Weird Fastener on '38 Ignition Lock ???

beauishere

beauishere

Junior Member
Gentlemen,

I'm helping my Dad restore his '38 Tudor Deluxe. We want to replace the rubber gasket between the dash and the ignition lock/column mount. The mount has two bolts holding it to the dash. One is a standard hex head bolt and washer, the other side (toward the passenger) is a bolt but has a rounded top with what looks like an attached washer. No place to put a wrench. Is this stock? Some odd thing that's gonna make us take the column off and spin the sucker to get it off?

I can't take a picture because it's in the dash pointing down. But I was just wondering if you folks know of some weird fastener they used back then and perhaps a solution.

Thanks for any help.
 
Yes its stock.That is a bolt that the hex head twists off when tightened .I think Ford did this on purpose for security theft reasons.You need to cut a slot so you can remove it with a screwdriver or flatten the sides so as to get a small vise grip on it.Kind of a bugger to get out.
 
Mahalo!

We were thinking that would be an option but were hoping against it. I guess I'll pull out the Dremel. Thanks again.

Aloha
 
That is a security bolt that had the hex head designed to break off at a certain torque point. You have two like that on the steering drop. One under the dash that mounts the drop to the bottom of the dash. The other at the split in the collar of the drop that clamps the column tube. I've had to remove the one under the dash using channel lock or vice grip pliers. The one in the drop collar can be removed buy drilling a series of shallow holes in a straight line to form a screw driver slot. If you are not building a show car you can replace the one under the dash with a standard hex head bolt and the other at the collar with an allen head machine screw.
 
Thanks John,

I did notice the one at the column clamp as well.

This car will be a nice driver. But out of curiosity, how would one replace the security bolt now-a-days?
 
I have used an easy out to remove the one on the clamp.Worked well.Some vintage ford parts suppliers (All Ford in Campbell,CA or The Early Ford Store in San Dimas,CA)still might have some NOS security bolts in stock.If not use a normal NF cap screw on where it attaches to the dash and a NF allen bolt where it clamps to the column.
 
Roy Nacwicz may have those security bolts. He is the best source that i am aware of for authentic Ford hardware.
 
If there are still some of those bolts around, I think I'll try to find a couple. Always best to put it back the way it was if you can.

Thanks for all the posts. This place is the best.
 
Nacewicz makes them. By the way...my '48, owned since new by my family, has THREE of the things, both bracket to dash screws and the clamp screw on the lock.
NONE of the three were broken off! I think the guy tightening those at Edgewater Ford on November 11, 1947 overslept that day and got to work without eating his Wheaties!
 
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