WL intake nipple rivet repair with pictures

[cubman]

Hello, when I first got this WL the rivet hole for the intake nipple was open. At that time I just welded the hole on the inside and cleaned it up, didn’t work. After finally finding someone that could weld cast I got the hole filled and rethreaded. We got the nipple in as tight as possible and put a new hole in. However the Colony rivet is too short. So we made a new rivet on the lathe and drilled a short depth hole in the end of the rivet. It was a tight fit and needed a little help to go all the way thru. Once we could fit it on the stake we were able to seat the rivet. We then got the rivet hot and put a punch in the rivet hole which mushroomed the rivet. We kept the rivet hot and slowly peened the rivet down. I have attached a couple photos and I hope this post helps someone else.6D8D8A56-979D-4B35-B951-23B27C8F55D8.jpgA1EA1305-1B70-4CAF-9562-54A7FC83A906.jpg

[Paps]

That is a tedious task and stressful. Nice work !!

[T. Cotten]

Its easier to just anneal the rivet first, Cubman!

....Cotten
PS: Think about it: If you peen it hot, its going to shrink when it cools.

[cubman]

You know Cotten I didn’t think of that,but when I put it back together and put the leak test to it if it does leak it shouldn’t be too hard to replace. Engine is out I’ll check it before I put it back in. This is how we learn. Thanks mike

[Paps]

Wow I missed that. Great point Tom.

[T. Cotten]

My recipe for rivets, Folks,...

Was to toss some large nails or spikes in coals for a good evening fire, and retrieve them from the ashes in the morning.
They often become soft enough to bend by hand.

Then I would cut them to a snug 'slip-fit' to the reamed hole, with a tapered head. (Bottom in attachment. A flat-bottomed head seats poorly against a curve.)
The taper seals on the inside of the nipple, when pressed outward with an appropriate anvil; Then the shank of the rivet would 'barrel' tight in the hole with merely one or two direct smacks with a drift.

The exposed stub then looked far more authentic than if "mushroom" peened.

....Cotten
PS: It proved prudent to let the nipple thread sealer set up for bubble-testing before attempting the rivet installation.
PPS: Lately I have been annealing sprockets for my security shutter project that suddenly has taken on new urgency.

[Architect]

I replaced one rivet on my '46 with a ton of assistance from Cotten, including him making me the rivet. The motor was still in the bike, it was quite nerve racking. I also used JB Weld on the nipple surface mating to the cylinder as well as some on the rivet. I think it has been 3 years, no problems. Not a project I would like to do again, especially with the cylinder in a otherwise running bike. Good job, I hope it holds for years to come.