Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Hello to all, I have a '39 Packard six that I am restoring. I have taken the grill apart to send out to the chrome platters but I am hoping that some of you more experienced members can tell me the best way to reassemble the slats. When I took it apart I was very careful to save the original rivets. The grill was generally in good shape and would move.
Thanks,

John,
I purchased the brass rivets from Merritt, which have the correct two diameters on the shank of the rivet. Installing and setting them requires patience, especially to avoid damaging the new chrome.

My method was to put the longest drift punch I had in the vise, with the hammer end down and the at an angle such that you can hold the shutter bar and keep it from the vise. Keeping painting tape on the shutter bar as you do it is good practice.

Exercise each one after you put it in to make sure you haven't over compressed it. Yes, it will be a gangly thing as you have more shutters hanging on the control bar. Here, I carefully kept attaching each of the shutters to those already done and held them together with the white sheet material the platers usually wrap the finished goods in.

Once done with the entire two sets, make sure you give each moving interface a bit of grease. Do this also when you insert the grouped shutters into the upper and lower pieces that provide the pivot for each shutter.

You can do it.

Good luck,

Pat

Thanks, I had not even thought to look for new rivets yet so I'll be right on that. The knowledge from this board is so helpful.