Technical REMOVING MODEL T BODY RIVETS???

Soooo, I gotta take this model T cab apart.... rivets every where..... is there a easy way to get them out.... and then when it back together,... bolts and nylocs???

 

I have some cut off wheels for my die grinder about 1/8" wide. I use those as grinding wheels and since they are small you can see what your doing, you can at a slow speed grind the head off the rivet without getting into the metal of the riveted piece and punch them out. You could temporarily assemble with bolts and then re rivet everything back together. Its not that hard to do.

 

I’ve had pretty good luck with these:
https://a.co/d/05EVFfF

 

Sorry, those were for the 8000 spot welds on a model A. Yes, thin disk as was mentioned

 

Rivets swell into the size of the hole when set, further stabilizing the two pieces together. Bolts simply use tension and don't fill the hole. In other words, rivets are better in this application, reinstall rivets.

 

thats what I thought, you still have to have a pilot hole....

 

I have those also... but even as small as it is there's a lot you can't get to... I was hoping for some type of whitney punch that pulls them out...

 

Just gotta say.....that is a super clean looking cab. What's the story on it?

 

Best way I have found is to take a file and flatten the head a little, center punch the head, drill with a bit a little larger than the head until the head comes off, then switch to a bit a little smaller than the shank and drill most but not all the way thru, then while supporting the back side, knock the rivet out with the appropriate size pin punch. This way the components are not distorted during the process. Works good on sheet metal and frames as the secondary drilling relaxes the rivet shank which was expanded during the original riveting.

 

It's part of an ill advised project, one of those never done that i should just quit...

 

I tryed to get a few out... guess my hand surgery hasn't healed, or it's as good as it gonna get.. up all night with hand and shoulder pain.... I'm only 71.... but I'll tell you.... it was rough 71 yrs... never thought I'd make it this far... should probley throw in the white towel... I think bought not built is more fitting....
fix'n and tinkering should keep me out of the casino...I hope..

 

Air hammer with a sharp chisel or drill them out .

 

I drill them out. If you want to keep the original rivet style i put new shorter rivets back in , clamp the panel together then weld the other side of the rivet.