64 Imperial auto pilot weight creating larger holes in fender!!!

[64Imperial]

Hey everyone, my car didn't come with auto pilot, so I purchased all the parts I needed and installed it. Everything went together and it all worked and seemed fine.

Well I realized that the auto pilot seemed loose when I bumped it the other day and realized that the bolt hole were now larger!

Did auto pilot have any reinforcement In the fender? Or how was it placed through it?

Thank you in advance!

 

[crv]

Isn't there a bracket to hold it in place?

 

[3175375]

@Ross Wooldridge

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

As far as I know, there are no reinforcements on the inner fender - at least not in 65-68 cars equipped with the Autopilot option.

There are dedicated brackets that mount in 3 places. If you don't have all 3 perhps the servo wasn't properly suported.

Also, the holes drilled are premarked with dimples - if the holes aren't drilled in those dimples, they may be weaker therefore, as the dimple shape adds rigidity to the hole a bit perhaps.

Did you use flat AND lock washers under the nuts?

 

[detmatt]

There definitely was no additional reinforcement in the wheelhouse.

 

[64Imperial]

Hey everyone sorry for the late response. Yes I have all 3 brackets and I did drill where the dimples were. I used bolts with washers and lock  washers on them to hold it.

The guy I bought it off of originally gave me instructions for it.

Based on what everyone is saying I'm assuming if there wasn't extra support originally and I placed it correctly then vibration and enough play around the bolt is to blame.

I drilled the hole out only enough to tightly slide the bolt through, but It's possible there was some miss alignment between the angle of the bracket and the bolt that could have made the holes more egg shaped from vibration and weight of the auto pilot.

Thanks everyone for your help and now I have some holes to correct... lol