Upper wishbone pivot bolt - unmitigated disaster, need help!

[JohnnyK]

Maybe you shouldn't be touching an oxy torch then.

[82DMC12]

I have located a mobile truck repair company who usually would do roadside repairs to semi's and such. Of course he has oxy, welding gear, big ass air compressor, etc on board. We are working on figuring out a good time for him to stop by my house and have a go at this thing. Cross fingers!!

[82DMC12]

Hey guys, good news! Got that goddamn shank out last night! Thanks to Bill Robertson for the advice to call a mobile repair truck. This big monster rolled up last night and two guys came out, impressed to be working on a DeLorean instead of a diesel truck, and eager to show me how it's done. A bit of heat, 150 PSI behind my air chisel, lots of swearing and Aerokroil, and about 30 minutes later they finally pushed this thing out of the frame tube. Damn! I'm convinced there is zero chance I ever would have gotten it out myself. Mostly what I needed is a massive air compressor, bigger than most people would care to have at home. Not a cheap house call but no other options at that point.

I tried to slip the Passenger side pivot bolt into the tube and it goes nearly all the way before it gets kind of tight. I'm going to put some sandpaper on a dowel and try to clean out the tube. I also ordered new bolts so maybe a new bolt with antiseize will go in easier. Just glad to get it out so I can move on with my restoration.

PXL_20210914_025840333.jpg

[JAZ_DMC]

Hey guys, good news! Got that goddamn shank out last night! Thanks to Bill Robertson for the advice to call a mobile repair truck. This big monster rolled up last night and two guys came out, impressed to be working on a DeLorean instead of a diesel truck, and eager to show me how it's done. A bit of heat, 150 PSI behind my air chisel, lots of swearing and Aerokroil, and about 30 minutes later they finally pushed this thing out of the frame tube. Damn! I'm convinced there is zero chance I ever would have gotten it out myself. Mostly what I needed is a massive air compressor, bigger than most people would care to have at home. Not a cheap house call but no other options at that point.

I tried to slip the Passenger side pivot bolt into the tube and it goes nearly all the way before it gets kind of tight. I'm going to put some sandpaper on a dowel and try to clean out the tube. I also ordered new bolts so maybe a new bolt with antiseize will go in easier. Just glad to get it out so I can move on with my restoration.

PXL_20210914_025840333.jpg

Congrats! Always good to finally win annoying battles like this.

[Henrik]

Congrats! Always good to finally win annoying battles like this.

Yeah, really. Congrats!

[82DMC12]

Thanks guys. I'm a pretty positive person with a lot of trust that in the end, things work out, but this one had me stumped. My next course of action would have been to cut the tube out of the frame, knock the pieces of bolt out that way, then have someone tack the tube back on. That would be somewhat hard to do and would have also required a house call from a mobile welder so I was really about out of options.

I did end up buying a much bigger air compressor for my garage after this experience though :-)