Body - repair - rivets and splits
- by Steve Barker
- Download this article here
Replacing rivets
Having drilled out various rivets while stripping the RN Saloon body before painting, I needed to replace them. The easiest and tidiest way was to replace everything with appropriately sized BA bolts with no slot heads which are indistinguishable from the original rivets as photos 1 and 2 show. BA sizes to match original rivets are:
the bonnet handles - 5 BA; letterbox vents 4 BA; and one of the spare wheel carrier studs 2BA.
Dealing with bodywork splits
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate my technique for dealing with stress splits which are especially common on bonnets often near the vents and if not dealt with ruin the finish of the paintwork. I would never attempt a weld of any kind because of the likelihood of distortion and rely on the glue and screw method by using JB Weld an American 2 pack metal adhesive but Araldite or similar would probably suit as long as it doesn’t react with the paint finish. For the screws I use 6BA countersunk which, if carefully fitted on the finished side of the work, require very minimal filling and finishing.
My BA stocks are obtained from BA Bolts Ltd., 17 Bournside Road, Cheltenham, Glos GL5 3AL. Tel: 01242 706155. Email: sales@ba-bolts.co.uk who provided a quick and friendly service by phone.
