the most annoying thing while working on old cars

Buy a metric tap and dye set. You can re-thread the cert holes and also re-thread any bolts/screws you happen to strip. It has come in handy for me, especially when stero geeks tear into a Ferrari interiors. They never put the interior back together right...it IS soooo anoying!! Hope that helps! Niki

 

Sometimes you get lucky and can tap the hole with a hammer to make it a little smaller (ie. when the screw strips it often pulls the metal towards its head leaving a bump). Other than welding a spot I have no other ideas.

 

You could also go with a helicoil, though you'll have to drill a little.

 

There are also little plastic plugs which tap into the hole which will then will accept the self tapping screw. Should have been done that way in the first place!

Cheers
Warren

 

What you are talking about I usually find in sheet metal, particularly stuff that's on the thin side, where the self-tapping screws tear up the metal. If the hole is near the edge, there are clips that go over the sheet metal that will hold a screw. They are available in packages in most automotive or hardware stores, or from some of the general automotive catalogues. If the hole is not near the edge and there is room behind, I've had success with the plastic plugs. Just be careful not to bend the metal getting it in.

 

I have used three mthods:

1)Tap the hole with hammer as described previously in this thread

2) Go around the perimeter of hole with center punch making hole smaller

3) filing the hole with epoxy. I like this better than welding because it does not hurt the nearby paint. Devcon makes some really good stuff they make an epoxy that's 90% steel and they make one that is 80% aluminum. (I have used these to repair valve bodies for Automatic transmissions under contract for US Automakers, again no heat... no distortion)

 

Chris:

Can you identify the brand you use?

Thanks.
Alberto

 

Martin,

The sheet-metal screws securing interior panels on many Italian cars are usually the size we call a #4. We can buy larger diameter #6 screws with #4 heads to fit a stripped hole with-out the unsightly look of a larger screw head. If you check with a well stocked supplier in Germany you should be able to find a similar product. The other fixes mentioned here will work but this one is quicker if the screws are on hand. Other sizes such as a #8 with a #6 head and a #10 with a #8 head are also available.

Good luck.

Wil

 

Another option is to use a product like "liquid steel" to fill the hole, then drill and tap the original #4 or other (metric) screw size.