HELP!!

DFF · Post by **DFF** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:33 pm

Can anyone help me?

The other day I went to release the front bonnet catch on my'73 914/4 2.0L and the cable snapped leaving me unable to open the bonnet and re-fuel. Last year I replaced the front bumper and remembered being able to release the bonnet while the bumper was off via a hole near the bonnet catch. Unfortunately when I went to undo the bolts under the front wheel arch to take the bumper off this time around, the bolt heads where a little rounded and I was unable to get them off : (

I have been thinking about perhaps welding a socket to the existing bolt heads, drilling them out etc but its quite tricky because of the limited workspace under the wheel arch.

Does anyone have a humane and easy solution to my problem? I would be very grateful of your advice!

914bob · Post by **914bob** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 10:51 pm

Removing your indicator / sidelight units will aid your access options to those rounded bumper bolts. Interested to hear how you get on with this one.

fourteener · Post by **fourteener** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 7:34 am

The welding option might be really tricky due to the space. Have you tried one of these sockets? I think they're called grip fasteners

hot66 · Post by **hot66** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:35 am

fourteener wrote:The welding option might be really tricky due to the space. Have you tried one of these sockets? I think they're called grip fasteners

I havn't seen those before. Do they work well ?

fourteener · Post by **fourteener** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:52 am

Well I borrowed a snap-on one from a friend to use, oddly enough, on my rounded rear bumper bolts. I can say that they certainly grip the head of the bolt, so much so that it sheared off the head.
So It didn't quite work as I wanted but if your bolts are not completely fused at a molecular level then I have no doubts it'll do the job.

fourteener · Post by **fourteener** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:10 am

It was a BLUE POINT tool (same as snap-on), but the Irwin tool looks good quality also

rally914 · Post by **rally914** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:20 pm

The easy way to get in is remove number plate drill hole in bumper to line up with one in car use long screwdriver open catch your in put plate back on job done

914bob · Post by **914bob** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:00 am

You're aiming for little hole (about 13mm diameter) pretty central to the latch unit. Good luck.

fourteener · Post by **fourteener** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:19 am

If you have glass fibre bumpers then that is a great idea. If you have a nice chrome one then I'd make sure it came off rather than drill it.