TJefferson2020

My 64 has been a mismatch of fasteners and I've been steadily getting the right fasteners for all kinds of things ranging from radio side panel screws to grill screws.

Today I received my nice, black screws for the wiper grills. I thought "I'm super tired, but I'll just pop these screws in..."

I lost five of the eight screws down the vent hole. A magnet wand was of no use and I cut up my hand trying to get the screws back.

Now I have to order 8 more. BTW, the heads are too big to fit through the grill. You have to hang them in the holes, then place the grill in place. Which causes the screws to pop out and fall down the black hole where the mice live.

Son of a bitch.

GTOguy

I would magnetize the screws.

Nowhere Man

masking tape to hold the screw on the screwdriver my friend

Frankie the Fink

C'mon now. A little dum-dum (strip caulk) on the back of the cowl grill tabs that holds the 4 screws will keep the screws in place as you lower the cowl grille into the cowl opening and is invisible after the cowl is installed.

We're not splitting the atom here.

TJefferson2020

Hey! I'm tired. And old. And sort of stupid.

Frankie the Fink

Ha! And how many screws do you think I went fishing for before I figured this out?

TJefferson2020

Those screws are gone forever. I think they passed into another dimension.

Funny story. During the first frame off, I cleverly took an air hose and blew it down those vents. I received a face and mouth full of mouse nest for my trouble. Very tasty.

Later while cuttting up my old chassis for disposal using a plasma cutter (the best tool ever invented by man) another huge nest ignited in a crossmember causing a pretty good sized fire.

A few months prior, my dog was acting strangely near the car. I called him over and he spit out a tiny, bald mouse baby. (Unharmed). They were falling out of the chassis amd he was picking them up and carrying them around.

Really something to see my 112 lb German Shepherd Dog handle that tiny baby with such care. I wonder how many he swallowed.

skeew

You might check your dogs feces for mice bones....you might get lucky and find some screws

cbernhardt

Must be some instinct that some dogs have concerning young animals. My German Shepard carried a baby duck from our pond about 600 feet to our house without harming it. Let a squirrel or cat enter the yard and it is dead meat.

Charles

TJefferson2020

Excellent idea. I'd follow him around with a flashlight and a metal detector but he passed 9 years ago. Probably from too many mouse babies and screws. I have a photo of him somewhere. Magnificent boy.

TJefferson2020

Frankie the Fink

Got your PM and you are certainly welcome.

BTW your PM inbox is full.

pop23235

They'll turn up in a rear tire sooner or later.

TJefferson2020

Wait a second. Is there an outlet? Might I reach into the interior vent and retrieve screws? It seems to just lead down into the fender into a space behind the gills.

Sky65

I dropped 3 screws trying to install the left side wiper grill. Lucky for me none fell down the inside. I gave up on that method. I ran a wire tie through a couple of the vent louvers but did not tighten all the way. Then I installed the screws in the holes 1st holding the grill away from the car. I still dropped a couple screws but they fell to the ground. I picked them up and tried again. With the 4 screws installed in the holes I use the wire tie as a handle and lowered the grill in place but not all the way down. I started each screw while they were already in the grill hole. When all 4 were started I set the grill in place and secured the screws. Then I snipped the wire tie and removed it. Worked for me.


Tom

Frankie the Fink

The cowl is one of the drain points for rain coming through the grill....the passage should lead to the underside of the car and out. You might try some strong spray from a garden hose to see if the screws will wash out.

Use the dum-dum...20 seconds to put it on; another 45 to place the grill in the cowl and tighten the four screws...

DansYellow66

When you get the car on the road I would keep an eye on your garage and driveway as a couple of them might shake out and get picked up by a tire.

Changing spark plugs out on my 2003 Lightning and was scared to death of dropping one of those little coil pack screws on the back cylinders that are back up under the cowl completely out of sight. I got some thread and tied each screw to my finger with the thread so I could retrieve it if it fell into the black void back there. Then just yanked the thread to break it once it was tight. Funny - took that precaution and I don't think I actually dropped one.

Nowhere Man

no one has stated the obvious and just turn the car up side down. it will fall out

tuxnharley

Yeah - but only during a rotisserie restoration - sounds like that will be next time for the OP.............

Frankie the Fink

You guys! Try changing plugs with those coil packs on a jet ski bouncing around on a floating dock. And then 6-pack Joe comes by throwing a 2 foot wake at you in his bass boat. I'm just sayin'

Seriously. Part of the reason I like this hobby is that it challenges you to think through a problem and be creative in solving it. If something gets to be a PITA take a break and go at it in a day or two.