The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Has anyone with a '71 had this problem: one of the two swaged rivets holding the two halves of the tailpanel together has broken off, as shown. The 'rivet' is actually molded as part of the aluminium panel, so i am not sure how to fix it, other than drilling the stem out and a hole through the face and putting in another big rivet or something to hold it. And then trying to cover over the fastener on the face. Not really sure how to tackle this one.

Other question is, does anyone know who sells the square reflectors that go between the tail lenses ? I only have three and two of them are faded.

thanks for help

Perhaps one of the cold weld compounds ( J B Weld etc) if they make a formula for aluminuim? While its setting up you could file, wipe, mold it to the desired area and/or shape.

Just logged in after nearly a year of abstinence, sorry Fal308, which is why no reply to your comment. I found a much easier method of fastening them, one which i would never have thought of... i went to a an auto restorers who i respect and he looked at it and recommended Sicaflex 260. It is the strongest (and most expensive) of the Sica automotive range but didn't regret buying it as i have used it for many other little jobs as well. Had to carefully clean between the halves as i didn't want to disturb the one remaining rivet that was still Ok. Then when dry, pumped in as much Sica flex as sensible and clamped. It was amazing, just as strong as a rivet.

As for the square reflectors, took a while to hunt up some - but the only ones i found were repros- $80 for a set of 4, plus postage! This is way overpriced for simple reflectors. i considered Ebay, there are many shapes and sizes available which i could cut up, but then decided to not use them and black out that area instead as i have seen others do. I actually think it looks better because the original reflectors are just stuck onto these square dividers like an afterthought (trying to give it a 'one-piece look' and failing) and they stick out from the nice level line of the lenses. The 70 Chal rear end is still the best and most well designed and integrated i feel. I painted the panel correct satin black and even copied the textured finish onto the dividers as well. As you can see in the picture, the finished product looks ok.

No problem. Sounds like a good solution. I just read on the Sika page about it. It is actually a construction adhesive promoter. Per the website "Sikaflex Primer 260 promotes adhesion of urethane sealants to various metallic, non-metallic, and plastic substrates."
http://usa.sika.com/en/solutions_produc ... 8sa08.html
Don't know if this is an Australian product but found a local US distributor. Thanks, I may keep some around for "emergencies"
http://www.sika.com.au/cmi/auto_highstr ... esives.htm

Welcome back Steve!

fal308 wrote:No problem. Sounds like a good solution. I just read on the Sika page about it. It is actually a construction adhesive promoter. Per the website "Sikaflex Primer 260 promotes adhesion of urethane sealants to various metallic, non-metallic, and plastic substrates."
http://usa.sika.com/en/solutions_produc ... 8sa08.html
Don't know if this is an Australian product but found a local US distributor. Thanks, I may keep some around for "emergencies"
http://www.sika.com.au/cmi/auto_highstr ... esives.htm

HI Fal, i think you got the wrong stuff, you are referring to the primer...i bought the Sicaflex 260, it is liquid polyurethane , just like the cheaper and more commonly available 227 but feels a bit denser to work with and sets much firmer and is STRONG. The 260 primer is just that: a primer used to prime the surface to promote adhesion of the actual 260 urethane. I couldn't afford both of them just for this little job. The urethane is about $25 a tube of 400ml (up to $36 in other stores) whereas Sica 227 is only about $12-15. 227 is more flexible when it is set however and is recommended for body joints where sealing and flex is more important than mechanical strength. It is a worldwide product, not sure where it originated, either Japan or Switzerland maybe

Eddie wrote:Welcome back Steve!

thanks Eddie, hope you're keeping well my man.

Thanks for straightening me out on that. I was rather curious after reading that page.

No Probs, Fal, thanks for being interested in my post. Its great when we can solve a problem and share it with others. Just wish i had a photographic memory!! Because i read a lot of stuff.

Ps, where is Pacific MO? Is MO a state of the US? I have trouble working out the State abbreviations sometimes, eg have to always think twice about GA being Georgia, but NY and Fl and Ca are easy!

Pacific is just outside of the St Louis Missouri area in the eastern portion of the state. I'm about five miles from a major amusement park, Six Flags Over Mid-America, part of the Six Flags chain.
It's a nice little town (about 5600? people) that's close enough to a city so I can get whatever I need quickly.

fal308 wrote:It's a nice little town (about 5600? people) that's close enough to a city so I can get whatever I need quickly.

I can think of a few streets in my town with nearly as many people as that.

Thanks for letting me know, Missouri. (i would never have guessed MO is Missouri !) Yes, 5600 people, i thought you might have been missing a few zeros, if you said city (in the USA). Down here, 5600 would be a very small country town. Prob the same in the UK as well.

I like living in small towns, or even better-no town Pacific is actually a Mopar town pretty much. There used to be a couple of Chrysler plants a couple miles down the road, Fenton North and South. RRs were made there back in the day. Back when they closed down a couple years ago one was making trucks and the othe minivans. So the annual cruise has a pretty heavy Mopar presence