Source for rivets for front VIN plate?
 

Doing a repaint, and even though it's not a color change, I dislike inaccurate masking, so have removed the (front latch panel) VIN plate.

I'm assuming I can find an appropriate rivet to replace it, but can someone save me the time?

Would like to do the same for the paint color plate, but those rivets look like they might be harder to source!

Thanks in advance!

Stoddard has the paint code rivets. For the VIN plate I just used a regular aluminum rivet and it looks fine.

John

That's great. Thank you.

Looks like it's potentially a bit tricky to drill out the paint code plate rivets, but I'll attempt it!

you might try grinding the heads off as these "rivets" twist in and out. I have removed several by putting a paint scaper that was sharpened under a side and slowly lift up each side.

Drill them out.
Take your time and use the proper size to just remove the top of the rivet. The plate will then pop off.

On ebay there is a set of "genuine Porsche" rivets. Not sure if it is the size you need but it is worth writing the guy. He is in So Cal as well.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Genuine-Porsche-911-912-alum-bolding-match-rivets_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ34204QQihZ011QQi temZ320043001888QQrdZ1

If that link doesn't work here is the title and item #

Genuine Porsche 911 912 alum bolding match rivets Item number: 320043001888

Great find, thanks. I've been looking for an excuse to visit that guy. He always seems to have some pretty interesting stuff.

You are welcome!



Roman in LA
78 Targa

This Listing Is Unavailable


This listing () has been removed or is no longer available. Please make sure you entered the right item number.
If the listing was removed by eBay, consider it canceled. Note: Listings that have ended more than 90 days ago will no longer appear on eBay.

When ever I copy and paste what is in my address bar for ebay, the same thing happens. "listing unavailable"

that is why I put in the item # and title.

techweenie found it, that's all that matters.

Search on the number 320043001888. The listing is active and recent.

But please dont' bid against me!!!

I took a look at the auction. is it just me or do they look like standard pop rivets in a Porsche package?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1162141104.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1162141119.jpg

Our conterparts at teh Early S Registry have also discussed this issue. Here are some threads of interest:

http://www.early911sregistry.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7051&highlight=paint+rivet

http://www.early911sregistry.org/forum/showthread.php?t=5961&highlight=rivets

http://www.early911sregistry.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6098&highlight=rivets

Wow. Everything you want to know about rivets is in those three postings. Fodder for a Pelican Tech Article.

The paint tag was missing on the Targa, I found a correct replacement and rivets at Stoddard. I super glued the rivets into the tag and used contact cement on the back of the tag to fix it in place. I couldn't figure out how to flatten the back of the rivets to hold the plate in place.

You can use the "square nuts" like in this 356 badge.
I think Wurth sells these.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1162235710.jpg

Our counterparts? :D

"This action is for one genuine Porsche factory match rivet." I like the word "match." And I like the 999 designation on the package. What exactly is 999? I'll bet Porsche AG really doesn't care too much for auctions/sales like this.

My feeling is these are aluminum rivets. They may have a slightly larger head than the standard 1/8th "pop" rivet. Many of the GM cars used a rivet like these in the windshield area. I know Corvettes of the 70' s and 80's had them. The head of the rivet was in the form of a 6 pt. star. On the black markert, they sold for around 100 ea. That is until someone figured out how to file the head to make a real good facsimilile. I wonder who that was? ;)

My '89 truck has 6 flats on the rivet rim. It also looks like a slightly larger center, maybe a 3/16ths, but a smaller ring, closer to the 1/8 size. Seems like the car mfg's just want to make it difficult to replace these, but not impossible.

ALSO, please note that he is showing a package but selling ONE rivet. He says he has 60 available. Good business, eh?

This ebayer, while not overtly dishonest, has a habit of posting auctions for large volumes of parts that might be thought of as arcane and/or NLA, and getting pretty good money for them on a per-unit basis. In fact, they are readily available from places like Stoddard or even Pelican at much more reasonable prices. A couple examples: gas caps and bumper overrider mounting bolt end caps. However, the parts are often readily available.

I caught on to this when I spent $50 on a gas cap from this seller and received it, only to notice a production date of 2004. Smelling a rat, I looked it up and found that Stoddard and Pelican were selling the same exact cap for ~$13. I was able to confirm that was the same part and not a supercession, because I had managed to accidentally order another one on a big order for dealer parts. When I compared the one I got directly from the ebayer, to the one I got from the mail order house, they were the exact same caps, in the exact same packaging, made on the exact same date. Now, when I went back to check the auction, no-where did it say "NOS/NLA" or anything like that. So, I was the sucker for not researching carefully enough before bidding on her auction.

These rivets? If you take the part number off the bag in her auction, and pop it into Stoddard's online inventory computer, they come right up as in-stock and selling at $0.31 each. Assuming that was also her cost, one rivet for 200+% is pretty good margin...I guess the big dollars come from volume??

Milt, 999 designation is often used for bits like hardware.

Yeah, I was searching for an adjective and I guess I could have picked a different one.

Just so you know, and I’m speaking from personal experience, that you cannot legally remove a VIN Plate without the coordinating with your local State Police. In California is where my experience is from when I unknowingly purchased a stolen car on eBay. The CHP VIN Officers told me they could impound “Arrest“ the vehicle and sell it without regard to your ownership. Pretty harsh action, but that is the State of Kalifornia.

In another conversation with one of Officers, I asked how one would go about removing the Visible VIN Plate to restore a vehicle. From what I recall you need to have them inspect and oversee the removal and reinstallation. He also stated that sometimes the would issue a new VIN of which would be your vehicle’s new identity.

Of course we know it would be a very remote chance that anything would come of it if you were to do it behind your shop door and didn’t wave a flag around telling everyone.

Just another law that isn’t really enforced. Legally, you can’t part out a car in California, either. Nor can you sell more than 2 a year without obtaining a dealer license.

Guessing some of these laws are just a fall-back if the CHP can’t nail you for something else.