The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop VIN plate rivets

Does anyone know where to find the tool used to install new rivets in a new VIN plate. My truck has the original plate but it is in rough shape and I need to do some welding next to it. Classic parts sells new plates and the rivets but I have been told that it is hard to find the tool that installs the rivets. Would appreciate any help.
Thanks

Clutch head screwdriver or sockets. Check on line. Most tool supply stores have them.

The newer ADs had hollow rivets. (I need to know how to cinch them up too.)
The older ADs had screws.

The early ADs used a small clutch-head screw that was 6-sided.

If you want to use this style (original for later A-D years), they install from the outside by popping them with a small drift in the middle of the "rivet".

JC article on the screws/rivets.

$8.95 plus $xxxx S&H, WOW, that's an expensive rivet!!!!!
Don't see how popping them in with a drift would do anything
other than elongate them making them even looser in the hole.
I'd bet those are meant to be bucked from one side and set.

Now,,,,,that I've opened my big mouth and blurted out my
thoughts,,,,,I'll go to your link to Jim Carter's site
and see what they have to say about installing them. Of
course I've got a '50 so it don't really mean much to me.
dg

There was a special tool for installing them. It was just a drift with the correct tip. Upon hitting the "dome" in the middle of the rivet, the inside edge of rivet sort-of mushroomed behind/around the opening. Very simple and clever - and cannot be undone unless you drill them out (destroy them).

For those of you who like to BS "why", perhaps an attempt to make it just a little harder to swap ID plates (screws made swapping very easy)?

$8.95 for two one-purpose parts - try to make them, if you have time to waste.

That style of rivet (in different sizes/styles) was quite common on many vehicles.

"All you do is insert the blunt side of the drill bit (That fits into the hole) and push the center of the rivet, it is design to fold out and grab ahold."

I'll also goob a little sealant (glue) in the holes before I put on the rivets/plate.

I can see it now, that's why they have those cuts in the wall. Always thought they were upset at rear also. Good info.

Right, thanks Tim, easy to see how they work when you see some
different views of them. Still, seems way to expensive.
dg

DG,
They got them and we ain't.
They are only good for a very limited (small) market.
They will not become grotesquely wealthy off of us at that price.
Carl

Yes, Denny - everything that Carl posted.

And, you know you got to have them.

Yep, if ya want two, what a bargain, or is it. And I don't
think the market is as small as one would think, they are all
over the internet. Used by GM, Ford, Mopar and lots of others.
Same fastener at Summit is $2.69 less at $6.29.
Laurel Mountain Mustang is $4.00 less at $4.95.
I'd bet if I spent another day on the internet searching I'd
find them for a couple of bucks and they would still be making
a good profit.

We're getting a bit off subject but to my mind it's just one
more example of over pricing. Manufactured in quantity I
doubt cost would be more than a few cents for those rivets.
Another Example: Carburetor to Intake, Vendor JC price
$7.50, ebay vendor $11.31, Advance Auto $3.39, now for once
Summit comes in at a reasonable cost of $2.97 and better
yet, PartsExpress comes in at $1.99.
Retail cost of material to me would be less than one dollar.
Wholesale material cost to a manufacturer would be much less.
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/159493053
So I ask you, who's rippin' us off???
And there are many many more items that are sold to us that
are marked up several hundred percent, which is my point
as to these rivets being WAY out of line.


dg

Can't argue with your logic DG. Too late for me. Already sprung for them. No matter. I would have just blown that extra 6 bucks on candy and cigarettes.
Carl

Thanks for the info I will just get some new rivets and a new tag. I will keep the old tag with in my file for the truck. I was coming to the point where I need to be able to keep my project moving towards the finish line so I can drive it. Hope to have it on the road next year

Yep, you need to get on with it buddy, you had the answer to
your question within the first few replies, that's why I
drifted away from the original question to try and expand the
subject a bit.

Don't think think they will break open a pack of cigarettes
for ya now a days Carl.
And yes, it's a trivial thing when you're talking about two
rivets, just pennys. I just get PO when I see the prices for
simple mass produced hardware items approaching that of cast
machined parts.

And once again, no bashing intended here, but someone within
these companies needs to review what their competitors are
charging for parts and we the consumer need to be made aware
of what’s going on here. What does $31 buy you? Now that
might buy you a pack off smokes or maybe a carton if you stick
to the ragweed brands.
Wouldn't want to name any names so I'll just use a couple of
letters. I just placed an order to JC for a couple hundred
bucks worth of basic engine parts, that is, int/exh gaskets,
rad hoses also U-joint listed in their catalogs. Every
single item was back ordered except for the two carburetor
to manifold gaskets on the order, which were overpriced by
several hundred % compared to other vendors.
This got me to looking for the parts at some other sources.
Just picked out Summit as an example, who I normally don’t
buy from because they cater more to the Racing crowd as
opposed to specializing in vintage Chevrolet parts like JC.
So here is a price comparison of a small portion of the order.
You make your own mind up but I for one am going to shop
with much more caution in the future.

VC--------------------------Summit 5.97, JC 12.50
Rad Hose Low----------------Summit 13.97, JC 16.50
Rad Hose Up-----------------Summit 8.97, JC 11.00
Exhaust Pipe Gasket---------Summit 1.97, JC 3.50
Intake/Exhaust Manifold Set-Summit 8.07, JC 26.45 (note: I had to combined 4 items sold separately by JC to equal the set from Summit.)
--------------------------------Tot.38.95, Tot. 69.95
A difference of $31.00 on five items.

dg

I agree with you about Summit Racing, Denny.

They compete on pricing, and their telephone customer-service is excellent, and their return policy is excellent, and they have things in stock, AND if you build a $100+ order no shipping (and no taxes).

Oh, speaking of competition, JEGS now ships-free for orders over $30 and $4.99 for under $30.

I could not find those rivets at Summit or JEGS.

What Tim says is true. I used to be a drag racer and did a lot of business with Summit Racing. Never a problem and they always had good pricing.

Brian

Thanks for the heads up DG! Every time I order what I think are just a few parts that I need right now, I get sticker shock real quick.
$31 IS some serious cigarette money. I don't smoke BTW. If I did I would have to sell one of my trucks to afford them.
It is still serious Girl Scout cookie money, however.
Carl

And then, that will buy a lot of Do-Si-Dos won't it.
Don't know if anyone has noticed that Chev's of the 40's has
a price matching policy now and they will also credit you for
any item, returned new in its original packaging,,,,ready for
this,,,,that you got from other vendors.

Some dealers are waking up to the customers wants and needs.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I bought some off an EBay hot rod store for '55-'57 Chevy cars for $6 including the 45 cents it cost to mail them. They also included instructions on epoxy gluing the id plate and the rivets to the door jam. Just another way to mount it I suppose.

Hey could someone post a picture of real live side/profile
view of one of those tag rivets before you punch it in the
hole? I'd like to make up a cad drawing for my reference file,
I do that with a lot of the original parts that I run across.
Especially the ones that are hard to find or way out of line
price wise. WhY??? cuz in another life I might just decide to
manufacture them my self.
I think the dimensions will be fairly obvious since they are
intended to go thru a specific sized hole.
Thanks
DG

Thanks for this post so now I am good to go on drift punch drill process with rivets. My 1952 original VIN plate was painted over and the original plate holes were damaged during restoration. I will be able to get the original numbers restamped but does anybody have a clever idea how to transfer/match the door pillar holes to the new vin plate so the rivets are exact for a punch? I know myself and would prefer to get this right the first time. Thanks Kevin 1952 1/2Ton 235

Just a rivet gun for my truck and I.