Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

[Robert K.]

Has anyone ever tried to replace the galvanized seat belt suppport brackets 4 in all; which mount under the body outside that you bolt your seat belts into? I have a set of the old original rivets but how to hold them in place so you can beat the other end? Any clue on this there is no information in any book I have to describe this?
Thanks.......

[Keith B.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

years ago when I was little helping dad restore his 67 and we replaced a lots the body rivets I would hold the flat spot of the rivet down with a big sludge hammer while he was under the car with a punch and another hammer penning them over. with a little practice you can make them look just right

[Robert K.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

years ago when I was little helping dad restore his 67 and we replaced a lots the body rivets I would hold the flat spot of the rivet down with a big sludge hammer while he was under the car with a punch and another hammer penning them over. with a little practice you can make them look just right

Thanks my son will be here for the holidays, so you know what he will be doing. you think an air hammer would work?

[Philip C.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

Has anyone ever tried to replace the galvanized seat belt suppport brackets 4 in all; which mount under the body outside that you bolt your seat belts into? I have a set of the old original rivets but how to hold them in place so you can beat the other end? Any clue on this there is no information in any book I have to describe this?
Thanks.......

Hey Bob, Hope the body is off the frame Phil 8063

[Paul D.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

Robert, The air hammer worked great when I replaced a seat mounting plate on my 71. Rivet was barely accessable from underneath and the rivet setting attachment on the air hammer made it possible. Body was on the frame on my car. Use biggest hammer you can fit against the rivet head for support. Important that hammer fits flat against rivet head. On mine, the head of the rivet sat recessed within another fiberglass panel. Chip.

[John H.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

you think an air hammer would work?

Bob -

An air hammer with a rivet set tool works great for me; I use a regulator at the gun set at about 20 psi.

[Richard M.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

Bob -

An air hammer with a rivet set tool works great for me; I use a regulator at the gun set at about 20 psi.

I recently helped a friend do about 80 rivets on his 65 fuelie, but while the body was up in the air on a lift. I was "backup man" using a heavy piece of bar stock while he was underneath using the air hammer with the special riveter head like John's. They came out great!

Rich
p.s. I couldn't imagine being backup man 8 hours a day at the factory though. My back was sore that night.

[Robert K.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

Bob -

An air hammer with a rivet set tool works great for me; I use a regulator at the gun set at about 20 psi.

Thanks John,
I thought so but where do you find the a rivet set head?

[Robert K.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

Anyone know where you can find a air hammer rivet head? Thought I'd have to make one since I can't find it?

[Paul D.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/search_result.aspx?CATEGORY=Rivet+Sets

Look at the above website (if I got it pasted properly). That's where I got mine. Lots of neat airplane tools if you need such. Chip.

[Robert K.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

John,

What is the purpose of the off-set in the rivet set? How does this differ from a straight shank and why?

[Steve L.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

You can make a rivet head for an air hammer by cutting the tip off a pointy chisel far enough to create about a 1/2 flat spot. Then put the chisel in a lathe or a drill press.

Get a dremel stone that is 3/8" dia and about 0.2" wide. Run the drill press/lathe and place the dremel stone axis at 90* to the drill axis. Grind a concave that is about 0.050" deep.

The tip is then identical to the sets that the vendors sell and only takes about 5-10 minutes.

To set my #4 body mount nut cage, I cut the chisel to it's mininum length and created the above head. It was the only way I could get into that tight spot.

[John H.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

John,

What is the purpose of the off-set in the rivet set? How does this differ from a straight shank and why?

I have an assortment (short, long, straight, bent) - just depends on access; got them from Aircraft Tool.

[Harry S.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

Bob, I replaced my 63 brackets as they were rusted and stripped. At the end of the day I used pop-rivets as that was the easiest way.

When the body comes off this year I will replace with OEM rivets.

[Robert K.]

Re: Replacing seat Belt ancor how to put in rivets?

Bob, I replaced my 63 brackets as they were rusted and stripped. At the end of the day I used pop-rivets as that was the easiest way.

When the body comes off this year I will replace with OEM rivets.

Harry,
Since we had this conversation earlier in the year about the seat belt anchor rivits, I have given up or not attempted to install the outer seat belt anchors. They won't fit, or shall I say between the frame and the fiberglass body where the brackets mount to. Any suggestions?