LAddams

Getting ready to put my front end back together and was wondering what type to use to put the bonding pieces back on the firewall with.
Each side by the corner of the windshield 3 rivets hold the pieces on. I assume not aluminum,originals must have been steel or stainless. Looks to be 3/16 rivets figured I could buy a small box as I see theres a few of the metal pieces are held together with 3/16 rivets as well.


Steel or stainless?

AzMotorhead

Not sure what rivets you're referring to exactly.
But if they are blind fasteners I doubt you'll find anything other than Aluminum. Steel and Stainless would be too hard to pull.
Like wise with rivets you have to buck. A steel rivet is going to be tough to buck unless you have a 9x gun

LAddams

????

I just cut a few So I could paint the fender reinforcement pieces. Very obviously steel or stainless.

Are you saying there is no such thing as stainless pop rivets? I have boxes of them in my garage.Im pretty strong but I think most people with a decent grip could pull them.

Box of 50 on ebay in 3/16x1/2" looks like they should do the trick. Aim shows the p/n 3828470. Anybody know how to find out from the pn what type rivet that is?

LAddams

Well duh as soon as I typed I figured I could check with a magnet. First piece popped right to the magnet but it had a mandrel head in it. next piece,also stuck to the magnet. So the factory used steel. my natural tendency with pop rivets is to want to use stainless. But 40 year old steel rivets were still holding strong.

what did others use? or do most people buy rebagged rivets with a part # for a buck a piece?

rogman16

LA--

I just used aluminum pop rivets (3/16s I believe)... Think I got them at Home Depot... I had Fusor and strip caulk below the part, so the rivets are not there for strength, just to hold the piece in place until the bonding adhesive hardens...

Rogman

LAddams

Cool,thanks. Ill probably get the steel so I can just use the same ones in the fender brackets. Easier to just get em on line for me, 100+ mile round trip to the nearest Home depot. I live way out in the sticks.

brhulen

I agree they would be an absolute bear to pull. That being said I would be more concerned that it would pull the head right through the fiberglass before the mandrel broke? If they are designed to simply hold the panel in place while the bond cures there's really no sense in over engineering things.

LAddams

So far I dont see any that youd be pulling against glass. The one Mike mentioned is a fiberglass on the outside being atttached to the steel window pillar. The front reinforcement pieces that i verified are steel rivets are 2 pieces of steel held together. Good point though. I have an extra bonding piece, Ill try a rivet first. I ordered the wide flange ones to spread the load. Ill try it on one of the damaged bonding pieces first if it feels like I might break it Ill do those pieces with aluminum like Mike did.
Did skip the stainless for this. Only saved a few bucks but if its not needed every little bit helps!