Vent window rivet setter.

[Daves55Sedan]

A few decades ago, I redid my '55 vent windows with all new rubber and fuzzy weatherstripping. In order to accomplish this, the old rivets holding the bottom mounting bracket to the window guide channel and the rivets holding the rear (lock-side) weatherstrip to the stainless division bar must be drilled out and removed to permit installation of new weatherstripping.
When I had the new parts and new rivets, I used a center-punch and hammer to get the backside of the rivets to expand, but I forgot what I used to hammer them home with.
Anybody else done this, what did you use that did the job well, and if it was a proper rivet setter, where did you get it from?

 

[Ford blue blood]

I made a tool to set the rivets.

 

[tjaybo]

In a different but similar situation I ground down the head of the rivet gun. Buy a cheap one at harbor freight and dont worry if you ruin the head. I still use the one I modified.

 

[rotorwrench]

I've seen folks modify a set of pliers with addition of setting tool mandrels to squeeze the tubular type rivets but they may have been for smaller rivets.

 

[56sedandelivery]

I got a couple from these hanson rivets. Not at all cheap but worked great.
https://www.hansonrivet.com/tools-machines/solid-rivet-tools-machines/hand-rivet-clinchers/

 

[Daves55Sedan]

Those Hanson rivet setters are exactly what the doctor ordered. Where did you buy yours from???

 

[Daves55Sedan]

So I dug out my toolbox filled with all types of punches. The best I could come up with was a properly sized center-punch and a flat punch. I used a steel bar 1/4" thick clamped in a workbench vice to set the vent window channel in (with the rivets ticking up and placed the component to be attached onto the rivets. The center punch was used first to get the rivet expanded down to the hole in the metal component, then the flat punch was used to drive the excess home for a good tight connection, see photos below.
It was not easy, and is not a professional job, but the parts are on tight.

 

[56sedandelivery]

Got mine at their store. They are not cheap but do make a nice roll crimp. see if I can get a pic of final product later

 

[56sedandelivery]

Pic of finished vent rivets. These are steel rivets

 

[Daves55Sedan]

Pic of finished vent rivets. These are steel rivets

Now that is nice! Just think how good that would look with brass rivets (not that anyone would ever see it, since they are all hidden once the vent window assembly is installed in the car).
I would be willing to get one of those rivet setters.
Did you mean you ordered from their store on a website. I couldn't find one??

 

[Daves55Sedan]

BTW, I am guessing you also put in new rubber insert into yours. I noticed Dennis Carpenter no longer offering that for '55/56. Where did you get yours from???

 

[56sedandelivery]

Yes got the rivets and setter at the their store. In the link provided click on the one you want and it takes you to where you can add to cart. Got all new rubber when I rebuilt them. Got the rubber some time back so do not remember where but Concours has them listed. The back edge seal uses a smaller rivet so needed a different setter.

 

[tjaybo]

Bill, that looks good. How did you make the top setting tool with the pin sticking down?

 

[tjaybo]

Did you just buy the hand held punch that you use with a hammer or is there more to it . Could you post up what part numbers you bought instead of the web site?
Thanks Jim

 

[Daves55Sedan]

The Hanson rivet setter is nothing more than a solid punch with a specially shaped business end to make the hollow end of the rivets "roll" to home rather than having them smashed flat home like I did with a flat punch as you can see in the photos.
Obviously, The Hanson rivet setter is superior to my "use what you have" technology.
AND, the head of the rivets are always supposed to be installed from the top, with the hollow end facing down.
So, in order to use a punch (either Hansons or my center punch-then flat punch method), you need a workbench vise. Clamp a piece of steel bar 1/4" min to maybe 5/16 or 3/8" thick in the vice sticking up enough to set the channel (vent window stationary structure) into. This will only be needed for the bottom channel rivet installations (with the channel turned upside down). For the top, you will still need the channel turned upside down, but there needs to be an offset to allow room for the bracket and rain-gutter piece, so you can still use the vice (but you will need a second person to hold the channel up), OR, you can do the punching on the floor using a piece of 3/8" thick steel laying flat on the floor for the channel to sit on (also with a second person holding the channel).

 

[56sedandelivery]

If you are asking me the hanson part number the main one is HT175 for 9/64 rivets. There is also one for the division bar weatherstrip HT366 for .095 rivets. Note that the 9/64 is too big to fit in the channel. I had to grind mine down to get it to work.

 

[Ford blue blood]

Bill, that looks good. How did you make the top setting tool with the pin sticking down?

I tightened up nuts on the threaded portion, chucked it in a drill clamped in a vice and used files and cutting wheels to get the shape.

 

[Daves55Sedan]

If you are asking me the hanson part number the main one is HT175 for 9/64 rivets. There is also one for the division bar weatherstrip HT366 for .095 rivets. Note that the 9/64 is too big to fit in the channel. I had to grind mine down to get it to work.

Actually, it should not have been necessary to modify the rivet setter. The factory inserted the rivets for the back edge seal so that the head of the rivet is on the door glass run side of the channel and the hollow end is at the vent window side.
So, the way to assemble is to have a new door glass run channel sitting in a piece of 1/4" thick metal plate clamped into a workbench vice (metal plate is sticking up a half inch or so above top of vice grips), so that the channel can slip down over the plate without hitting the top of the vice. It may be necessary to have a second person hold the opposite end of channel up.
Now put on your stainless division bar piece and the new back edge of vent window rubber piece. Of course the rivet (you can do one at a time) is sticking hollow end up with head down against your 1/4" metal plate.
Smack the rivet home with your ivet setter and go to the next rivet. Plenty of room. This is all done BEFORE the vent window structure is riveted to the door glass run channel.

 

[Daves55Sedan]

Forgot to mention that when installing the vent window back edge rubber on the division bar, only drill the holes for the rivets thru the BACKSIDE of the back edge rubber piece.
First, fit the vent window structure piece on the division bar aligning the holes, then FIT the back edge rubber piece on the division bar. Mark top and bottom edges with a ink marker. I used two small C-clamps to clamp the back edge rubber piece to the division bar and then drilled holes.
You dont need to drill holes all the way through (for fear of accidentally drilling through the front side of the rubber flap of the vent window back edge rubber piece).
Once the hole is started, you can then place the assembly on a scrap of 2x4 lumber and set the division bar face-up on the board. Use your thumb to pull back the rubber flap and finish drilling the hole through.