willysmjeeps.com

I am in the ripout stage on myh M38A1. I have an early jeep with a late grille. I even have both top and bottom support rods for the radiator. My problem is that the large bolt in the center of the grille is either frozen or galled. I don't really mind the idea of cutting it, but what should I use to do so? I can't seem to get to it with an impact wrench or grinder. What do you think about a sawzall? I am just looking for ideas to get me back on the tear-down road. . .

Ah, I remember this all too well. Had the same problem when I took mine off the first time. It took some drenchings with WD-40, a little bit of propane flame heating and a two-man operation with breaker-bars. Don't be tempted to let the grill slats hold the wrench or breaker-bar on the top, you don't want to jimmy them up as it may take a lot of torque before it busts loose

BE SUPER-SUPER CAREFUL WITH THE FLAME, you don't need to get it red hot and DON'T MELT THE SOLDER ON YOUR RADIATOR and THE FUEL LINE RUNS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE CROSSMEMBER! The heat will most likely carbonize the big rubber spacer underneath, if its still there...

Sawzall? You have a sawzall blade that will cut through a bolt?

Hope this helps, Shippy!
Cody (AQ1/AT1 retired)

Most of us rusty bolt busters have hack saw quality saws-all blades! I would just cut them off. No sense risking any collateral damage . I would also remove the radiator before I fought with the grill.

Thanks for the help, guys. This has got to be the strangest jeep ever. It is like a melding of early and late. Right no, it has both upper and lower supports for the radiator. Hey, at least it gives me options, right?

The lower supports never went away. They are there so the powerplant can be removed as an assembly from the transfer case to the radiator.

AAAHHHHH. . . See, I told you I have a steep learning curve. I should mention that the lower supports were not attached to the radiator when I got the jeep (they are in place now). I got my hood and fenders out to a sand-blasting place this week. I am hoping they aren't too far gone. I am not exactly SCARED of bondo, but would like metal. . . Once again, thanks for the information. Maybe by the time I retire in 10 or 12 years I will have leaarned enough to speak with authority on this subject. Until then, I will keep asking questions. . .