The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop AD Grille Hardware Kits

I've purchased the five chrome grille bars that I need to restore grille on my 47.2 AD. The project calls for drilling out all the rivets for disassembly of the grille. I'm sure that many of you have taken these grilles apart; however, what did you use to re-assemble the grille? It would appear there is a couple of options, rivet kits or rivet head bolt kits. I don't plan on taking the grille apart very often, if ever again........

Rivet Head Bolt Kit

Rivet Kit

Is there any preference as to what grille hardware kit to use? Let me know your experiences, good and/or bad.

Thanks,

It is very difficult to get a pop rivet gun in place on these grills.
My question is, where did you find chrome grill bars for sale?

Thanks Carl, I wondered about access with a pop rivet gun.

A fellow 'bolter (bowtietim), steered me to an EBay listing last evening. There was a complete set on there last week too, but I missed out on those.....

If I ever have to do it I think I'd pop rivet where I can and use the "kit" bolts otherwise. I think the ones you can see can all be done with rivets??....never done it but just a thought.

I just disassembled my grille. I don't think it would be difficult to get a pop rivet gun in place, but from the way I needed to drill out the rivets, you need to go in the correct sequence. The intermediate vertical supports are the ones that would be tough to do. I'm thinking the way to do it would be start with the top bar, rivet it to the end supports, rivet in the three intermediate verticals, then put the number two bar on, then the next one, etc. riveting every thing together as you go, finishing with the bottom bar. That way, the lower bars don't get in the way of the rivet gun. We'll see if I'm right when I get to the reassembly stage somewhere down the road.

KL,
That sounds like a tech tip in the making if you get it sequenced properly! Take pictures and write it down.

Does anyone know the type, size, and count of these (grille fasteners)?

They have been on back order for a while now. It seems like you should be able to purchase this hardware locally........

On back order from whom?

https://www.classicparts.com/1947-53-Grill-Assembly-Hardware-Kit/productinfo/61-921/
https://www.classicparts.com/1947-53-Grill-Mounting-Hardware-Kit/productinfo/61-931/

https://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/6478/Chevrolet_Grille_Assembly_Bolt_Kit_.html

Tim,

The link I posted was from JC. I'd like to use rivet head bolts for the re-assembly of my grille.

Thanks,

OK, Andy

I understand.

But, I was using JC's photo (attached, below) when I searched.
That hardware looks to be threaded?

I just went through this on my 53 and had no issues at all getting everything riveted back up. The kit gives you the exact amount of rivets. Cmon you bean counters, there is no way you can do it on one kit, order two and have extra. Since you are working under the grill, systematically assemble from the top down, keeping the rivet gun away from the other pieces. I call it the fourteen pieces from hell. At least I thought so until I got to installing the glass and wings in the door, then the grill was a pleasant distant memory

Tim-The 'rivet head bolt' is a threaded fastener. However, it has a flat head that makes them less noticeable, I think.

sstock-Did the rivet-type kit include aluminum rivets? I see that you used a pop-rivet gun for the installation. What was the setting mandrel size? Your grille looks great. Did you have any trouble getting the rivets tight enough?

I was thinking of just using the threaded kit so the grille could be 'easily' disassembled again, if it was necessary.

Thanks, Andy,

I looked more closely and I now see the rounded heads on many of the pieces.

Yes they were aluminum rivets and I believe 1/8 mandrel. The pieces really did come together nice and tightly, on a couple occasions, I had to redo a couple and clamp the two pieces with very small vise grips with some of that cured rubberized coating on the jaws. Funny thing, I set out thinking if it didn't work out to my satisfaction, I could always use the stainless hardware and fasten it with small bolts,lockwashers and nuts but this ended up a cleaner install than all that. Disassembly was really easy by drilling out the rivets.