The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Hood Rivets

I asked this once before without much of a reply... How do you replicate the rivets in the hood that hold the 2 halves together? Normal rivets don't, as I have 1/4 rivets. I need to replace 3. The rest of the rivets are there. Thanks

Rivets come in 1/4". You need the tool to install them. The little handheld gun can work but the air riveter or the large, two handed tool works better. Most of the time, I replace rivets with a machine screw and a nylok or a stover.

What kind of rivets are they though? They have the solid domed head on them, so they're not the typcial ones I have used with the pin that pops off.

They sound like a semi-tubular rivet which requires a setting tool.

Your handle suggests that you have a ’65 but the question you’re asking seems to be
about an AD split hood. The hardware store “pop” rivets are for the home owner,
backyard tinkerer or the quick and dirty assembly of parts.
The rivets used by the factory were Truss-head semi-tubular rivets that need to set as Mr.
Smith indicated. Here is a source for those types of rivets:
http://www.rivetsinstock.com/rivets/semitubular-rivets.html
They are set using a rivet squeezer either manual or pneumatic. Here are some pictures of
a manual squeezer being used to assemble an AD grill with the original rivet, which are
very similar to the ones used in the hood.
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/138235065
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/138235175
Denny Graham
Somewhere north of Sandwich, IL

Denny, great link to the rivets. I personally need some jack rivets if my local restoration pal doesn't come thru for me.
Thank You....I had been looking at Graner ect but like this one best.

I've bought a lot of, in fact most of my rivets from Jay-Cee
over the years Alvin. They are easy to deal with and have about
the best stock around. My goal when I start a restoration
project is to finish it so you can't tell my work from the
factory work. Using the correct replacement rivets helps
accomplish that as you can see from the grill pictures.
Denny Graham
Somewhere north of Sandwich, IL

Perhaps you should put what year/model truck you are asking about, in your topic?

Also, more information within the post itself generally helps as well.

This site covers GM trucks made from 1916-1972.

Help us, help you.



-W

I am clueless about rivets and have read as much as I can but I can't figure out the specific size of rivets I would need to put the two halves of the hood together on my chevy 1951 1 Ton.

Looked at the rivetsinstock.com website but need specific size, etc.

Also, what tool and dies are needed for these rivets? Are all sheet metal rivets the same size on this truck?

I am beginning the work on this truck and a beginner in this process with very limited knowledge (have the manuals, etc).

Thanks for any help.

James

Great information. I like that better than using pop rivets or machine screws. Like Denny said, don't want to know where I picked up and the factory left off.

With that being said, I'm with J_Wade in being curious what size/length rivet would be needed for the hood and the grill. I'm a long way from being to that point, but I am in the information gathering point in the process.

You will need a variety of rivets if you're going to try and put
the truck back together as it was from the factory. To hard to
call them out for each and every place.
Here are some of the rivets that I've used on projects
over the years:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/159041537/large
Use the charts at Jay-Cee to find your length depending
on the thickness that you need to trap:
http://www.rivetsinstock.com/rivets/semitubular-rivets.html

DG