nose panel stuck help!

[svandamme]

decided to take off the nose panel, there's rust in the chassis that i want to tackle, had an idea of removing the bolts and wiggle it around to take off the panel, but the facts don't match up with what i had in mind...

had to chizzle, cut the stuff inbetween the panel and the chassis, just below the rubber of the hood, that went fine and i can move the panel now, but it seems to be stuck left of the arrow...
can't move much more, or i'll start damaging the panel.



i'm pretty sure that there are no bolts left, 2 in door pocket ( top )
3 down low in the fender behind the wheel, and all the ones on the top of the panel.

it feels like there is lot's of glue/silicone stuff that's impossible to cut out

decided to sleep on it, try some more tomorrow
current plan is to use an air pressure piston ( dunno the exact name in english) and have that one push the panel from below where the arrow points

does anyone have an idea on what else to try???

[jstgermaine]

I had this same problem on a 70T. Apparently, after it was reprayed the PO put some incredibly tough sealer between the fender and the frame.

I ended up taking a propane torch (off the shelf hardware store variety)to the frame side of the joint and heating just enough to make the sealer pliable enough to remove the fender.

When it was removed, there was only about five spots of three inch long sealer that held the fender in place...I wonder what the heck that stuff was...

[toolman]

There is a bolt hiddden under that gunk. Get a light and find it or you'll bend the fender. There should be two of them holding it to the cowl, and a line that goes all the way up the inside, around the top. Don't ask me how I know this.

[svandamme]

hmm

i guess this is the typical "unscrew 10 bolts" project that turns into "dismantel everything else as well" project??

looks like i'll have to get medieval on BB, exiting

[svandamme]

toolman,

i already found one that's accessed from the door , difficult to reach, do you mean that one, or is it a bolt that 's accessed from within the wheel arch?

[RoninLB]

I reinstalled the fender with new body supply store dum dum

[Neilk]

There is a bolt at the very top in the fender well plus there are a couple that are only accesible by opening the door. Furthermore, if your fender has never been taken off before, it is possible that there is a small spot weld near the windshield pillar.

I took off the front fenders of my car and was surprised at how time consuming it was as well.

[svandamme]

i suspect it never came apart before,
while cutting away the sealer around the hood, i noticed that the black paint ends where the sealer starts...bad paint job too , it chips away like nothing... which is kinda to be expected if you paint black over blue over yellowish ...
the bolts in the wheel cavity were still covered in a thick black coating as well, only on the right side , i think the left side has been removed once, couple of bolt's are missing there..

i'll have the panels cleaned to the metal than drop em off at a paint shop for the full treatment...

[svandamme]

got it off !!!

the right side fender was a pita, it was the first time it had ever been removed and there were another 4 bolts covered by half an inch of sealant and dirt, the left fender looks like it's not the original one, there's no blue paint below the current one... unlike the rest of the car, came off in 15 minutes, no sweat .

minor damage to the paint on the right door, but i'll redo that one just as well, little bit of rust down low

currently thinking how to proceed,
to engine drop or not to engine drop:
finish the nosejob first, then do the buttjob
or
get jiggie while i'm at it (bit worried bout the instant price tag)