Factory VIN Rivets
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The riverts used in the cross body cars square corner band mkia/ii have a part in the centre instead of a hollow hole. It stops water going in and gives them a distinctive look. Rootes used them on several cars and used them on the fresh air ventilation boxes on Sv Alpines mkia and mkii
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You can see the later style VIN riverts on the car in this thread as they also used them on the cross body SIVA / SV Alpines too:
https://www.catmbr.org/cat-forum/th...s-v-alpine-parts-car-for-500-in-wichita.7310/
https://www.catmbr.org/cat-forum/th...s-v-alpine-parts-car-for-500-in-wichita.7310/
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They're called blind rivets. They do not have an opening in the bottom as most pop rivets have. I have a couple bags of original rivets and at some point on some site I've posted photos of the unopened bags of rivets. You'll find that the gun used to install them left a circular pattern on the rivet.
Does the MK then have different rivets?
Austin Healer
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Yes. MK1's used a tubular rivet with a smaller outer diameter head and as they don't seem to rust, I suspect that they are stainless. They are both a 1/8" rivet. The blind rivets (aluminum) were introduced in approximately June/July 1965 based on my observations. The prototype Mk1a (B9479975PPLRXFE) had the later blind rivets (aluminum). These were also used everywhere else on the car that originally had rivets. attached is a pic of the original rivets on my Mk2
Austin Healer
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The actual vin tags are different as well. Early Mk1 chassis plates are anodized, the later ones are just silk screened aluminum. The rivet change occurred about the same time period as the lubrication plate was deleted. The 4 holes for the lubrication plate remained for a short period of the initial Mk1a production, but were just filled with blind rivets.
Austin Healer
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I suppose it only matters if you have a bent towards how the cars actually were... Personally, I couldn't care less what someone does on their own accord... But, If they'd like to know what was original and where to source the bits, I'm here to help.
And tubular according to Sean
Is this then not a common rivet?
Warren
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I got some really correct ones in the past. Chuck Daly had a bag of them and I pictured them in an album here. I've found sever later rivets stuck under carpets in the tar paper over the years but I've given them all away to my bros...
Never were they ever meant to be passed off as not removed nor to be other than original appearance. No body shop wants to take the time to paint around the tags. It a major pain to gently lift a tag thin wire method and feather paint underneath..
If you look at most any Tiger the original blind rivet will be in the part that hooks onto the windshield that the convertible top frame slips into. That piece is almost never removed and painted around. That's the later rivet, as pictured.
Steel on the earlier ones.
Never were they ever meant to be passed off as not removed nor to be other than original appearance. No body shop wants to take the time to paint around the tags. It a major pain to gently lift a tag thin wire method and feather paint underneath..
If you look at most any Tiger the original blind rivet will be in the part that hooks onto the windshield that the convertible top frame slips into. That piece is almost never removed and painted around. That's the later rivet, as pictured.
Steel on the earlier ones.
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How many factory correct Tigers were at SUNI in September? How many points shy of a perfect score was the first place stock tiger ?
Austin Healer
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the steel ones are readily available and common. I had to search a bit for the blind rivets, but was able to eventually find them on-line. it may be different for those who live closer to civilization! I live in NE Bumfuckistan, so finding them at a hardware store was an impossibility.
Austin Healer
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They're also commonly found on the trap door hinges for the fuel pump (battery on the Alpine)
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I guess that's the problem if someone just posts a link to a Craigslist/ ebay etc ad and doesnt bother adding some details or photos to the post.. Nust a dead link of no use to anyone....
