Bumper bracket to frame issues

[71_340Challenger]

I plan on starting a thread soon as I tear down my 71 Challenger for a repaint and restoration. I ran into a problem last night and was wondering what to do about it.

I removed the bumpter brackets to frame bolts and on the passenger side, the weld nut inside the frame came loose. I was able to get it out, but I was wondering how I am going to fix this so that when I go to bolt things back together it will work. I hate to cut into the frame if I don't have to, but I don't see (yet anyway) any real access points to get in and try to reattach it. There are a couple of small hole on the bottom of the frame that I got the nut out, but there is not enough room to get a wrech in to hold the nut in place during assembly. Anyone run into this and have any suggestions? Thanks.

[72bluNblu]

Use a metal cutting hole saw about 3/4"-1" bigger than the outer diameter of the bolt hole and drill out around the bolt hole (ie, bolt hole half inch, hole saw 1.5"). This should give you a piece of frame that looks like a washer, with the bolt hole in the middle. Weld the nut onto the back of the piece you drilled out of the frame, in line of course with the bolt hole in the center of the piece. Now weld the piece back into the frame and grind off the weld. Viola! Nut welded back inside the frame, with only a large hole drilled in the frame and hopefully no real evidence you did anything (it will be behind the bumper bracket.)

[71_340Challenger]

72bluNblu, that is about what I was thinking I would have to do. I was hoping someone had a slick way to do it without cutting into the frame. But, what do you expect on a resto, right? Thanks for the help.