Tops.






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