I removed the interior trim around the windshield to re-dye the trim and visors. In order to do so, I had to remove the latch securing brackets for the convertible top. It is secured by two torx screws, and when I loosened one of them I heard a metal piece tumble down inside the A-Pillar. Apparently that was the nut for the torx screw (who designed it like that?), so it's somewhere in the A-pillar.

Any ideas on how I could gain access and find the nut? Or how I get the nut in place when I reassemble?

Thanks

EDIT - Should add this was on the driver's (LHD) side, for some reason the other side the nut stayed in place.

 

Put car on rotisserie, rotate 180* so its upside down and shake car until the nut returns to base.

or, install a Grip fast insert, but the tool can be expensive. A single (few) use tool may be affordable

or, put a U shaped piece of bent wire in the hole and use a sheetmetal screw rather than the machine screw of you want to get all Appalachia hillbilly.

I have used methods 2 and 3 in similar situations, before. Both work.

Doug

 

Magnet attached to an extendy-stick-thing or a piece of wire. Or a "magnetic pickup tool" like this: https://www.amazon.com.au/Heavy-Duty...Bpickup%2Btool

No idea how you're going to hold it to get it back on... if you can get a pair of pliers or something in to hold it for a sec you might be able to superglue it to the surface it applies pressure to. Or you could tack weld (or glue) a piece of wire to it so you can hold it in position.

 

To close out the thread. I was not able to find where the nut ended up using various tools. However, I solved the actual problem with something called a Rivet Nut. A chain auto parts store in the US sells a M6 Rivet Nut tool that comes with one rivet for under $10. Had to drill the hole a little larger, but worked great.

 

The Grip fast/RivNut is the rivet nut i referred to.

I thought i saw inexpensive single use tools, somewhere.

I bought a professional install tool (probably $90) because I was restoring my '61 corvette for the third time in 40 years back in 2010 and wanted to replace the GM sheetmetal-screw-directly-into-fiberglass system that had left all the holes in the 'glass stripped out years ago.

Aluminum RivNuts,and stainless #10-32 and #8-32 Oval head machine screws with antiseize on the threads worked very well. Looks stock without the problems.


I could only use the RivNuts where alignment was assured, as they are not forgiving on misalignment like a sheetmetal screw into a fiberglass hole is.

Doug