Body Mounts; Cage Nut alternative?

[SStavin]

I'm in the process of reintroducing the body to the frame and I'm torn on how to proceed. During removal the cage nuts were toast at my #1 and 2 front body mounts, along with #6 and 7 passenger side body mounts. Seen here:

Option #1: Fabricate new cage nuts and weld them in.
Option #2: Weld a nut to a washer and leave access holes

I'm leaning option #2 unless it's detrimental to ride quality or reliability?

 

[axisg]

2 of the 4 bolts in the trunk of my car were non existent so drilling 4 holes were in order. To date I have cut sheet metal slightly larger than the holes I made in the floor and plan for nothing more than seam sealer to hold them in place. I am sure that at some point I will need access to them again. As far as the nut I am using 2 of the stock units ( after I chased the threads ) and the others I am using a nylon lock nut and some spare washers ( same as the ones in the body mount kit but thicker )

 

[SStavin]

Reassuring to know you went this route. I'd be much happier doing it as you did.

 

[axisg]

meh - I err on the "roadkill" side of function over form and would rather see a dirty 383 stroker with 2 different colour valve covers under the hood than the same car sporting a 283 with a chrome dress up kit.
There are pockets that those cage nuts sit in so you lose zero structural integrity by cutting a hole in the top ( as long as you don't cut up the pocket ). Dropping some sheet metal over the top and sealing it up just helps keep the rodents out. And once the trunk carpet is down no-one will care to lift it to check or even care. The opinions of others may vary

 

[SStavin]

As a grow older and wiser I find myself following a similar frame-of-mind.

 

[-83MONTESS-]

I had the same exact issue on my 83. I cut from the top like you have done, made sure the body was solid under the cage nut and I used a lock nut on top of a wide and thick washer. I told myself if I had to do it again on my aerocoupe I would make new cage nuts. Weld a nut onto a thick washer and weld the whole thing to the body. Luckily I didn't have to do that.

As for sealing it back up I just bent the sheet metal back as close to normal as I could and I used a basic body seam sealer around where I cut.

 

[SStavin]

That's 2-0 in favor of ditching cage nuts. I suppose it makes sense considering almost any G-Body outside of the desert will have issues in these areas and benefit from future access.

 

[Injectedcutty]

As the others suggested, do what suits you're fancy. If it can be hidden with carpet nobody will ever see it.
All 4 of my trunk area bolts broke in half. I cut access holes from the top to extract the top halves. I then used longer bolts with thick washers and metal locknuts, put the sheet metal back and sealed it up. In the event i need access, i have them where they are removable just in case.

 

[Texas82GP]

My OCD would steer me in the direction of restoring some sort of captured nut but I don't see anything wrong with a washer and locknut. Really, what's the likelihood that the body is ever coming off the frame again? The captured nuts are probably overkill at this point.

 

[pontiacgp]

I remade my cage nuts but I was nuts for doing it.....