C2 - headlight end plate and bonding strip

[John G.]

I ordered some replacement headlight end plates for my '64. One came NOS; the other was a repro and came as two separate pieces - the steel end plate and its attendant fiberglass bonding strip.

I asked (over the phone) how the these were put together and was told they 'are bonded in place'. .. Well, the NOS piece has what appears to be aluminum rivets holding the fiberglass bonding strip in place.

Is bonding material enough to hold these headlight bonding strips to the end plate securely enough? ..

I haven't been able to find those aluminum rivets from the vendors. It would seem somebody must have these. . .. Might anyone know where these rivets can be obtained? ..

John

[George C.]

Re: C2 - headlight end plate and bonding strip

John,

I can not believe the timing of your post. It appears you and I have exactly the same questions. I think your post came out about 2 minutes before mine. I hope we are succesful in obtaining answers. The folks on this board seem to have all they answers, and are happy to share.
Good luck with your project.

George

[George C.]

Re: C2 - headlight end plate and bonding strip

John,
Lots of people looking at our questions, but no answers yet. Are your bonding strips drilled for the rivets? One of mine is drilled, and the other is not, given that they were in different bags I can only guess that someone drilled one and then returned it.
I have looked at my old plate and the rivets have a smaller outside diameter than the body rivets I have. I think I will try to cut down the face of the rivets to fit the hole. From the looks of my original plates the bonding strips were only riveted to the steel end plate, and not glued with bonding adhesive.

George

[John G.]

Re: C2 - headlight end plate and bonding strip

George ..
Two relative posts coming out at the same time? .. Some kind of timing, alright! .. Of the two end plates and fiberglass bonding strips I received the NOS end plate has its fiberglass bonding strip installed on the metal end plate. The fiberglass on this piece is green in color and riveted in place. It would seem to be that these end plate/fiberglass assemblies were supplied to the factory in this way.

I was at the hardware store last night and saw some rivets next to the standard style pop rivets that were labeled 'tinners rivets'. These were iron rivets that looked similar to the aluminum rivets that are installed on the NOS end plate assembly I received. These tinners rivets come in various sizes and would probably work in securing the fiberglass bonding strip to the end plate. The iron rivets would be harder to stake in place compared to the aluminum rivet, sure. If I can find them I'd like to use the aluminum tinners rivet, if possible.

The other fiberglass bonding strip and end plate came as separate pieces. The fiberglass bonding strip did not come with holes already drilled in it.

There must have been a good reason for the fiberglass bonding strip to be mechanically fastened to the end plate, as was done by the factory.

John

[Wayne W.]

Re: C2 - headlight end plate and bonding strip

They are all riveted with soft aluminum rivets. They are counter sunk heads smaller head size than the typical body rivet. Paragon has the rivets, and others.

[John G.]

Re: C2 - headlight end plate and bonding strip

Paragon has the rivets? .. Seems the guy I dealt with over the phone should have known that when I ordered up the end plates! .. I looked in the LICS, Paragon, and Doc Rebuild catalogs to see if those aluminum rivets were available. Unless I missed it I didn't see those rivets listed .. I'll make some phone calls ..

Thanks, Wayne ..

[Mark J.]

Re: C2 - headlight end plate and bonding strip

Here are countsunk rivets from Paragon and Corvette Central Websites. As Wayne mentioned, other vendor carry them too.

Paragon:

http://www.corvette-paragon.com/cata...2-84FC0DAF507F

Corvette Central:

http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb.dll?parta~dyndetail~Z5Z5Z50000050b~Z5Z5Z5ABXTP~P4.95~~~~S23T0B9SDI69111183716a~Z5Z5Z5~Z5Z5Z50000050B

MRJ