Well, after a two day blitz in the shop, the chassis for the '51 has transformed from a mismatched and ugly but nearly functional mock-up of its future self into an Earlesque smoking pile of rusty metal and metal shavings ready for a thorough sandblasting. Thanks, George. Thanks a lot. You just haaaad to point out on your website how much rust and gook had found it's way into places that a sandblaster can't get on poor Earl's carcass and then suggest taking it apart to get the bad stuff out. You KNOW how paranoid and impressionable I am! All kidding aside, it's actually quite exhilarating to see such a massive change after tripping over a complete chassis for the last 15 years or so and it was definitely worth doing. I think that those of you with rusty, original midwestern trucks should seriously consider this method when restoring your chassis. I had completely wire brushed and repainted mine some years ago at the onset of my project and though that I'd done a dern fine job. I was shocked at what I found growing between the crossmembers in places. Some of the impacted rust was a full 1/4" thick and had begun forcing the frame members apart. Not only that, but George never mentioned the substandard condition of the rivets that come out. WOW! 99% of mine were set so far out of square with the hole that the mushroomed head was only holding about half the circumference of the hole. You wouldn't know it by looking at them unless you actually take them out. I shudder to think what could have happened at today's interstate speeds should a few of them have sheared off, especially with the rust wedged between the crossmembers. Hey George! Care to trade rivet removal recipes?!?

 

Rage, George,

While you guys are swapping rivet removal recipes, do you guys mind going into some details of putting the stuff back together? What kind of rivets and riveters to use? Do you recommend any other method besides rivets? Thanks.

 

John

Grade 8 bolts that fit correct are the way to go. George addressed this last week on a thread. I don't recall which one though.

 

What is the best way to remove these rivets?

 

Depends on your tool skills. I have none so I used the following sequence:

1. Center punch the head (and I mean EXACTLY CENTER punch it)
2. Drill about 1/2" deep with a 1/8" diameter, 135 degree, split-point drill bit
3. Repeat #2 with a 5/16" diameter, 135 degree, split-point drill bit
4. Use a big, sharp cold chisel and a 3 lb hammer to slice what's left of the head off
5. If necessary, use a punch to knock the rivet out of the hole

You could also use a torch to "wash off" the rivet head, or a grinder, or whatever you think will work best for you. For goodness sakes wear some eye protection. Those rivet heads are about like a 22 caliber round when they pop loose.

'fenders is right about the fasteners, grade 8 bolts and nuts with an internal star lock washer under the nut. Stronger than the rivets and has more clamping force.


Joe, I think they stopped using the sub-standard rivets after 1951.

 

We all hate George. Then again, there is that warm cuddly side of the guy that is hard to hate. Take, for instance, the way that he hammers brother 'fenders when he needs it. He is tuned in to very specific details of the song "Volare"... he uncovered the "Brazilian Connection", he knows stuff. He does not flaunt. (means he's not a showoff, Fergy) He makes many of us who are less ept, feel inept... but he directs logistics for a 48-60 chowdown in Pigeon Forge. A man with so many talents and prom king to boot... of course we hate him. himmelberg

 

Himmelberg,

"He does not flaunt. (means he's not a showoff, Fergy) "

Thanks for the clarification - I thought you were talking about dental hygene there for a minute.

 

I tried just about every method I could think of for removing the riviets, but only one proved to be relatively quick and efficient. The whole torch deal is not good. It's really easy to smoke a nice, deep groove in the underlying part that'll have to be welded back up. Grinding the head off is effective but takes an enormous amount of time. Plus some of the rivet heads couldn't have been reached with a grinder. Drilling them is the only way to get them out quickly with a minimun of damage to the frame components. I tried drilling 1/8" pilots at first, but that seemed to take a lot longer and I burnt up a lot of 3/8" drill bits when I made the final pass. An 1/8" pilot forces the next size bit to do all the cutting on the outside edges and dulls them quickly. I went through a handful before I got back to the cab mounts. After that, I tried centerpunching the rivet and then drilling it with just the 3/8" bit. I only used two bits on the rest of the whole frame that way. I only drilled through the head itself to about the level of the clamped metal. The heads knock right off with a chisel after that. I had two sizes of rivets in my chassis - 3/8" and roughly 5/16". I opened all the holes up to 3/8" and plan to use 3/8" fine thread grade 8 bolts all the way through.

 

You cheated George! When I removed rivets I used a sharpened chisel with a mini sludge hammer (half-the size but just as powerful). The hard ones I ground a slot in them and them punched them off and when the spring mounts didn't come off I brought out the full size sludge to bash them off! That was fun!

 

Depends on your tool skills. I have none so I used the following sequence:

1. Center punch the head (and I mean EXACTLY CENTER punch it)
2. Drill about 1/2" deep with a 1/8" diameter, 135 degree, split-point drill bit
3. Repeat #2 with a 5/16" diameter, 135 degree, split-point drill bit
4. Use a big, sharp cold chisel and a 3 lb hammer to slice what's left of the head off
5. If necessary, use a punch to knock the rivet out of the hole

Replace the above 5 steps with these. Put on your goggles, light the smoke wrench, rivets be gone. Two seconds with the grinder and you'll never know you were there. There may be a few you can't access but it will work pretty well if you are decent with a torch. It also helps if you have two people. One on the torch and the other with a large drift to tap them through when you get close. I didn't have to pull too many rivets. My frame was one of the better parts of my truck rust wise.

 

I think you forgot a step. When finished have a refreshing cold beverage.

 

Thanks for the info. And the last step would be hard to forget.