Anyone have experience with rivet replacement?

[Jcpstrat]

Some of the metal reinforcement plates on the bottom of my '67's body need to be replaced and they're riveted on. Looks like they're tubular rivets with a 1/2" round head and will need an impact tool to install. Anyone have any experience with doing this?

 

[Riley P]

Not too sure if the rivets are the same but I've drilled out plenty of rivets in my cousin's different race cars, and found some item's riveted on my truck that needed replacement. They weren't bad at all until I got to the rivets that held in the window motors. Those were a pita to drill out as they have a small pin in the center of the head. Most of the rivets I've dealt with, I've been able to use a manual rivet gun to install. It sounds like your rivets are much more heavy duty.
Anyway, I haven't done much riveting with fiberglass and definitely not on a Corvette. The best person here for technical advice is Manny (Manny@Dasilva). Send him a message and he should be able to get back to you.

 

[Jcpstrat]

Thank you Riley for the contact info.. I'll try to contact Manny.

I found this picture that says these rivets fit 63 thru 82 Vettes. On my '67 I've found them to be the same general shape, all with 1/2" round heads like the pic but with different diameter shafts and lengths. Somewhere I read they were tubular but this picture looks like they're solid. I can't tell from what is installed on my '67, other than they're aluminum.

 

[taylorsk8]

I have no help on this subject but I am interested to know more about these rivets too since I will need to do some in the future.

T

 

[Jcpstrat]

Hello and great to have you aboard this thread!

 

[Jcpstrat]

Riley ... I was able to contact Bob via email and he said the following and it looks like some great info. in that thread!

"The definitive word on this subject comes from, as usual, none other than JohnZ (John Hinckley) who worked as a Chevrolet Engineer directly under Zora Arkus-Duntov.

General Motors Factory Riveting Tool - Corvette Forum That’s how I did it."

 

[taylorsk8]

Wow lots of good info. Thanks.

T

 

[Jcpstrat]

Wow lots of good info. Thanks.

T

Thank Riley P ... he's the one who gave me some contacts to check with!

 

[vt65]

"The definitive word on this subject comes from, as usual, none other than JohnZ (John Hinckley) who worked as a Chevrolet Engineer directly under Zora Arkus-Duntov.

I agree, JohnZ is the authority on all things C2

 

[Jcpstrat]

Just a follow-up to let you know I purchased a rivet setting tool and some rivets to experiment with. I don't have an official bucking bar (goes behind rivet), but I've got some heavy metal objects I'm going to experiment with and also experiment with just using a hammer on the setting tool, my impact hammer and depending on how all that goes I may end up buying either a bucking bar and a rivet gun or both and I'll try to update this post on how that goes. Not spending much time of this due to focusing on some other areas right now.

 

[Riley P]

Looking forward to hearing how it goes!

 

[Jcpstrat]

Me too Riley!