Electra63 Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 (edited) Anyone know how to access the speed nuts in order to remove the front fender moldings on 63 era Electra? I'm hoping I can do it without having to remove the entire fender.... Perhaps there's a way to remove the wheel arch in the wheel well instead? Edited July 3, 2022 by Electra63 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 You should be able to access the speed nuts by dropping the fender liner out of the way. You may get lucky and nothing's attached to it that would complicate that. Worst comes to worst, put a couple layers of masking tape next to the ventiport, then use a heavy and sharp putty knife to slide behind it and shear off the potmetal studs. Then use 3M molding attaching tape to put them back. Not the preferred way, but you may find that after 59 years the studs might wring off anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivguy Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 Looking at the size of those castings, I wouldn't be surprised if they have steel studs embedded in the pot metal. So trying to snap them off might result in damage not only to the casting, but to the surrounding sheet metal. I would pull the fender liners and take a look. Even if you don't completely remove them you could see what you are dealing with. You could cut the retaining nuts with a Dremel if necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 Thanks. I see a series of bolts (yellow arrow) that seem to attach the liner to the fender but the liner seems to be welded to another piece (blue arrow) that forms the lining of the engine bay. I don't see a way to remove just the liner unless there is one huge piece that covers the entire wheel well. Does this make sense or am I missing something. The factory body manual doesn't seem to help on this ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 Looking towards the front inside the wheel well the seam shown by the yellow arrow seems to also be welded to the interior of the engine bay where my finger is pointing in the second photo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61polara Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 The inner fender is massive on these cars and I believe the fender has to be removed before you can remove the inner finder. Pulling the finder is your best choice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 2 hours ago, 61polara said: The inner fender is massive on these cars and I believe the fender has to be removed before you can remove the inner finder. Pulling the finder is your best choice. Thanks 61polara. I had a feeling that would be the case. Sigh. I'll sleep in it and revisit the whole thing again tomorrow. I think it just became a larger project than I'd hoped but I need to do some touch-up work so hey - might as well kill two birds with one stone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NailheadBob Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 (edited) I have removed the "ornaments" (4 of them on front fenders) on a 1962 Electra, and I would think would be similar to a 1963 Electra, If memory is working correctly, I was able to remove 3 of them by just reaching through a opening (front or rear not sure of which, where of inner fender meets outer fender center area) from under hood reaching my arm through the opening, not very easy, but I did get 3 of them off, using a 1/4" drive ratchet and I think 3/8" size socket, not sure on socket size, there is also a retainer ( it comes loose after nut removed) on each to secure it to fender, I did not get the 4th one off a my arms were to large in diameter, I was panning on removing the inner fender panel, but never got around to it. I am going to a Buick Club Car meet and show today and if there is a 1961 thru 1964 Electra at show I will investigate this and reply back. Bob EDIT: No 1961 thru 1964 Electra's at the car show today, sorry. Edited July 4, 2022 by NailheadBob update (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 7 hours ago, NailheadBob said: I have removed the "ornaments" (4 of them on front fenders) on a 1962 Electra, and I would think would be similar to a 1963 Electra, If memory is working correctly, I was able to remove 3 of them by just reaching through a opening (front or rear not sure of which, where of inner fender meets outer fender center area) from under hood reaching my arm through the opening, not very easy, but I did get 3 of them off, using a 1/4" drive ratchet and I think 3/8" size socket, not sure on socket size, there is also a retainer ( it comes loose after nut removed) on each to secure it to fender, I did not get the 4th one off a my arms were to large in diameter, I was panning on removing the inner fender panel, but never got around to it. I am going to a Buick Club Car meet and show today and if there is a 1961 thru 1964 Electra at show I will investigate this and reply back. Bob Thanks Bob for your support! Enjoy the meet! After some detailed examination I decided that taking the fender off was the only way to access them all. As you said 2 or 3 can be accessed on the passenger side by reaching in. But on the driver's side there is additional equipment in the way including the vacuum reservoir for the power brakes. Anyway after figuring it all out I was able to remove the right fender without taking off the bumper. You do have to remove the light as it's bolted to the front of the fender. There are also 2 bolts at the bottom front of the fender that connect to the bumper. Those were tricky as the access was tight and also offset from the bolt heads. Using a double wobble extension I was able to remove them. That was the hardest part. It's off now. See photo. Wasn't too painful in the end 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 Inside of fender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 While you are there, you might want to be sure your antenna has good clean connections and grounds. Could help your radio reception. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 (edited) True thanks Larry. For the record in case anyone needs the info the moldings are held on by 3/8" speed nuts Guess some soldering is needed on the antenna. Ha ha. Just fell apart... Edited July 4, 2022 by Electra63 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 3 hours ago, Electra63 said: It's off now. See photo. Wasn't too painful in the end Great googamooga.😬 But, as me dad was fond of saying, "man put it together, man can take it apart and put it back together". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 5, 2022 Author Share Posted July 5, 2022 Well I hope this man can put it back together or I'm in trouble 🙂😆 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted July 5, 2022 Share Posted July 5, 2022 (edited) Electra63: Well I hope this man can put it back together or I'm in trouble 🙂😆 "man put it together, man can take it apart and put it back together". Edited July 5, 2022 by Larry Schramm (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 17, 2022 Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 With the fenders off and the 'ornaments' or moldings or whatever they are removed and at the chrome shop I'm taking the time to fix some rust spots on the fenders including the area just behind the wheels where it has pretty much rusted through. I don't have a welder and even if I did I wouldn't trust my welding skills but I found a YouTube of a repair shop using JB Weld to fix a steel patch over cleaned up rust holes. So far that's working quite well for me and the repairs came out very solid. Suits my objective of owning a relatively low budget but nice tidy vehicle to drive to local shows and occasionally to the office etc. So now I'm learning patience to get the fender repairs as clean as possible including prime and spray of the area with touch up paint. I'm looking forward to getting the ornaments back from the chrome shop in a week or so from now. Then the fenders can go back on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 17, 2022 Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 Oh...and the antenna trim cleaned up nicely even though the mast itself is not in great shape. I'm hoping to get an after market mast that I can adapt to fit through the trim piece and modify the tube that supported the old one to hold the after market unit. If anyone has experience of doing something similar please let me know. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 Those style masts were used on many GM cars of that timeframe. The difference was the fender escutcheon. See if someone down in Buickland has a parts book that can give you the 63 Buick B&C car antenna part number and go searching. I think it will work better than trying to find and fit an aftermarket unit into the escutcheon and tube. Or a little 0000 steel wool and some polishing compound might clean up your existing mast. Clean antenna usually equals clean reception! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NailheadBob Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 as rocketraider stated try to avoid aftermarket antenna, Buick antenna # is 1364440 fits 1963 and 1964 44-46-4800 series cars, also try James Kehr at bestoffercounts: https://www.ebay.com/itm/232770558060?fits=Year%3A1963|Model%3AElectra|Make%3ABuick&hash=item363234d86c:g:uR4AAOSwcSJa-7zA and : Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 18, 2022 Author Share Posted July 18, 2022 Awesome. Thanks for the replies, guys. Now I have a good point of reference Much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 17 hours ago, rocketraider said: Or a little 0000 steel wool and some polishing compound might clean up your existing mast. This ^^^ If yours isn't bent it should clean-up and work fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 18, 2022 Author Share Posted July 18, 2022 Thanks EmTee. It looks like the bottom copper section was soldered onto the connector on the outside of the cover tube that sits under the fender and it came apart. Am I understanding it right that the connector should be soldered onto the bottom section of the mast ? Hope my explanation is clear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted July 19, 2022 Share Posted July 19, 2022 If I understand the question, yes. Pictures are helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 On 7/18/2022 at 6:24 PM, EmTee said: If I understand the question, yes. Pictures are helpful. yes it wasnt very clear. If I take the previous photo I posted, the interior part of the connector in the blue circle seemed to be soldered to the mast (you can see the solder in the area circled in red) I'm not sure if that connection is meant to be made just by the pressure of the mast placed against the connector or if the two should be soldered together (inside the grey outer tube) Hope this is clearer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Yes, I believe the center conductor of the coaxial cable should be connected to the antenna mast. The mast should be isolated electrically from the mounting hardware, which the shield is attached to. Was there a coaxial connector there, or was the center conductor soldered to the spot that you circled? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 22, 2022 Author Share Posted July 22, 2022 there was a coax cable screwed to the connector. I disconnected it before removing the fender. It looks like the center conductor where the coax was screwed on may have been soldered to that spot on the mast You can clearly see the center conductor in this photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Ah - yes, that picture makes sense. Solder the center pin to the copper sleeve (clean it up with some steel wool or wire brush). You'll probably need to remove the connector so that you can reach through the opening to solder the wire. If you're lucky you should be able to push the wire into the existing solder with the iron and hold it until the solder melts and then remove the iron. May need to add some new solder if the wire isn't firmly stuck. Clean the area where the connector attaches to the housing. The coax shield will ground through the threaded portion of the connector body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted July 22, 2022 Author Share Posted July 22, 2022 thanks for your help. I'll give it a shot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electra63 Posted August 27, 2022 Author Share Posted August 27, 2022 For those who were anxious about removing the fenders 🙂 I just refitted them with the help of my youngest son. I had the ornaments rechromed and took care of all the dings and rust spots and added some new clear coat. Next will be the hood which has some rust spots a couple of which have eaten all the way through. Then I'll work my way back on the car finishing with the trunk and rear fenders 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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