Tips for fitting hood / hood bag poppers to bodywork

[Colin Lindsay]

Hi all - any tips for fitting the poppers for the hood and hood bag / tonneau to a convertible bodywork? I've an entire set to fit, when removed some were rivetted (not very good looking) some had self tappers which had gone rusty so I'm wondering if anyone has hit on a good method of fixing them? I tested rivets earlier today but by the time the rivet head is small enough to fit down inside the popper, the rivet is too small to grip the bodywork where a hole has already been drilled. There are some which can take counter-sunk bolts but others where you can't reach the other side to fit the nut on. I'm trying to avoid this sort of look, so all tips appreciated:

 

[Pete Lewis]

club shop sell replacement stainless  poppers 

on the body the rivet needs a small head so it sits inside,   any screw /bolt has to sit inside the popper or its mate wont pop 

   you may need to extend the pop gun nozzle with a short tube so the nozzle reaches the head 

and if the holes spread fit a small washer underside  for the pop to close up on 

Pete

 

[Adrian Cooper]

Hi Colin,

I used pop rivets but I made the 'shoulder' smaller so that they would fit down inside the popper. I did the first ones with a file but I hit on the idea of putting the rivet in a drill and 'turning' the shoulder down, much quicker. This method allows the use of the ones with the thick business end that will work with the existing holes.

Adrian

[AlanT]

Hi Colin,

ive had this exact problem! I got washers that just fit the pop rivets, put them inside the bodywork. B & Q.

The other thing is that the rivet gun can’t get close enough to the top of the rivet to make it tight. The solution is to cut a 5mm piece of brake pipe and put it between the rivet and the gun. Then gets right inside the popper. 

[Josef]

I’ve done the same as Adrian in the past wrt turning down the shoulders of rivets to let them fit. The stainless steel trim that holds the rear of the hood down (on the 13/60 at least) is held by small bolts which’re definitely a two person job. 

[DanMi]

the rivet heads generally need to be trimmed down a drill and file works well. Then to get the rivet tight you need something between the rivet head and the gun, I use the old drilled off head from the previous rivet, but a tiny washer or bit of tube would also work. If you use stainless rivets you will need a serious riveter. I have used my standard riveter with stainless on my daughter's topper dinghy but I had to stand on the riveters arms

[PeteH]

8 hours ago, DanMi said:

topper dinghy

"Blast from the past" My son`s had a Mirror, Back in the 70`s. It went on the roof of the Cortina Estate, and we towed the Caravan behind when doing competion`s. As far down as IOW, and up into the Lakes too.

The foregoing short extension idea also works for replacing the Trim clips on the Vittesse/Herald. If you cannot get the type that come as a specialised rivet (64p each currently).

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

I use brake pipe as a spacer, that's worked before. All I need to do it identify a suitable rivet. I've to visit a mate in a bus company tomorrow and he uses all kinds, on steel, stainless, alluminium and perspex. Too lazy / short of time at present to turn each rivet down individually...