I have my purdy body kit, and the front/rear bumpers are done, but the sideskirts...

I'm clueless on how they should be attached, and I can't seem to remember the terms for inserting a metal clip into a hole and expand it so that it sort of 'staples' the two panels together.

The kit has 3~4 holds at the top of the side skirt where the door closes, the 3 under the car, are for the old locations of the sideskirts. and I can attach those easily.

Also, if I permanently install thhis side skirt, how would I go about replacing the fender if I get into an accident (fender bender?) just wondering all this, cause tomorrow I'm looking into getting the sideskirts painted.

But wouldn't know how I get around to installing the pieces.

 

Without actually seeing the skirts, my guess would be to use "Pop Rivets". If you have to remove the skirts for any reason, the rivets can be drilled out. Any hardware store carries the rivets & rivet guns. Use only aluminum rivets (they also are made with steel, but steel will rust). Also use "backing plates" (aluminum washers) to reinforce the rivets so that they won't pull through plastic parts.

 

rivets was the word I was looking for.

the fiberglass is thick, I'll look into it, and I'll see about using them.

The backing is somewhat hard to do, cause it has to go into the door frame of the car, and there is no physical way to get behind the metal to put a washer.

I'll check out my options. I'll drop off the sideskirts at carlson's body shop in another hour. Thanks for the assist.

 

Anthony,
I wasn't sure if your skirts were being attached to plastic or metal. If you are attaching to the metal body, you won't need the backing plates. Just make sure that you drill a clean hole without letting the drill bit slop around to enlarge the hole in the metal. Standard rivet diameters are 1/8" and 3/16", and there are two styles of rivet head diameters. One of them is very large, and these are intended for auto body work. If the skirts are made from a brittle plastic, you may need the backing plates under the rivet head to keep the smaller head from fracturing the plastic.

Anyone who works with sheet metal needs a rivet gun in his tool collection.

 

I don't work enough with any sorts of metal, but I will be buying one from Home Depot when I get the side skirts later this week.

I wont be making the holes till I have the sideskirts to measure the pre-drilled holes. Also, which meet would you be attending, I figured you wont be going to the Pacifica one, and would like you to say what's up again =D


PS: lack of sleep makes me seem more and more random.