Rivets for Various Areas on The Car - Tool available?

[Bill C.]

hello
--First question - does anyone sell the correct aluminum rivets for 1969 car?
I need for the compartment door hinges, the vacuum hoses in engine area and for the spare tire carrier "V"

Second Question - does anyone make a tool that will correctly "brad" the rivet so it secures and looks correct?


An unrelated question: How is the horn relay fastened to the inner fender?
My car is a late June 69 production car.


Thanks in advance --Bill

[Bill H.]

Re: Rivets for Various Areas on The Car - Tool available?

Bill, I can't say 100% for a 69 but ZIP and others have all the rivets for C2's so, the C3's must be available. I bought 100 of the large head (1/2 in. by 3/16th dia.) and just installed 60+ in my 67. I also got a few pan head rivets. There's C-clamp tools that work (check driveline0. But, many guys buck the rivets with an air chisel. You can get the air chisel bucks on line, I was in a hurry and made my own from an old air chisel in 15 minutes, just cut the point off flat and used a small stone on a grinder to make the end concave. I practiced on a few rivets to set the air pressure. Ended up at 23 psi., The bucked ends of the rivets look identical to the factory ones I took out. And, someone here posted an aircraft tool company for the bucks (search rivets here) and these guys have all kinds of rivets and tools: http://www.hansonrivet.com/

[Donald H.]

Re: Rivets for Various Areas on The Car - Tool available?

Dr. Rebuild advertises that he has NOS rivets for C3's. Check the link below.

http://www.docrebuild.com/dr-r-web/9024025.html

[Don L.]

Re: Rivets for Various Areas on The Car - Tool available?

Bill, congratulations on the new toy. When will we see some pics?

As for the rivets, I was 100% successful in using the aluminum rivets that Paragon sells. I pimarily us Paragon because I can drive there in 30 minutes. Anyway, FWIW, I found that if I buy the long rivets (do they still sell in various lengths?) and cut off the protruding stem length at 150% of the stem's diameter, the peening works just right. I used a rivet setter that is merely a piece of carbon steel rod, "domed out" with a drill to create the half round shape needed. Buck the rivet's head from the back side and use an air hammer/chisel to peen. I used them in my storage bin area and my spare tire carrier when I restored them. National judges passed them without issue. Just as Bill did, I practiced before diving in on the real parts. Recommend same. I've attached a photo of my carrier after restoration, showing (I hope youcan see) the rivets. I can/will send some close ups of the finished rivets for you to compare to your originals if you want.

Hope this helps...

IMG_4439_2.jpg

[Monte M.]

Re: Rivets for Various Areas on The Car - Tool available?

Bill,
I know you were asking about a 69 when you asked how the horn relay was attached. no one seemed to chime in, so I will tell you that my 72 is fastened with the rubber grommet that I typically associate with the power window relay at the firewall, and the same was used on my gill inserts on my old 69.

Basically it is a hole drilled, a rubber grommet and a fastener. If need be let me know and I can pull one out. I am sure I have a few extras laying around here too.

Monte

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Rivets for Various Areas on The Car - Tool available?

I will check my '69 for you later today and try to take a picture for you. The "grommets" as described above are called "well-nuts" and are available at just about every hardware store in various sizes. They are rubber with a threaded insert molded in. When the screw is put in the rubber expands in the hole and holds the part. I don't remember if these are use in that location on mine but they are used on the fender inserts and other areas. According to the '69 AIM (page 264, Section 12 A5) the horn relay is attached to a stud plate riveted to the inner fender.
Jeff

[Bill C.]

Re: Rivets for Various Areas on The Car - Tool available?

hey

thanks for the great advise....

I am in the processes of making the rod for the air hammer to peen the rivets.
I will post some pics in a little while ...


I am not sure if the 69 model horn relay uses the well nuts... If anyone could grab me a pic of the horn realy mounted from the front and then from the rear of the inner wheel well it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance...
Bill