Posted by gmharris [71.105.35.169] on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 17:18:46 :
In Reply to: Re: frame restoration posted by Jon Kelly [99.65.238.15] on Friday, May 17, 2013 at 22:12:03 :
Rivets are readily available online and easy to install if you have the correct equipment. A hundred years ago, they were installing them by the millions in boilers and bridges.
You can easily (although it's time consuming) make your own rivets from bar stock.
But, do you really want to replace all the rivets? Unless you are repairing something or fixing rust, it's not worth the effort. You are not up upgrading anything. The old mild steel rivets are plenty good.
If you are worried enough about originality to want DPCD marked bolts you don't want to take out perfectly good original rivets.
Replacing rivets may seem like a good idea until you are about half way done.
It seems to me I saw photos from one guy who replaced all the rivets in his truck with bolts. I doubt that truck performs any better than an original truck.
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