Alan Cutler Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 (edited) Any Car/Truck guys know what the OE was for attaching the radiator shell lacing Tube Rivets, Solid Rivets, Blind (Pop) Rivets? Size? Edited December 16, 2019 by Surf City '38 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 On my '33 Plymouth they were split rivets. I assume the truck side used the same. Don't recall the size I used though. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 Restoration Specialties carries a selection of split rivets. Measure the hole in the shell, it's probably 1/8 or 5/32 diameter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted December 16, 2019 Author Share Posted December 16, 2019 4 hours ago, jpage said: Restoration Specialties carries a selection of split rivets. Measure the hole in the shell, it's probably 1/8 or 5/32 diameter. Thanks Jim, I did, it came out on the micrometer at .2467 +/-.01, this is why I am leaning towards a hollow rivet (semi tubular) since split rivets are not large diameters...BTW the application is a 1936 1/2 ton truck, not mine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 The split type would be correct for that application. I've not seen anything that large of a dia. of a radiator shell. Even on my '36 car shell the lacing holes are only 1/8 dia. and it's the same basic shell as the 1/2 ton pickups. The mounting holes are 1/4 in. diam. but they don't hold the hoodlacing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted December 16, 2019 Author Share Posted December 16, 2019 Interesting, now I am wondering if the paint and body guy went a little too far with the filler... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38rcdodge Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Yeah they were split rivets, at least on 37-38's . here's a picture of my 3 remaining originals, which measure about 1/8'' where they go through the shell. and one still in a "37 shell. interestingly the lacing holes in my 38 shell are also around 1/4'', and have never been drilled out to my knowledge. yet the holes in the '37 shell are around 1/8''. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 It appears on the first photo that some of the mounting screws look to be going through the welting. The welting should pass over any mounting screw heads. Maybe the mounting holes are being mistaken for the welt holes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38rcdodge Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Yes it looks that way, a possibility . But I know for sure all the holes in my '38 shell are bigger, both for the lacing and mounting screws. While I took the old rivets out over 20 years ago, and don't remember details I know of no reason to have drilled the holes out. and the way the split part of the rivets are still so far apart indicates they came out of a fairly big hole. I wonder if it could have been an occasional mistake at the factory, punching them all the same size? Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of them installed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted December 17, 2019 Author Share Posted December 17, 2019 9 hours ago, 38rcdodge said: Yes it looks that way, a possibility . But I know for sure all the holes in my '38 shell are bigger, both for the lacing and mounting screws. While I took the old rivets out over 20 years ago, and don't remember details I know of no reason to have drilled the holes out. and the way the split part of the rivets are still so far apart indicates they came out of a fairly big hole. I wonder if it could have been an occasional mistake at the factory, punching them all the same size? Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of them installed. Maybe for speed on the line and interchangeability they made all the holes the same size regardless of purpose (mounting versus split rivet). Just a guess. Do you know the diameter of the rivet head for the '38? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38rcdodge Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 4 hours ago, Surf City '38 said: Maybe for speed on the line and interchangeability they made all the holes the same size regardless of purpose (mounting versus split rivet). Just a guess. Yup my thinking as well. another mystery. and I can't think of a reason anyone restoring one would drill the holes out that big. unless they drilled the rivets out, and made the hole bigger in the process. I know I didn't, since I still have some of the rivets. 4 hours ago, Surf City '38 said: Do you know the diameter of the rivet head for the '38? Yeah the head diameter looks to be about 5/16'' maybe a hair less. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostviking Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 From this thread, I guess the pop rivets holding mine on are not correct. They go through the welting also. Can anyone post a picture, sketch showing how the welting is supposed to be installed? I'm not understanding the "mounting" vs rivet. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted March 9, 2020 Author Share Posted March 9, 2020 Pretty simple bought the closest in length and diameter in the shaft and the head, split rivets from Restoration Supply in San Diego, (maybe on the Romona Hwy), installed the lacing first, which is offset slightly back (closer to the windshield) from from the radiator shell mounting screws and radiator mounting screws. That offset gives you just enough space to peel it back when mounting the radiator shell and radiator...give a call and I can walk you through it if needed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryLime Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Pop rivets don't belong anywhere on a vintage vehicle. It proves you lack imagination or didn't care what it looked like. Why did you bother ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostviking Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 1 hour ago, 23hack said: Pop rivets don't belong anywhere on a vintage vehicle. It proves you lack imagination or didn't care what it looked like. Why did you bother ? READ THE POST AGAIN. It was like that when I bought it. I'm the kind of person who will fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pitalplace Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 So my question is how to get the pretty little curl in the back side of the rivets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostviking Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 (edited) What material are the rivets made from? I'd guess you could do that carefully with a pair of needle nose, but they most likely used a forming too and kind of crimped them. Hopefully someone actually knows rather than takes a guess. Edited March 10, 2020 by lostviking (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted March 10, 2020 Author Share Posted March 10, 2020 Most restoration supply houses have these...or google Split Rivet Tool This one is for blind rivets, https://dcmclassics.com/tools-and-accessories/395-tl-1012-split-rivet-punch.html And this one is for non-blind holes, https://dcmclassics.com/tools-and-accessories/567-tl-1011-split-rivet-cripping-tool.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pitalplace Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 3 hours ago, Surf City '38 said: Most restoration supply houses have these...or google Split Rivet Tool This one is for blind rivets, https://dcmclassics.com/tools-and-accessories/395-tl-1012-split-rivet-punch.html And this one is for non-blind holes, https://dcmclassics.com/tools-and-accessories/567-tl-1011-split-rivet-cripping-tool.html Thanks for the info and links. I was pretty sure it was a special tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgedude37 Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 Where do iind the split rivets? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 3 hours ago, Dodgedude37 said: Where do iind the split rivets? Dave I believe I found mine at one of the better local hardware stores. But that was a while ago and those types of hardware stores are getting pretty rare. I guess is a vendor that sells the hood lacing probably also stocks the rivets. For what it is worth, I managed to get mine installed adequately using common hand tools I already had. It probably would have been quicker and easier with the special tools linked to in a post above, but I don’t think it is absolutely necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 5 hours ago, Dodgedude37 said: Where do iind the split rivets? Dave Model T Ford transmission bands and Model A Ford car radiator shell lacing are attached with split rivets. The Ford suppliers might sell the rivits. Or try the hardware store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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