| bo8109b | -- 02-08-2012 @ 2:17 PM |
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How did the factory install those hardened drive nails? Was there force enough to actually penetrate the metal or was there a pilot hole drilled ahead of it?
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| supereal | -- 02-08-2012 @ 4:06 PM |
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What are you working on? Nails were common in the early, T and A days, but are used only on some interiors since then.
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| Stroker | -- 02-08-2012 @ 5:36 PM |
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If you are talking about the round-headed drive nails that were used to install such things as data plates to the firewalls, these were not pointed, but had a square tip. There were pilot holes stamped in the metal that were bigger than the tip, but smaller than the "flutes" on the nail.
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| bo8109b | -- 02-08-2012 @ 8:29 PM |
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I'm working on a '48 merc convert that had drive nails holding on the windlace. Couldn't withdraw them. Used a cutting wheel.
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| supereal | -- 02-08-2012 @ 9:25 PM |
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When I restored my '47 Ford convertible the windlace wasn't nailed on. The only nails were used on the wooden top well.
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| doning | -- 02-09-2012 @ 2:55 AM |
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Ya, he's right. I have a 37 and I had small little nails holding the cloth vertical trim on my fordor that's between both doors in the inside. They were a real %$#@% to get back on!
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| 42wagon | -- 02-09-2012 @ 3:30 AM |
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On my 42 wagon I found those drive nails holding the wind lace to the metal front door pillars. I also found some sort of very heavy staples holding the welting to sheet metal parts of the front clip so the guys assembling it only had to position the piece and not fuss with the welting. Back to your main question, I think there might have been pilot holes or else they used some sort of tool that clamped the pillar as I so no distortion in the pillar as you might expect if the nails were just hammered in. If you notice the nails have a spiral to the outside and are tapered. If you can grab the head with a vice grips and give them a twist they will come right out.
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| trjford8 | -- 02-09-2012 @ 7:44 AM |
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42 wagon is correct. If you can grab the head of the nail with vice grips you can twist them out. When they go in they have a right hand twist to the spiral. Twist them to the left and they will back out. They were made of extremely hard metal. I don't know if there was a pilot hole or not. I always supected they were put in with some sort of pneumatic impact gun. The staples for windlace, felt window strips, etc., were obviously put in with a pneumatic stapler. Just for info I replace those drive nails used inthe windlace with pop rivets. You can get pop rivets with larger diameter heads that easily hold the windlace material. As Bob says, once the windlace is covered by the kickpanel no one knows that you used pop rivets. This message was edited by trjford8 on 2-9-12 @ 7:16 PM
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| fomocoloco | -- 02-09-2012 @ 8:06 AM |
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I used a common tack puller on most of those pesky little rivet/drive nails. weezer
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| 40guy | -- 02-09-2012 @ 8:16 AM |
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They also hold the windlace on a '40. When I did mine , I replaced the drive nails with small sheet metal screws. Once the windlace, kick panel, and kick panel retainer is in place they are not seen anyway.
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| supereal | -- 02-09-2012 @ 10:12 AM |
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I didn't find nails in my '47, but it was likely that the interior had been changed more than once over the years. The last owner had painted the interior black, for some reason, making restoration more than difficult. I used pop rivets at the ends of the windlace, and 3M adhesive in the middle. There were lots of nails in the Model A's, but the body was installed over a wood structure, making nailing possible. It would take an industrial strength nail gun to put nails through the body. It is unlikely time was taken to drill pilot holes.
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| flathead4rd | -- 02-12-2012 @ 4:32 PM |
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The rear seal on the cowl for the hood on my 50 Ford had those same nails. Hard to get out but they do twist. I reused them when I replaced the seal.
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| trjford8 | -- 02-12-2012 @ 8:28 PM |
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Just for info if you need new drive nails for your restoration you can get them from LeBaron-Bonney.
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