[Healeys] Ah, the rivet...

Editorgary at aol.com Editorgary at aol.com
Mon Dec 6 05:15:10 MST 2010


> So, what purpose do the rivet serve?
> 
> Bruce
> Brea, CA
> 1960 BN7
> 

On the original headlamps, the rivet holds a metal clip inside the headlamp 
ring which secures the top of the ring to the fender and shroud. The ring 
is attached to the body by clipping the ring to the top, then swinging the 
bottom down and in place and securing it with a large screw up through the 
bottom of the ring. The fakes rely just on the edge of the headlamp ring rim to 
hold it in place. Obviously, when they were doing replacements, someone 
figured out that you could delete two components and the labor necessary to 
secure them in place by simply faking the rivet. I'd be prepared to believe 
that this was actually done by BMC in the later stages of supplying replacement 
parts, rather than some much later copycat manufacturer duplicating an 
original part. That's why it doesn't surprise me that someone found an NOS part 
in an original box with the dimple. Just because it's NOS doesn't mean it's 
OEM (original equipment manufacturer) spec.

Gary


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