Re: 51Packard's....51 Packard

Posted by BH On 2013/6/22 18:57:18

A center punch could actually swell the shank of the rivet tighter against the hole. You should be using a pin punch - the kind with a flat end (tip) - that's close to the same diameter as the rivet. Heck, an old bolt might work, in a pinch, but be sure to keep your fingers out of the way as you strike it with hammer.

Whether siezed from original installation, use of the center punch, or decades of rust, you may need to drill a small hole through the center of the rivet to help relieve the tension. I wouldn't be surprised if you needed to employ this technique with knocking some of the rivets on-car. However, you should only have to grind/chisel from one side.

Hope this helps.

P.S. - Dunno what to make of the welded bracket in your previous post. Manuals indicate nothing about that one being welded, and it's been years since I looked under any of my V8s, which are all presently stored offsite. Perhaps others will chime in with their experience.