Thanks for the feedback and suggestions!Did you try any lube on the rivets? It may help with the rivets splitting.
NO, we did not... I am sure this would have been an improvement. Not that I am displeased with our results, but there is always room for improvement. The instruction sheet for the tool BRIEFLY mentions "lube the tip end" in steps 1-2 (primarily these discuss lubing the screw threads & shaft etc.), but it is there.
I'd strongly recommend that anyone replicating this process take advantage of your suggestions!
Other advice I would offer:
(1) GO SLOW in applying torque, as slow as reasonably possible. When I tried to apply continuous pressure (and/or with people watching, waiting, etc.) the results were definitely not as good. I'm no metallurgist, but suspect the rivet end needs to be allowed to stretch and re-shape under the torque/pressure, to avoid stress fracture. This is not a step to rush.
(2) Order plenty of extra rivets and be prepared to burn up a few for just practice before going 'live'. I only did a couple, thought I had it nailed, wish I did a few more!
(3) If any of the holes are damaged (esp. plastic grill-to-upper/lower trim attachment): expect to improvise, and (if at all possible) dry-run your 'Plan B' before riveting expensive parts together! We had 2 holes where the 'crunched' rivet pulled through the lower grill trim. Getting them OUT was not easy... Nor was it any easier with the first couple improvisation failures... before we finally scored with the 'insert-shank' method pictured above.
(To finish 2 damaged holes, we scrapped 5 rivets, finally shooting 7, which is probably way over par for those holes). For what it's worth... We'll (eventually) be doing another one of these for the coupe restoration. I may (sometime) be able to expand on this with additional learnings? ...but timing is out of my control.
