Vettesic

I was in the process of re-installing new windshield pillar post weather stripping a couple days ago. Upon installing the molding the holds the weather stripping I noticed that the bottom of the vin plate was not in it's proper place. I also noticed that lower, little classic flower shapped rivet that holds the plate snapped off at the head leaving the rest of the rivet in the windshield post. The flowered head is kinda stuck to the vin plate itself! So I just moved plate back and left it for now. I have never seen these rivets reproduced. I don't want to re-rivet the plate back with the standard type rivets. It would look like vin plate tampering. Should I just leave it that way? Has anyone had this experience in the past? Any ideas would help. Thanks, L8TER, Paul.

KenSny

You're right about the "special" rivets. Why not just put a little JB Weld under the plate and rivet head and put it back in place. No one will ever know it was touched.....

Vettesic

I thought of that too. My remedy was going to be clear silicone...Does that sound like Bubbas at work though? :eek: Thank You for the suggestion though. It's definatly an option.

KenSny

It's only a Bubba, if you are a dyed-in-the-wool NCRS guy. If so then you will have to search high and low for those rivets... Expect to pay some $ for a correct rivet, and it better be exact otherwise the DMV may take execption someday.

I can see by your pic (nice hood) that you are not terribly NCRS retentive, so just "patch" it and move on to the next headache....


[Modified by KenSny, 10:18 AM 2/6/2002]

Paul L

Could a GM dealer not do this job? I assume they would have access to the correct rivets....

Vettesic

Kensny.............GOTCHA!!

paul79...............Sounds possible.

Thanks Guys!!

lbell101

You can buy the rivits for $20.00 a pair here: http://www.trimtags.com/faq.html

Paul L

My suggestion to go to the dealer would "legitimize" the rivet replacement: in case of questions on new-looking rivets downstream you would have an "official" record from GM.

Vettesic

Ibell101.....Yes, I checked their website...20.00 for the set of rivets. Definate alternative!!

Paul79......Just got off the phone with Bast Chevy. There is no part # for the rivets and the service dept. says the windshield may have to be removed. :confused: Then they would use a standard rivet. Sounds like a big magilla, and it's not gonna happen!! I hear what your sayin, but at what $$??


[Modified by Vettesic, 10:13 AM 2/6/2002]

JK80

I also have a 80 vette it needed repairs to the windshield frame I deliberatly removed vin rivets, what a big mistake. In my time you could buy the rivets over the counter at any GM dealer. Now it's against the law you can't even buy them through the major catolog dealers. In Michigan if you won't to do it legally you start at the Secretary of State and their red tape. Then they send you to the Michigan State Police and you go through their red tape. If every thing checks out OK the State Police will supervise the installation of the rivets. They are the people who actually have the rivets. If I were you and I still have that rivet head I would use clear epoxy and forget it
jk80

ACLR810

You must proceed with extreme caution in this endeavor!!!! The legality of soem of the suggestions posted could land you in jail. I don't know about other states, but in Illinois, messing with a VIN tag is a serious crime. Even having possession of the roset rivets is a felony offense. If you buy some off of the internet, I can guarantee you they are not factory replacement items, only conventional rivets that have been modified to look like factory ones. I am a police officer and have been to some classes on stolen vehicles and there are some very strict rules governing VIN plates. I have seen modified rivets and a good cop can tell the difference. My suggestion is to contact your state police, inform them of your situation and ask them how to proceed. Make sure you have documentation showing the Vette is yours, and be prepared for a long process. Please don't bubbufy it to try to get it to work, if you get caught, you can end up in jail and lose your prized vette!!!!

Vettesic

ACLR810, I to am in Law Enforcement. I can ASSURE YOU, I have no intention of committing a crime with my own property!! I realize your good intentions of this reply. However, I have FULL documentation for my vehicle and just needed some other opinions on this matter. Perhaps, think about the IM or e-mail feature for this type of reply. L8TER, Paul.

sray454

I believe there is usually an ad in Hemmings for VIN and TRIM tag rivets ...

GWHITE75

Great advice ACLR810!! HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, how are you going to get that 79 of yours inspected after you put all that go fast stuff on it and make it run like a robber with no gun? :nono: Just kidding and don't need an answer.

redvetracr

Vettesic,
Those "rivets" are on ebay all the time, buy a set pop one in and forget it. Thats what i would do, why open the "can of worms" any more than you have to. ....redvetracr

ACLR810

Vettesic, I apologize for the way I worded my response. I did not intend to come off as being "billy bad-butt" about the situation, I just was trying to relay my experience and validate my point by saying I was a police officer. Sorry if it came out wrong, wasn't my intention. I guess the way things sound in your head when your writing something and the way it is pervcieved by others are not always the same.

Paul L

EBay never ceases to amaze me. I have a bottle full of these pop rivets in the basement.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cg...item=602136870

Vettesic

ACLR810.......Gottcha.

Paul79, Yea...Amazing. How'd ya fnd that??

Paul L

Just searched on "Corvette rivets" in Automotive. Sad to see such nonsense is coming from Canada.

Reminds me of the time when I was a struggling young'un with a new Wife and mortgage. A wind storm destroyed the metal utility/garden shed out back of the house. A few sections were straight so I stored them in the basement. A year later my "trusty" 1973 Gremlin X (Levis, 304V8) rotted out at the top of the front fenders. You guessed it! The storage shed sections were transplanted to the top of the fenders with......pop rivets!!! And a little bondo to smooth things out. That EBay fellow in Trois-Rivieres (Three Rivers) really has a lot of nerve. And as mentioned earlier, use of those pop rivets could lead to an impoundment of a vehicle. He speaks of the rosette style but I cannot see it.

Smokehouse69

Paul,
If you look closely you'll see that those are apparently the rosette rivets that are used to hold on the VIN tag. Sort of hard to see in the picture. They do look like standard pop rivets. But I could be wrong, the rosette is so ill defined, they might be "home-made."