I wasn't sure what shop forum to put this in. I have a replacement vent window frame (as opposed to the entire vent window assembly). I plan on pulling the old window frame by removing the bolt on the pivot shaft (my word, don't know if that is what it called) and drilling out the rivet. I am going to install the old glass in the replacement frame and then reinstall the frame into the door. I ordered the rivet set tool but it appears to simply be a "punch" that you must strike with a hammer to set the rivet. How do you set the rivet when it is in the frame? How do you back up the rivet so when you strike the set it does not break the rivet tab or bend it. It looks to me like the only way to properly set the rivet is with a hand held hydraulic press if I want to set the rivet in place mounted in the door? How have any of you solved this problem? Do I have to pull the entire vent window assembly from the door and take it to a vise or something in order to set the rivet?
That's a good question.Within six months of replacing the rubber on my vent windows the rubber rotted and started falling out. I'd like to remove the articulating frame without removing the whole assembly. I had wondered how far I'd get with a large pair of vise grips and a ball bearing.
On my 55.1 I put the assembly together, put the rivet in the hole, turned the whole thing upside, rested the head of the rivet on the top edge of a closed vice. Then, I held that and the set tool in place with one hand/arm and hit the tool with a hammer in the other hand. The rivet is fairly soft and will set easily.
1955 Chevy First Series 3100 1955 Chevy 210 Sport Coupe
I did watch a video on YouTube. Apparently the rivet is pretty soft. the guys on YouTube just backed it up with a large hammer and tapped it with the setting tool and hammer from the other side. It didn't seem tp take a lot of force and no damage to the frame. They just caution about being so close to the window.
Way back when I did my '53's vent, I got a piece of steel plate with the correct thickness ( actually think I had to shave it down a tad)that will squeeze into the channel. Once determined, I put the piece of steel in my bench vise. Then I placed the channel down onto the piece of steel, making sure the rivet was firmly against the edge of the steel plate, to absorb the blow. Somewhere I still have that piece of steel. Will take a pic of it, when I find it.
Oops, just realized this post is about the pivot rivet for the wing window. Originally I was thinking the rivets that hold the U shape channel to the window frame. My bad, sorry.
Last edited by cmayna; 04/17/20194:33 PM.
Craig
My '50 Chevy 3100 5 window, '62-235cu, 3:55 rear My truck ....... Respect The Rust If I'm not working on my truck, '65 m00stang or VW camper, I'm fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
.... a little late to the show but I had the rivets and tool and they were a booger to try set. I finally gave up.
....I have a friend that does some machine work at home and I took him one of the new rivets as a pattern and he cut me some some bolts out of stainless exactly like the rivet only he threaded the bottom of it. He made me quite a few for about 10 bucks but since then I have given all my spares to other bolters!!! Perhaps a local guy could cut you some while on lunch break???!! Just a thought.
....oh, I went to Ace Hardware and got some nylon stainless bolts to use to tighten the "rivet".
If you have a large shop vice to support the back of the rivet, it's not that difficult. Way more time just setting up before the impact of the hammer.
Craig
My '50 Chevy 3100 5 window, '62-235cu, 3:55 rear My truck ....... Respect The Rust If I'm not working on my truck, '65 m00stang or VW camper, I'm fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
