Body Panel Rivets 96-97

[treed]

The rivets that hold the rear quarter on, can those be put into place with a traditional rivet gun? or is there a special one to pop those in? Any advice on properly removing them so as to not damage the body panel? My experience with rivets on race cars is that they pretty much need to be ground out, I assume these are the same...

Thanks,

 

[GTS Dean]

Drill first, with a SHARP 3/8" bit, and BE CAREFUL. You may need to drive the pin out with a drift punch. The gun is a large, traditional, lever-type deal.

 

[Janni]

Just going through our spares - the part number for this beast of a rivet is 06034578

 

[treed]

Janni - I assume I can pick these up at the local Dodge dealership?

 

[Janni]

yup - that's where I got them!

 

[AviP]

Don't buy from the dealer. You can get them cheaper at any auto body supplier. Check your yellow pages. They will come in packs of 10 or 20. They will also carry the bigger lever type rivet guns. I had to change the rivets on my left front splash guard. I used a dremel to cut off the head.

 

[treed]

AviP - Did the dremel damage the paint work?

 

[steel snake]

The Dremel sounds scary - one "oops!" and..... I'd stay with the drift punch suggestion.

 

[Toby]

Tim,

If you can get the rivet head slightly loose after drilling (assuming it doesn't come off by itself...take a pair of wire cutters (see pic), put masking tape on bottom side of the cutter (where it will touch the paint) and then slowly work the cutters under the head and apply pressure to the rivet and it should come out without using a dremel.

I am sure you know this but be careful that when you drill the rivet out you don't make the whole bigger.

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[GTS Dean]

The body of the rivet is 1/4" dia. The head is either 1/2" or 5/8" dia. Use the drill bit to cut the head off cleanly - making sure that the head doesn't hang on the drill bit and walk an orbit into the fiberglass. Then, just drive the shank of the rivet out with your drift punch. I strongly recommend popping the fender well liner out first, then clamp a small pair of vise grips on the backside of the rivets before drilling in case they are predisposed to turning.