How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

[Mark E.]

How are the rivets installed that fasten the battery hold down hardware? For reference, the photo below is a hardware kit from Paragon which includes the five rivets.

Thanks!hold down.jpg

[Edward J.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

Mark, I would try to make something up, all you should need is some round stock maybe 7/16ths,and a piece flat thick metal, maybe something in the tool box?? Take the round stock and cup the middle to look like the factory install. It would help to a have a extra hand to hold the flat metal while you use a small hammer to set rivet.should not take much the soft rivets will set easy. Good luck

[Michael L.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

Edward is correct it can easily be made from a bar of steel and a proper sized drill bit to make a relief in the bar. It's definitely a two person job. Or you could get the tool that Paragon sells:

https://www.paragoncorvette.com/p-357639-rivet-set-tool-316.aspx

Mike

[Mark E.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

Thanks Edward and Mike! Very helpful.

Paragon seems a bit proud of their tool.

[Patrick H.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

There is a machinist who is at the larger meets (BG, Carlisle) who sells tools to do this. They work well, and are much less $ than the Paragon one.

[Michael L.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

No problem. I got the kit from Eckler's a few years ago but the one that I got had a number of different tools to do rivets of various sizes and it had a thick heavy bar of metal to hold the head of the rivet in place while you set it, but you definitely don't need that, a heavy hammer will work fine. Here is the kit I got:

Rivet set tool.jpg

https://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corvette-body-rivet-tool-set-1963-1982.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLA&scid=scbplp25-114631-1&sc_intid=25-114631-1&utm_campaign=sc_shopping_corvettedesktop&msclkid=576ba26e819d12eaecc0fc9fbbb57782&utm_term=4583382948430764&utm_content=All%20Products

I also got the tool I posted earlier which I used with my air chisel to impact the rivets down but this is probably overkill as Ed mentioned. The Eckler's kit and a hammer will allow you to set these rivets. They're very soft and easy to crush.

Mike

[Tom L.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

I've got one of these for the same job for the rear battery hold down. Ordered the wrong rivets so I'm waiting until I order something to get the correct ones. Hate to pay more shipping than the part is worth. If you want to borrow the tool let me know. Probably won't need it for a while.

[Mark E.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

I've got one of these for the same job for the rear battery hold down. Ordered the wrong rivets so I'm waiting until I order something to get the correct ones. Hate to pay more shipping than the part is worth. If you want to borrow the tool let me know. Probably won't need it for a while.

Tom- Thanks for the kind offer; I may take you up on it.

[Mark E.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

In the last post of this thread, Dick Gutman suggests getting a used pneumatic aircraft rivet gun:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?81818-67-Body-Rivets-How-to-Install

I have a pneumatic air hammer. Will that work with the right head installed?

[Mark E.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

In the last post of this thread, Dick Gutman suggests getting a used pneumatic aircraft rivet gun:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?81818-67-Body-Rivets-How-to-Install

I have a pneumatic air hammer. Will that work with the right head installed?

[Tom L.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

I would think that an air hammer with an assistant using a "Buck" was how it was done at the factory. Manual labor is expensive.

[Michael L.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

Yes Mark, as I mentioned I used the air hammer/chisel to set my rivets. It's quite easy to do. The attachment from paragon that I posted above is made to fit in these tools to crush the rivets down. A heavy hammer or other object held on the other side of the rivet by an assistant is needed to do this.

[Mark E.]

Re: How to install rivets for C3 battery hold down hardware?

I'm a bit slow on the uptake. Until now I thought the Paragon tool was used with a regular hammer.