[armyadarkness]

I'm removing the dealer installed air off of my 67/ 400. There's a big ugly bracket on the front passenger side, and it's held on with two head bolts. Can I simply remove them and replace them?

 

[nick rice]

Do you know if they used longer bolts? I'm no expert but I'd play it safe and deduct the thickness of the ugly bracket from the threads with shorter head bolts if the others are shorter.

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[Old Man Taylor]

I'm not aware of any factory brackets that go under the head bolts. They're usually studded bolts.

 

[armyadarkness]

Do you know if they used longer bolts? I'm no expert but I'd play it safe and deduct the thickness of the ugly bracket from the threads with shorter head bolts if the others are shorter.

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The bolts are definitely longer, so I would need to compensate for that. My fear is interfering with the torque. I'll take a picture and post it.

 

[armyadarkness]

I'm not aware of any factory brackets that go under the head bolts. They're usually studded bolts.

Not factory... Dealer installed air! It's under the bolt heads!

 

[armyadarkness]

 

[pontrc]

OMT is right that is a stud bolt

 

[AZTempest]

I currently have the heads pulled on mine with the same bracket. I'm at work right now but tomorrow I can double check the proper size you will need for the head bolt without the bracket.

 

[armyadarkness]

OMT is right that is a stud bolt

Yes... but doesn't a typical stud bolt have the accessory mounted "on the stud", not beneath the bolt? I want that bracket off, and my question is, can I just remove those bolts and replace them with the correct ones, or will that screw up the head gasket seal?

 

[armyadarkness]

I currently have the heads pulled on mine with the same bracket. I'm at work right now but tomorrow I can double check the proper size you will need for the head bolt without the bracket.

Is yours mounted the same way?

 

[Old Man Taylor]

The bracket they installed looks too thick for the stud on the bolt. I would look for some hardened washers to go under the bolt heads. Otherwise you're going to have to take the bolts out. measure them, and try to find some as much shorter as the thickness of the bracket. If you do them one at a time the head gasket should be fine. But I wouldn't do more than one at a time. What you can do is drop in a long rod and measure how far down it goes. The measure the bolt from the end to the bottom of the head. Maybe you will get lucky. They might have just reused the original bolts, even though that not the correct way to do it (IMHO).

 

[AZTempest]

Is yours mounted the same way?

The same type bracket but I can't recall if my head bolts are exactly like yours. I'll check when I get home. I doubt you could do one at a time as suggested as you need to get the bracket out of the way first. I'm personally the guy who would just pull them and torque the rear one first then the front.

 

[BLK69JUDGE]

Hello
those look to be correct 67 68 ac head bolts ,,,, seen em with and without the stud on top .. 67 n early on the 68's mostly with the stud
just had 2 later a march and april 68 ac cars and they were studless..
if you need a pair of originals non ac head bolts I can mail you a pair ,,, for deleting the bracket ...
what is the foundry mark on the top of your smooth heads... is it a sunburst pattern or a bullseye ??

Scott

 

[AZTempest]

Here is my setup. bolts on the right are for use with the bracket. Ones on the right would be for use without. As for screwing up the head gasket seal, not sure.

Jim

 

[Old Man Taylor]

With the bolts being on the front and outside, you’re probably OK. take them out in reverse order (front first), and install the front one last. I’m kind of anal about that sort of thing.

 

[armyadarkness]

Thanks for all of the input, everyone. 35 years later... I've done it all, but I never really got into engine internals (I'm more of an engineer), hence my concerns about the cam and head bolts. The original owner did say that the AC was dealer installed, using the factory AC bracketry, but I can't verify that. I'll first attempt to get the engine builder to do it for me... but he's not answering the phone or returning calls, so he's either very busy, or bathing in corona-bucks and not wanting to work.

 

[armyadarkness]

Hello
those look to be correct 67 68 ac head bolts ,,,, seen em with and without the stud on top .. 67 n early on the 68's mostly with the stud
just had 2 later a march and april 68 ac cars and they were studless..
if you need a pair of originals non ac head bolts I can mail you a pair ,,, for deleting the bracket ...
what is the foundry mark on the top of your smooth heads... is it a sunburst pattern or a bullseye ??

Scott

Thanks! I'll keep you posted. Where is the foundry mark? And what will it tell me?

 

[Old Man Taylor]

Thanks for all of the input, everyone. 35 years later... I've done it all, but I never really got into engine internals (I'm more of an engineer), hence my concerns about the cam and head bolts. The original owner did say that the AC was dealer installed, using the factory AC bracketry, but I can't verify that. I'll first attempt to get the engine builder to do it for me... but he's not answering the phone or returning calls, so he's either very busy, or bathing in corona-bucks and not wanting to work.

What kind of engineer? My training was in electronic engineering, and I worked in the computer field for 45 years.

 

[armyadarkness]

I’m kind of anal about that sort of thing.

Yeah, me too. Which is why the bracket has to go!

What kind of engineer? My training was in electronic engineering, and I worked in the computer field for 45 years.

Mostly CAD and Digital Imaging. A lot of mechanical and structural, even some electrical. Currently, I still do digital imaging for a luxury yacht manufacturer. I shoot the boats with a 3D laser and/ or use crime scene analysis software, to produce cad files of marine parts. I'd rather make GTO parts!

 

[Old Man Taylor]

I also liked getting away from my profession. Outside of work had nothing to do with my profession.