Header bar replacement
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 45
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Header bar replacement
1972 corvette,am in the process of replacing my header bar du to the rivet bumps ( have new bar ),have old bar off,my bonding strip is in good condition, as I am in Australia and to get a new bonding strip from USA will take weeks would like to leave old bonding strip on.have drilled out a couple of rivets and noticed the round top piece of the rivet is between the bonding strip and body, will they affect future bumps in the fiberglass if i leave them there or do i have have to bite the bullet and replace the bonding strip ( am painting the car )
Thanks Alan
Thanks Alan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,174
Likes: 631
From: perth western australia
originally the steel header bar was rivetted to the "bond strip" and then the two fibreglass pieces were glued together . So the trouble is caused by the top of the rivet swelling and raising those lumps on the painted top panel (hood surround). If you don't remove the top of the rivet you wont fix the problem .
To "fix " you must CAREFULLY grind away the bond strip and dig out the rivet head without damaging the top panel , grind just where the rivet is from underneath . don't touch the hood surround .
If you still want a new "bond strip" I have one here (in Perth) if it helps.
To "fix " you must CAREFULLY grind away the bond strip and dig out the rivet head without damaging the top panel , grind just where the rivet is from underneath . don't touch the hood surround .
If you still want a new "bond strip" I have one here (in Perth) if it helps.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,472
Likes: 754
From: Laporte, IN
Remove all of the original rivets. Then just clean up the old bonding strip use a proper adhesive to reattach to the header bar.
Allow the adhesive to come through the old rivet holes but level it to same level as the bonding strip.
This will also help secure the two items together but also remove the excess adhesive from the rivet holes in the header bar.
Allow this to cure before attaching to the surround.
Then secure the header bar to the surround on the car.
If you want to replicate the original appearance with new rivets cut the shank of the rivet slightly compress them then before the adhesive sets place them on the header bars rivet holes.
Allow the adhesive to come through the old rivet holes but level it to same level as the bonding strip.
This will also help secure the two items together but also remove the excess adhesive from the rivet holes in the header bar.
Allow this to cure before attaching to the surround.
Then secure the header bar to the surround on the car.
If you want to replicate the original appearance with new rivets cut the shank of the rivet slightly compress them then before the adhesive sets place them on the header bars rivet holes.
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Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
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