In the process of tearing down my 1926 I noticed that someone in the past put bolts in most of the rivit holes. this doesn't look safe to me I would like to replace them with rivits. has anyone that has done this before have any tips?
Thanks Randy

You can make your own bucking tools from the proper length bolts and a nut. Just size the bolt with the nut screwed on so it barely fits inside the frame. then drill a cup on the bolt head. Put rivet in,then support it with the bolt and back off the nut till it's tight inside frame. Then heat and hammer/pean the rivet.

Jack, Do you think I could put the cup on another bolt to peen the rivit or should I just peen it with a hammer?

You can peen it with an air chisel if you have the proper tool,or use a hammer.

I replaced the front crossmember on my frame (pre-'26). An air hammer (air chisel with a rivit head) is a must. You will not be able to "hammer" a cold rivit. You must place the rivit into the hole then heat the non-head end with a torch until it just turns red then drive it home with the rivit gun. As the rivit cools it will pull even tighter. Rivits are available from Big Flats Rivit Company (they also have installation tips on their site). They sell a front crossmember rivit kit for the Model T.

Bob

Randy,

Big Flats Rivet company made a video about installing the rivets. It has some good information (available from the vendors as well as many of the clubs that have a library). The discuss using both the air tool riveter and the ball pen hammer. If you have the stuff out of the way of the frame (i.e. front spring removed) you should be able to get in there easily.

And for some of the folks that go "hey -- does that mean the bolts in my front cross member are "unsafe"? The short answer is -- good bolts, snugged up tight have been running in T front cross members etc. for a long time. To be authentic the rivet is the way to go. And if you are going to repair the frame -- riveting makes good sense. But I wouldn't stop driving a T just because the front cross member was bolted in.

Note, our 1915 cut off was a daily driver for college kids when my Dad purchased it. And it still has the front cross member bolted in. Yes, I plan to use the Big Flats Rivet kit when I redo the car -- but it still is drivable like it is.

There was also an article on how you could put the bolt in a drill and round the head off so it looked like a rivet. But I think long term the rivet would give you a much better job.

Hap 1915 Model T Touring cut off and made into a pickup truck and 1907 Model S Ford Runabout in South Carolina

I installed rivets in the front crossmember of my 1913 touring because someone had used bolts. I bought the rivets from Big Flats and the tools from Aircraft Tool Supply (ATS). You have to heat the rivets red hot with a torch on the end that is to be formed, then shoot it in the next few seconds after removing the heat. It was very easy once we had done a couple of them. The whole set took no more than an hour.

Royce said it "we". I was a go fer for a professional restorer when I was a teenager and it is always good to have an extra hand for a job like that, especially nice, but not necessary if it is someone who has experience. You can always drill them out and start over though!

Quick tip: After cutting rivets to length before installation, don't quench them to cool them. Doing that, will harden them. You should just let them air cool slowly. You want the rivets to be soft for the peening proccess.

Eric,

I cut the rivets using an air grinder with a 1/16" thick cutoff wheel. By the time you cut the tenth one the ninth one is cool. You put the rivet in the hole, heat the shop head end with a torch and then shoot it while it is still red hot. Goes down like butter. Definitely a two man job if you want good results.

Royce

Royce, It sounds like you do your rivets exactly the same way that I do mine. I use an air hammer to set them. Works slick. A retired A/P mechanic taught me about not quenching them after cutting them to length with the die grinder.

Well I am an A&P mechanic who has been one for 29 years and still not retired. I never quench anything unless there is a reason to make it hard and brittle. Rivets definitely don't fall into that category.

Royce,
Right. Hence my tip.

Thanks for the tips on installing rivits in my crossmember. I will buy the air tool and give it a try.