63 grill rivets
- Thread starter R63ss
- Start date
Those are a real BITCH to install!!!! I had them eons ago from LGC's but they are probably still around. After trying to install the first one, I gave up and sold them years later. I love the threaded kind and unless I'm building a 1,000 point show car, that's what I would go with.
55Brodie
Well Known Member
There is a site online that sells the tubular rivets. I bought some a few years ago for my "63" , and yes they are a b%#$ch to install. I used Kep nuts
(I think thats the name ) on my 62 , whole bunch easier. I think I have a bag of tubular rivets left over. I won't be at my shop till Thursday. I have no tool for installation. If interested,let me know.
(I think thats the name ) on my 62 , whole bunch easier. I think I have a bag of tubular rivets left over. I won't be at my shop till Thursday. I have no tool for installation. If interested,let me know.
I have a 3 piece special tool that I got from Phil Reed 
years ago to install the original rivets -"it works"......
You use the tool in a vise and use a hammer.
It takes two people to do the installation. I still have some of the original rivets (pictures available of the tool and the rivets)
I switched to stainless rivets with lock washer nuts (even on my frame off restorations )
I use these rivets and polish the heads
https://www.ebay.com/itm/25-pcs-10-...aEcsp:sc:USPSFirstClass!51054!US!-1:rk:6:pf:0
Paul
years ago to install the original rivets -"it works"...... You use the tool in a vise and use a hammer.
It takes two people to do the installation. I still have some of the original rivets (pictures available of the tool and the rivets)
I switched to stainless rivets with lock washer nuts (even on my frame off restorations )
I use these rivets and polish the heads
https://www.ebay.com/itm/25-pcs-10-...aEcsp:sc:USPSFirstClass!51054!US!-1:rk:6:pf:0
Paul
55Brodie
Well Known Member
Www.mcmaster.com/button-head-rivets
These should be similar to the original rivets. They should sell the tool also.
These should be similar to the original rivets. They should sell the tool also.
The originals are hollow.I believe they are called tubular rivets.Are originals solid like on that site? I think they should be hollow...
I have done a lot of research myself with my 60 Impala restoration on these rivets. The grill rivets in my 60 used solid riverts made of aluminum. The headlight buckets use steel tubular rivets. There is a website that sells pinball restoration supplies that makes a kit to make a rivet press for tubular rivets out of a small 1 ton harbor freight table press. I ordered and made it but can’t get enough leverage to squeeze a rivet. I think I need a longer handle. If this doesn’t work I thought about rigging it up on my two ton large press to squeeze them.
Bob can’t you mill one of these up?Holy hell, break out the American Express!
Make it like a lower ball joint tool
with a threaded bolt that has a dye on the end to peen shoulder over.You could tighten it down with an impact.
It would open a whole new eBay market for you
Here are pictures the type of tool that is needed to install the 61, 63 63 and 64 grills to the grill brackets
using the original hollow rivets. As I said I got this from Phil Reed about 15 to 20 years ago(that is his writing on the box)
There are two types of tools
Paul
using the original hollow rivets. As I said I got this from Phil Reed about 15 to 20 years ago(that is his writing on the box)
There are two types of tools
- one for the vise -set the base that holds the rivet vertically in a vise -place the grill on the rivet and hit the back side of the rivet with the shaped tool that bends the rivet edges like the factory rivets(on the back side of the grills ) -as I said above it takes 2 or even 3 people to hold the grill correctly, and the grill bracket so the rivet is hit correctly plus the person hitting the rivet with the second tool
- The 2nd pair of tools(near the box) is squeezed in a vise and used for areas on grills where you can't hit the back side of the rivet
Paul
I found this on a Corvette site.
The first 2 pictures are of a tool for solid aluminum rivets.They say to place a piece of steel under the head,put the tool over the end of the rivet and use a hammer to round the end over.
The 3rd picture is for tubular rivets.
The first 2 pictures are of a tool for solid aluminum rivets.They say to place a piece of steel under the head,put the tool over the end of the rivet and use a hammer to round the end over.
The 3rd picture is for tubular rivets.
https://rivetsinstock.com/rivet22.htm
Here is the site for rivets
Here is the site for rivets