Headlamp rim fitting - done !

[tim wood]

All,
I’m just about to refit the headlamp trims on my series 1.5 following a repaint. I have new rubbers from Baines and the special rivets.
I have read previous threads about using Washers etc to space out the trim but am looking for any new or other views on this task.

My current plan is:
Mask up the area heavily in case the rivet gun slips
Punch holes in the rubber trim to fit the stem of the rivet.
Pass the rivet though the washer and the rubber and squeeze!
Clip on the trim.

Other and better views appreciated!

Thanks
Tim

[Simonpfhc]

Hi Tim,

I did one of those just a couple of weeks ago. You will definitely need a washer under the rivets. Also, I found that the profile of the special rivets was way too sharp for the chrome trims to easily clip over (if you press too hard, they will deform and be very noticeable). I ran the rivets past a belt sander to round off the sharp profile. The trims then easily clipped over them. They don’t need to be a tight fit as they are held on by the top chrome fitting and the bottom screwed clips.

All of this is based on using new chrome trims and new rivets, both from SNG. The original special rivets have a much more rounded profile than the new items.

Let me know of you want some more clarification.

[tim wood]

Thanks Simon, very useful.
I’m using the original trims and rivets from SNG.

I may practice first using a spare piece of plate and do a dummy assembly.
Will post how I get on ( unless I have to shame myself by going back to the painter)

Tim

[tim wood]

First of all thanks to those who replied to this post both here and as PMs

The job is done so I thought I would drop a line on how it went.
I bought the rubber from Baines, 2 metres which was more than enough but allowed for the inevitable cock up.
I purchased the special rivets from SNG along with the recommended washers.

The theory is that the washers allow sufficient spacing for the trim to clip onto the mushroom head and thus must pass through the hole in the rubber. Using the washers supplied (2ba) this wasn’t possible so I used some 3mm items (3mm ID and 7mm OD)
Next was to punch the holes in the rubber, Amazon supplied an 8mm hole punch for £4 so this was a bargain.

I was concerned that with new paint and a number of washers the rivet would not be long enough so I pushed the mushroom head off and fitted to slightly longer rivets. A few tests with a spare piece of plate showed that 3 washers was about right ( the washers were very thin)

Riveting the mushroom and the washers to the bonnet went smoothly. One issue was that the end of the gun would not fit inside the mushroom and thus when squeezed some distortion occurred. This was fixed by using a very short piece of brake pipe over the stem to slide inside the rivet head.

I placed the rubber over the in place rivets and marked where the holes were to be made -simple
Punched the rubber .
From then on it was just a matter of putting the rubber in place and clipping on the chromes, some were easier than others but no real difficulty. My chromes were original.

So that’s ! It isn’t perfect but as good as if not better than original

Tim

[Simonpfhc]

Well done Tim

It’s a tricky job to get right.

[ralphr1780]

Well done Tim but... without any picture is as if like it never happened