Thread: 53 Is back from the Body Shop

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"......Anyone have a good way to attach the felt strip back on the surround trim. They used some metal stapler but I was going to look for some very small screws. ...."

I've been using short 1/8" pop rivets to attach the felts for years. The head of the rivet goes on the felt side and when you set it it will pull itself in below the height of the felt so it doesn't scratch the glass.

If you can find black rivets great, but if not a touch with a black permanent marker on the head of the rivet pretty much makes them disappear.



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Originally Posted by Mike P

"......Anyone have a good way to attach the felt strip back on the surround trim. They used some metal stapler but I was going to look for some very small screws. ...."

I've been using short 1/8" pop rivets to attach the felts for years. The head of the rivet goes on the felt side and when you set it it will pull itself in below the height of the felt so it doesn't scratch the glass.

If you can find black rivets great, but if not a touch with a black permanent marker on the head of the rivet pretty much makes them disappear.



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Picked up a rivet gun kit at Bomgars today and your right, that worked great. A little bit of black paint pen on the rivots and you can't see a thing. Thanks

Originally Posted by Mike P

"......Anyone have a good way to attach the felt strip back on the surround trim. They used some metal stapler but I was going to look for some very small screws. ...."

I've been using short 1/8" pop rivets to attach the felts for years. The head of the rivet goes on the felt side and when you set it it will pull itself in below the height of the felt so it doesn't scratch the glass.

If you can find black rivets great, but if not a touch with a black permanent marker on the head of the rivet pretty much makes them disappear.



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Well I've learned something new today; thank-you Mr Mike!
We've got four windows in three different vehicles that need new felts.
I've looked at them on several occasions and have been baffled as to how to go about it, I was going to take them to a shop; but now I'm brave enough to have a go myself.
Your idea makes perfect sense.
Thanks again!

(And if perchance I muck it up I can just drill the rivets out!)

Got the door panels and headliner in, kick panels and carpet ordered so now it's time to start on the back half. New parts doesn't mean perfect parts. I smoothed out the spot welds and a small dent in the tailgate. I sanded up one rear fender where it was damaged a bit in shipping, you can see the low spot when I sanded it. Not to much of a big deal because i want to cover the rivets up anyhow. I was going to hit the rivets with a bit of media blast, epoxy the hole shut then mud over that. I thought about welding the hole shut but I already have the inside Rhino lined and welding warps stuff to fast. Let me know if the epoxy thing is a bad idea

Seth, that is looking nice from here.

Door panels and headliner huh.......I can relate to that it's how I've been spending my last few days.

That's looking good. You did a lot of work smoothing the tailgate that a lot of people would have just let go.

What are you going to do for tail gate latches on it?


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Times 3! Looks real nice.

Originally Posted by Mike P

Door panels and headliner huh.......I can relate to that it's how I've been spending my last few days.

That's looking good. You did a lot of work smoothing the tailgate that a lot of people would have just let go.

What are you going to do for tail gate latches on it?


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Thanks for the compliments guys, I kinda wanted to just paint it but the Mrs said I would regret it so I cleaned em up a bit.

As for the latches, I was going to put in the stealth latches but they won't work unless the pull knobs are on the top because of how thick the top tube of the gate is. The pin hole would also be right on the curve of a stake pocket , so I am going to use a stainless bolt and and wingnut and bolt it shut. I think that may be an extra good thing because otherwise there would also be no box side support in the back by the gate. The closest path to a hard surface road from me is 1 1/2 miles and the gravel road can get kinda rough at times.

I got the rivet holes epoxied tonight and put a coat of filler on the door access panels and that's about it tonight. I'm think I'll have a beer and watch TV for awhile, kinda sick of it for right now

Heck yeah, take a break... but first what is that shiny piece in the middle?

It's getting there and looking good,.......believe me I fully understand the "....kinda sick of it for right now....." feeling.

I did a 76 Dodge 1/2 ton 8 or 9 years ago. Eliminating the chains and doing latches took a bit of standing around figuring to get it where I was happy with it

I actually ended up building my own bolts (held them on with carriage bolts with the heads on the outside of the tailgate) which turned out to be simpler than I thought. Anyway this is what I came up with form mine by the time I got done.

Shop Truck (True Spirit) Project

My tailgate had a piece that wrapped around the bed that I retained when I cut the chain loops off so I didn't have to worry about the bed sides spreading and the gate flopping open.

I can see where the bolt and wing nut idea is a nice simple solution. Carriage head bolts thru the tail gate would give you the studs for the wingnuts and a small piece of angle iron attached to the bed side with a hole in it for the studs to go thru would be really easy to do..........might just steal that idea for my 37 Dodge when I get tired of hearing the chains bang around in the back



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Originally Posted by 34_40

Heck yeah, take a break... but first what is that shiny piece in the middle?

That's the rivet, the epoxy is clear.

Originally Posted by Mike P

It's getting there and looking good,.......believe me I fully understand the "....kinda sick of it for right now....." feeling.

I did a 76 Dodge 1/2 ton 8 or 9 years ago. Eliminating the chains and doing latches took a bit of standing around figuring to get it where I was happy with it

I actually ended up building my own bolts (held them on with carriage bolts with the heads on the outside of the tailgate) which turned out to be simpler than I thought. Anyway this is what I came up with form mine by the time I got done.

Shop Truck (True Spirit) Project

My tailgate had a piece that wrapped around the bed that I retained when I cut the chain loops off so I didn't have to worry about the bed sides spreading and the gate flopping open.

I can see where the bolt and wing nut idea is a nice simple solution. Carriage head bolts thru the tail gate would give you the studs for the wingnuts and a small piece of angle iron attached to the bed side with a hole in it for the studs to go thru would be really easy to do..........might just steal that idea for my 37 Dodge when I get tired of hearing the chains bang around in the back



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Actually the holes to bolt it shut are there already, it's where the chain hook goes through the box and gate together to hold the gate shut. I kinda like what you did there, I never did think of mounting the release on the outside of the gate ( bed side ) vs hiding it inside the tailgate itself. I was also wondering how to put the cables in but the way you did it seems nice and simple. I had an over elaborate plan that was sure to fail. I have the box all apart now but I will check things out again when I bolt it together b/f I paint. I still may use the bolts to keep things tight because I doubt I will open the tailgate much.

Pretty much sanded all day today, I was dreading it but I got the both box sides, front panel and both fenders sanded up. That's about it for today and man am I glad that's done

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

That's the rivet, the epoxy is clear.

I meant the middle picture, I was thinking that piece was to hold the tailgate closed.