Can someone w/'87 or near identify this screw?

[TAC]

I need to remove the inner wheel well from my '87. All the screws that hold the wheel well lining to the body panel w/gills are Torx and those I can get off. However, the very bottom screw on each side is not like the other Torx screws. This screw has a flat head and what appears to be a hole in the middle of it but I cannot get any screwdriver or Torx bit to turn it. Small Torx bits don't feel like they have any bite at all and bigger ones obviously don't fit in the hole.

Does anyone else have this flat head screw and had success removing it? What tool did you use? Thanks.

 

[LarryK 87]

my bottom one was a bolt 10mm i believe.
Sorry couldnt be more help

 

[jeepie]

I am pretty sure mine was a 10mm bolt also, maybe someone change them for you, wasn't that nice of them...

 

[TAC]

If you're referring to the 10mm bolt under the gill panel that holds that body panel in place...that's not what I'm referring to. I'm referring to a screw visible from inside the wheel well, and is used to secure the inner wheel well lining in place. The screws run along the outer edge and attach the wheel well to the gill panel. The very bottom screw actually screws into the rocker panel if I'm not mistaken, and is different then the normal Torx screws.

 

[BigRed]

Sounds like a rivet your describing..I'll check mine today and let you know.

 

[TAC]

It does sound like a rivet, now that you mention it, but it's not a pop-rivet. The head is the exact same black color as the other screws and the head is just about the same size and thickness of a dime.

 

[jeepie]

Oooops, that is what I was referring to. The two bolts on the rocker are small torx bolts, I don't remember the size 7mm maybe, but mine are the same type bolt as the upper ones, only smaller. The centers might be filled with crap and not look like a torx.

 

[DkBG]

Square drive screws are becomeing more popular and another possibility is the older trailer screws which are almost rectangular inside the head .

 

[The Car Whisperer]

I removed my fender liners this past winter and found that those "BOLTS" where actually an Aluminum rivet with a large domed head. They are 1/4" shank diameter rivets and are available from shops that sell auto body repair supplies. The rivets need to be drilled out to remove them. After you drill them out you should find a U-Nut behind them clipped to the rocker panel. You can screw a 1/4-20 machine screw thread Torx Button head screw or a similar size torx button head sheet metal screw into the U-Nut instead of a new rivet. The clearance here is critical, check out how close the tire comes to this screw head when the wheels are turned, it almost looks like the domed head rivet that is originally installed gives barely enough clearance here, so if you do use a screw in place of the rivet make sure it doesn't stick out far or you may have some interference with the tires.

 

[rrubel]

I just checked mine, both sides, front and back (early 86 coupe). All torx. No rivets. I do know that when I replaced the rear liner a couple months ago, the bottom was designed differently - the 86 had a 90-degree bend with another screw on the underside of the car, while the replacement (from a later model) did not - where the bend had been it was molded differently.

FWIW, I doubt the fender liners were ever replaced until I got hold of the car.
[RICHR]

 

[The Car Whisperer]

I'm pretty sure the rivet is original on mine. If your car was worked on in that area then maybe the rivets were removed previouslyand replaced with screws. The rivets on mine had a black anodized finish. The large head plain aluminum rivets are easy to find at auto body supply houses but not the black anodized ones, that's why I'm pretty sure they are original to my 86 Vette. I replaced mine with a button head screw any how, I don't think most people would even notice except at a show where judging was at that level.

 

[TAC]

I'm pretty sure the rivet is original on mine. If your car was worked on in that area then maybe the rivets were removed previouslyand replaced with screws. The rivets on mine had a black anodized finish. The large head plain aluminum rivets are easy to find at auto body supply houses but not the black anodized ones, that's why I'm pretty sure they are original to my 86 Vette. I replaced mine with a button head screw any how, I don't think most people would even notice except at a show where judging was at that level.

Great. Thanks for the information. They look original but I couldn't understand why the need for rivets.

 

[c4ever]

I just checked the 85 and all torx. The car is original, never been worked. Strange that some would have rivets:confused
Guess they ran out of torx:t

Carlo

 

[The Car Whisperer]

One point, I have a late production 1986, this year had some mid year changes with the addition of the convertable to the model lineup, maybe the rivet is something that shows up on later production models. There are some minor differances in the early and late production models of that year.

 

[rrubel]

I'm actually surprised at the number of differences between early and late 86's. I thought it was mostly limited to the heads and valve covers, but I'm finding bushings and other parts different as well. It's actually better for me to order parts for an 85 than for an 86 because several of my catalogs say "86-91" when they really mean "LATE 86-91".
[RICHR]

 

[The Car Whisperer]

I'm actually surprised at the number of differences between early and late 86's. I thought it was mostly limited to the heads and valve covers, but I'm finding bushings and other parts different as well. It's actually better for me to order parts for an 85 than for an 86 because several of my catalogs say "86-91" when they really mean "LATE 86-91".

I agree, it is so true, there were many small and big changes along the way, not just the aluminum heads, the roof panels are also different on early and late models. Inside rear view mirrors are another small detail that seems to vary as well, some coupe rear view mirrors have map lights in them like the concurrently produced convertable tops and some do not.

 

[BigRed]

Im the same with early 85 late 85. Eg.) The button for the OD is on my Stick but when you look in catalogs shes on the console. Its almost like Corvette should have had a couple 1/2 years heh.

 

[johnny]

I could not find the screw, but that's a very nice car!!!

 

[LarryK 87]

went back and looked at mine this weekend, it uses Phillips head screws....:crazy