New Alfa 156 owner, having "technical difficulties"

[singlespeeder]

 Kia Ora guys,

I recently bought a '98 156 V6, and when it went for the WOF check it was pinged because the lower ball joints were just a bit shagged. Turns out the rear rubber bushes were flogged as well. Purchased replacement lower wishbones, and struggled valiantly to remove the old ones and put the new ones in. After watching a Youtube video on how to do it, it showed the main hub nut being removed so the strut could be moved up and out of the way. But there was now way that nut was gonna budge. However, just as I was on the verge of giving up and reassembling what I'd already done so I could capitulate and take it to the nearby Alfa specialist, I figured out that by removing the tie rod end I could achieve the same thing. So the first side went alright, and is all happy now.

But the left side, well that's where I struck a problem that hopefully someone might have a solution for...

In the struggle to get the wishbone located properly, I inserted one of the bolts into the rear cast mounting to try and hold things in place while I got the other bolts aligned. Somewhere in the proceedings something must have shifted, and now not only will that one particular bolt not go in, the lower few mm of the threaded hole has no thread in it. Given the importance of what these bolts do, I'm reluctant to simply get a slightly smaller but longer bolt and nut.

Anyone out there got any ideas/solutions? Given how much of a fight these wishbones put up when removing and installing, I'm hesitant to take it out again if it can be prevented.

"The world's most expensive car is a cheap Porsche" - I'm beginning to think the same might be applicable to Alfas - but at least the parts are cheaper (relatively).