front clip install problems

[Trippin3030]

hello i just finished replacing the body on my 1980 3/4 ton 4x4 chevy for a 1981 body. it was a complete swap, clip, cab an box but i seemed to have misplaced a bolt for the front clip, the one that goes directly in front of the mirror that you have to have the door open to get at it. now the odd part is that i had the bolt for the drivers side so i grabbed one exactly the same an found out that it is way to big but not befor destroying the first couple of threads so now i cant even get a thread finder in there to find out what kind of bolt is supposed to be there. so if anyone could tell me why they're different sizes and what size the passenger side is supposed to be i would really appreciate it. its 1 of five things i need to fix befor i can get my truck rolling.

 

[MadOgre]

it is the same size bolt as the one at the top of your fender just in front of the hood hinge at firewall. also the same as the one that holds the bottom of the fender just in front of the door.

 

[chengny]

I'm thinking it is a standard 3/8" -16 NC bolt.

And, that the first bolt that was tried was the correct size. But...it might just possibly have been misaligned and somehow gotten itself cross-threaded.

Try chasing the threads with a 3/8 -16 "starter" tap. The tip will go way in - past the damaged threads - eventually it will engage the threads and the upper half will clean them up.

 

[Trippin3030]

chengny I did what you said it worked like a charm I guess I must have gotten a little impatient when I was trying to thread it the first time now the clips on and looking decent for the most part now I just gotta figure out why it wont start