The Ford Barn - Radiator Shell welting rivets

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Radiator Shell welting rivets

I just changed the cloth like material that runs around the outside of the radiator shell. I ruined several of the rivets that held that on removing them and luckily the new lacing/welting came with new rivets. It was a pretty aggravating job as the shell is hard to hold while you're removing and installing the rivets. I wanted to let you guys know how I did this. I'm sure some of you have a better way than I did but just incase.

There are better ways to hold the shell than I how I did it so I'll leave that to you to decide but for installing the rivets,,,,, I used a pair of fencing pliers to squash the rivets. I installed a rivet at the end of a side and then pulled it tightly and used the old welting and a pair of vise grips to hold it. I'd drill a hole in the welting using the hole in radiator shell as a guide and install a rivet. Take the fencing pliers and while one side pushed the rivet in the other spread the back side open. I then took a small sledge hammer placed against that and a smaller hammer to set the ears. I would then drill another hole and repeat, Worked like a charm.

A punch or chisel would also work to spread the ears but you'd have to have three hands or the shell secured somehow. Probably a simple task for most of you but it worked well for me.