69 C10 frame off begins

[flipper58]

Evening all. New to the forum and first post. I've been dropping in on this forum in the time before I got my project truck and it has been very helpful. So, I figured this is the best place to start with my questions.

I am starting a frame off restoration of a 69 C10 I picked up earlier this year. Body is off and will be heading to the guys that know how to do paint and body work next week. My job is drive train, frame, brakes and what remains in my garage. Frame is decent except for the area over the rear coil springs and the trac bar mount. Both the upper pads for the coils and the mounting bracket for the trac bar (all riveted to the frame) are rusted away.

Questions are: Has anyone ever replaced or repaired these mounts? If so, are there replacements made for these parts? If so, who? Worst case would involved metal fabrication, but i am guessing someone out there has dealt with this issue before and hopefully there is someone out there that makes replacement parts.

Many thanks,

Phil

[pwdcougar]

You can just grind off the heads of the rivets and beat them out with a big punch. Seems to me that the rivets themselves are a weird size. Just a hair under 7/16ths I think. Once you find a replacement set redrill the holes to accept a grade 8 7/16ths bolt.

Guys are always parting out trucks.

Don't forget you have to be a paid member to post parts wanted or for sale. Well worth the 25 bucks.

Paul

[hugger6933]

Sometimes I find it easy on those rivets if you grind an X in them with a die grinder then hit them with the air chisel to take off the head. Then switch out to the punch bit and knock out the remainder of the rivet. That is so much easier than beating the thing into submission. Jim

[70cst]

Hey flipper58 ...

Just wanted to say to the forums and from Ohio

[pwdcougar]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

Sometimes I find it easy on those rivets if you grind an X in them with a die grinder then hit them with the air chisel to take off the head. Then switch out to the punch bit and knock out the remainder of the rivet. That is so much easier than beating the thing into submission. Jim

It is so nice to have the right tools! Sometimes though Hugger, it is good therapy to beat it into submission.

Paul

[flipper58]

Thanks all for the welcome and advice. Rivet removal begins (and hopefully ends) this weekend. In doing some digging, I found in another post that Porterbuilt appears to offer replacement cross members and the like that fit the bill for my chassis issues. Making progress.
Thanks again.
Phil