I need a rivet lesson

[Alan S.]

Re: I need a rivot lesson

Hi Ross,
If you look at your AIM (UPC 1 Bolt/Weld, sheets A14 and A15, in my 71 version, maybe about the same place in yours?) you'll see the installation of the #1 mount and it's reinforcing plate in the plenum side panel.
It appears to me that with the front clip in place the only hope of reaching the back-side of the mount and it's reinforcing plate is through the kick panel vent duct in the interior of the car. I'm not sure if you can get at it even then because I don't know how well that plenum is sealed by other cowl pieces.
If you do have access to the backing plate you could drill out the old rivets, repair or replace the #1 mount and use some non' typical of factory production' fasteners to hold the mount. There is a pop rivet that mimics the head of the flat rivet that could be used if you can come up with a way to hold the reinforcing plate in place so the rivets 'set' in the plate and not in the plenum side panel fiberglass. I don't really see any way of setting the typical rivets in their proper direction in the plenum's confines.
I'd love to hear if there's a way.
Regards,
Alan

[John H.]

Re: I need a rivot lesson

I read somewhere the correct way to set these rivets is to hammer on the flat (formed) rivet head and use the bucking bar on the stem that sticks through the hole. My thinking is the opposite, hammer with the rivet gun on the stem to form the mushroom and buck (hold solid) the formed head weather it's flat or curved head. Someone correct me on this..

Tim -

Aircraft solid rivets are set by air-hammering the head of the rivet, on the finish side, with a bucking bar on the tail of the rivet to peen it on the non-visible side. Body rivets at St. Louis were done the other way - the air hammer and concave rivet set tool on the tail of the rivet, peening it against the metal part, with a bucking bar on the flat head of the rivet, against fiberglass.

[Timothy B.]

Re: I need a rivot lesson

John,

That's exactly what I wanted to know and it clears things up for me, many thanks..

[Tom R.]

Re: I need a rivot lesson

I recently had to reattach the hinges for the rear compartment doors to a new frame. I used these in my air hammer:

Amazon also offers the Air Capital rivet set kit...$1.00 less than Northern and shipping is free (over $25.00). I have a spare tire carrier I need to put back together so this is most helpful.

[John H.]

Re: I need a rivot lesson

Tim -

Here's a link to an article I wrote on this subject several years ago in "Corvette Enthusiast" magazine:

http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_...ing_Rivets.pdf

[Steve A.]

Re: I need a rivet lesson

Can the rivet setting shank used for the ball joints also be used for the aluminum body rivets?

[Gene M.]

Re: I need a rivot lesson

This method won't give you typical factory results tho. It would merit a NCRS deduct when judged. Best way is to use a air chisel with a bucking block. The air chisel bit can be cut off and a concave depression ground into the end to give the correct looking peen. .

The next chance you get to look at rivets under an original car note that the "peen" against the steel braces varies so much that one would question the tool shape (concave pin) to peen. Typical appearance is flat to smashed to full round. The 67 tire "v" brace looks to have the most care with point tops and is not consistent thru out the build either.

Just a reality check it's a bit eccentric to be concerned about tiny rivet heads peen shape and use base/clear paint on the body........

[Tracy C.]

Re: I need a rivet lesson

Can the rivet setting shank used for the ball joints also be used for the aluminum body rivets?

If you mean the rivet set used in the gun, then yes.

[Timothy B.]

Re: I need a rivet lesson

I made a concave rivet shank tool from a old cut off air tool shank that I used on the spare tire V brace on my 63 and 67. I supported the head of the rivet solid and hammered on the tail and it set them in a few seconds.

IMO, the important thing to remember to set these rivets is to not hammer to long. The soft rivets set very fast if the head side is solid.

[Chris S.]

Re: I need a rivet lesson

I did the same
I cut off the point
Then used a dremel to "dish" out the center
I set rivets today
I use the air hammer with about 30 psi on the rivet head side and a body dolly on the tail set
Set in about 10 seconds.....

[Timothy B.]

Re: I need a rivet lesson

Chris,

Read post #17, it states that the tail is hammered with the gun while the head is the side that's bucked on the Corvette.

[Chris S.]

Re: I need a rivet lesson

Tim
Appreciate that - but mine look more OEM
I compared mine to the originals - look exact
I put an inner fender and core support together yesterday.
I did try on the tail side with very poor results. I ended up redoing them
It may be my psi or impact tool.......

Many rivets I set I have better looking rivets when doing them by hand
I use a body dolly on the head side and use a rivet tool on the tail side.
I do this on rivets I know that will be easily seen
These look the most like OEM.

[Russ S.]

Re: I need a rivot lesson

The next chance you get to look at rivets under an original car note that the "peen" against the steel braces varies so much that one would question the tool shape (concave pin) to peen. Typical appearance is flat to smashed to full round. The 67 tire "v" brace looks to have the most care with point tops and is not consistent thru out the build either.

Just a reality check it's a bit eccentric to be concerned about tiny rivet heads peen shape and use base/clear paint on the body........

I have seen a lot of original cars as I restore them for others and I've never seen rivets smashed flat.

[Gary B.]

Re: I need a rivot lesson

Amazon also offers the Air Capital rivet set kit...$1.00 less than Northern and shipping is free (over $25.00). I have a spare tire carrier I need to put back together so this is most helpful.

Tom,

A minor correction. I long for the days of free shipping with a $25 Amazon order. It's been $35 for a few months now.

Gary

[Steve L.]

Re: I need a rivot lesson

I also made a rivet tool using a shank from an air hammer. I cut a pointed air hammer tool as much as possible to keep it short so I could get into tight places. To create the hollow, I placed the tool in a lathe( a drill press would work as well), then use a 3/8 dia. stone on a dremel. Held the stone at 90* to the spinning shank. This creates a perfect hemispherical indent on the end of the air hammer shank.

For cutting rivets to length, I took several thickness of aluminum sheets, clamped them together and drilled about 6 holes thru all the layers. I then used enough layers of aluminum sheets to match the length of rivet that I wanted, then placed uncut rivets into the holes and cut with a powered hacksaw. This way you can cut a lot of rivets quickly to the exact length that is needed. There are well over a 100 rivets under the body.