If your frame has loose rivets it was rode hard. I had a situation where someone used bolts for the front crossmember and I wanted rivets to give it more strength.
http://devestechnet.com/Figures/framerivets.pdfLike Jim says, the rivets are stronger and done right, you can't tell the difference between the rivets Chevy did and your own. The procedure is different because Chevy set them colder using pneumatic pressure. Red Hot is better IMO and the only way to do it since we don't have those big hanging rivet machines.
