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stevo
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Joined: January 22, 2004
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Location: the eugeniverse
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 Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 1:06 pm Post subject: Fasteners on Early Bay Westfalia |
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On my 70 Westy there are 10 fasteners inside the rear cargo hatch. Five on each side, all of mine a present on the right side. Oddly, four out of five heads popped off and missing on the left. Are these basic pop rivets, or something special? If you've replaced one or more, what were the dimensions of the fasteners. Would be helpful before I start drilling randomly.
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KTPhil 
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 36455
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 1:20 pm Post subject: Re: Fasteners on Early Bay Westfalia |
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Originally, snaps for a mosquito net?
Maybe a PO replaced the missing ones with pop rivets to close off the holes?
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busdaddy
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Joined: February 12, 2004
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Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 2:53 pm Post subject: Re: Fasteners on Early Bay Westfalia |
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They secure the insulation panel against the inner skin of the air scoop vents, the heads are popping off due to dissimilar metal corrosion and/or swelling of the insulation layer.
The bug screen holes are visible a little more forward.
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Bnanwel
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Joined: November 10, 2022
Posts: 431
Location: Ft Lauderdale
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: Fasteners on Early Bay Westfalia |
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It looks like galvanic corrosion. Slather the new ones with tefgel before installation.
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stevo
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2004
Posts: 1010
Location: the eugeniverse
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 4:06 pm Post subject: Re: Fasteners on Early Bay Westfalia |
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| KTPhil wrote: |
Originally, snaps for a mosquito net?
Maybe a PO replaced the missing ones with pop rivets to close off the holes? |
The mosquito net snaps are removed and getting they're 55 year buffing. You can see the rust/dirt ring around the holes right side of the rivets in question.
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stevo
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Joined: January 22, 2004
Posts: 1010
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 4:09 pm Post subject: Re: Fasteners on Early Bay Westfalia |
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| busdaddy wrote: |
They secure the insulation panel against the inner skin of the air scoop vents, the heads are popping off due to dissimilar metal corrosion and/or swelling of the insulation layer.
The bug screen holes are visible a little more forward. |
Is is smart to start drilling, seeing what is there, and estimate steel pop rivet size?
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Bnanwel
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Joined: November 10, 2022
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Location: Ft Lauderdale
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: Fasteners on Early Bay Westfalia |
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Drill them; install aluminum pop rivets coated with tefgel, easier/cheaper/ easier to replace if needed.
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busdaddy
Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004
Posts: 53256
Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 4:53 pm Post subject: Re: Fasteners on Early Bay Westfalia |
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Or steel rivets, no dissimilar metal issues then. 
They are 1/8" (3mm), drill out the remnants.
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Bnanwel
Samba Member
Joined: November 10, 2022
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Location: Ft Lauderdale
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2025 6:01 pm Post subject: Re: Fasteners on Early Bay Westfalia |
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Stainless rivets are great but harder to set and harder to drill. Without an electrolyte, aluminum will last a long time, especially with tefgel(excellent galvanic isolator). But, you are correct, generally the closer the nobility the better. Lord knows I scream this on boats all the time, tapping stainless fasteners into aluminum without any type of anti seize, crazy stupid!
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lil-jinx
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Joined: August 14, 2013
Posts: 1811
Location: New Brunswick,Canada
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| Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2025 3:28 pm Post subject: Re: Fasteners on Early Bay Westfalia |
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hit the center ,pin of those rivets with a pin punch they should be easy to drive out,then use your drill to remove the other part,it will take very little effort to drill them,if they spin,go at them on an angle.
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1974 Bay Westfalia. she likes to be called Ethel.
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