tailgate panel rivets??

[deadflo]

My rectangular tailgate "panel" inside the car is hanging by one final corner screw. Motorsport guys said it needs rivets, but the guy I talked to didnt know what kind of screw was holding it on the four corners. (the rivets apparantly go into little clips on the other holes, with plastic screws in the corner.)

What are these screws, they must be in the MSA catalog arent they??

I had to order black rivets as well cause the werent any blue ones left.

[TomoHawk]

The vinyl-covered panels attach to the inside of the hatch with screws. These screws are like flat-head wood screws with a slight crown on the head. Colors differ0- probably same as the finisher.

The plastic panel on the inside covering the taillights is attached along the top with plastic, barbed tivets and screws for the two covers over the two taillights.

The salesman may have been referring to the wrong panel.

[Bambikiller240]

Which of the two cars listed in your profile are you refering to?

[Carl Beck]

Hi deadflo:

The guy at Motorsports was correct. The tail gate vinyl finisher is held by the same type plastic rivets that were used everywhere else in the interior.

It's not uncommon for previous owners to substitute sheetmetal screws, as used in many US cars for the missing rivets.

Having dealt with the use of both screws and the plastic rivets in cars over the past 40 years, I can assure you that in the case of the rear tail gate vinyl finisher --the rivets are far better for that application. The reason is that every time you, or someone else, slams the tail gate shut - the rivets will allow the finisher to flex with the impact, without working the rivets out. Screws used in applications like that (on door panels for example) will over time work themselves loose, and then the continual impacts will strip them or the hole out.

The plastic rivets are a pain to deal with if you have to remove and reinstall the panels - but they are a better way of fastening the trim to the car body. That (impact and flex) is also why the door panels are mounted using spring clips instead of screws.

FWIW,

Carl

Carl Beck

Clearwater,FL USA

http://ZHome.com

beck@becksystems.com

[deadflo]

Ok, well I recieved some black rivets from MSA last night, I;ll see if I can get the panel back in my 71 today.

The lone rivet that was holding it in place does look like the ones they sent, except they all have these little "poles" protruding from the top of the rivet, I guess I have to cut those off after I insert them into the holes??

Tomohawk, I was referring to the inside of the hatch panel,not the tailight panel, but again the lone attaching device left in place appears to be a rivet, not a screw, as Carl describes..

Also it looks like there are a few "clips" in the holes where the rivets are to go, but those clips arent at every hole, do i need to pick up some of those metal clips for all the holes to do this correctly?

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by deadflo

Ok, well I recieved some black rivets from MSA last night, I;ll see if I can get the panel back in my 71 today.

The lone rivet that was holding it in place does look like the ones they sent, except they all have these little "poles" protruding from the top of the rivet, I guess I have to cut those off after I insert them into the holes??

Tomohawk, I was referring to the inside of the hatch panel,not the tailight panel, but again the lone attaching device left in place appears to be a rivet, not a screw, as Carl describes..

Also it looks like there are a few "clips" in the holes where the rivets are to go, but those clips arent at every hole, do i need to pick up some of those metal clips for all the holes to do this correctly?

The clips are there only because someone used screws instead of the rivits. Remove them before installing the rivits.

DO NOT cut off the poles. After inserting the rivits, you PUSH IN the "poles" to lock the rivit in place. When you need to remove the rivits, you PUSH them in more (i.e. out the back of the rivit, Then you must retreave them after having removed the rivit. Re-insert them into the head or front of the rivit to reuse.

[deadflo]

Bambililler, thanks for the prompt response on a saturday morning.

Good to have you guys around. Im glad i didnt FU the operation!

[Carl Beck]

HI Guys:

I think I'm following this thread, and I think every thing is clear, but because mention was made of the tail light access panels... and "clips"...

1. The Black Rivets go in the tail gate vinyl finisher

2. The access panels - that allow access to the tail lights/bulbs are held in place by small screws - that screw into the "clips" placed on the rear plastic panel (that runs across the back of the car) that has the openings to allow access to the tail lights. There should be four little clips that hold the screws in each access hole...

Just wanted to make sure you were saying that there were now "clips" in the tail gate... If that's the case... Carl S has it right..

BTW - before you put the tail gate vinyl finisher in place - make sure all the holes in the metal tail gate are as open as they should be. Sometimes paint or gue closes them down a little - then you can not push the "poles" all the way in because the holes are too tight. (bummer). Also note that the vinyl panel does have a top/bottom relationship - it won't fit/line up -when it's upside down ;-)

FWIW,

Carl B.

Clearwater, FL USA

[TomoHawk]

You guys must be referring to a different model than I'm thinking of.

On a 280Z, the taillight bulb covers are screwed into the finisher panel directly, without any backup clips, and it is attached along the top by barbed rivets.

[Carl Beck]

Originally posted by TomoHawk

You guys must be referring to a different model than I'm thinking of.

On a 280Z, the taillight bulb covers are screwed into the finisher panel directly, without any backup clips, and it is attached along the top by barbed rivets.

Hi TomoHawk:

I believe that if you go take the access panel off, you will see that the screws holding it on - do in fact screw into Part #96708-30700 Grommet-Screw.

The plastic finisher panel is way to thin to hold a screw in place without the use of a "lag" or screw clip, in this case called a "Grommet-Screw". In many cars you see this type of plastic lag used for example to hold the license plate screws..

If these grommets aren't present in your rear finisher panel.. you must have either very FAT screws or some other arrangement rigged up, because when they are missing the holes they fit into are pretty large opening to screw anything else into.

FWIW,

Carl

Carl Beck

Clearwater,FL USA

http://ZHome.com

[TomoHawk]

On my car the screws just go through the plastic. No clips or anything, and they hold perfectly and tightly.