Background:

1983 300TD (Touring - as in the proper use of 'T' )

OM617.952

134k original miles

The wagon has been out of service for years. Once it returned to the road...the rear main seal failed.

During disassembly to access the rear main seal I (the genius) stripped a
bolt head that mounts the flexplate to the crank shaft (standing ovation...thank you, thank you and now for my next trick...)

How did he do it?! they all gasped... I used my 18v Dewalt impact with a twelve point impact socket with short bursts on bolts in a star pattern around the array of bolt heads. When I got to this one I was lazy about holding the impact so the socket was not fully engaged on the bolt head. (there I admit it...but don't feel any better)

I am mostly "thinking out loud" here but also hoping that the Peach community will chime in with the collective voice of reason.

Options I feel are realistic solutions:

1) use left handed drill bit, tap in an easy out, hope it doesn't break off in the bolt...

2) drill an appropriate size hole in the end of a mild steel flat bar then tack weld said bar to the damaged bolt head to create a leverage on the bolt in hopes of breaking the torque (not the bolt) and loosening the bolt

3) uh... I got nothin'

Ideas, comments, doubts, concerns, criticisms...Gentlemen, the floor is open