1971 Cj5 Vin Tag - Screws Or Rivets?

I’ve been looking at a lot of early riveted CJ data tag photos - this is on the firewall in the motor compartment, not the dash vin tag - and I’ve seen a few where the round pop rivets arent red rust, but they have an oxidized look that is not the same color as the oxidized aluminum tag. I wonder if those are oxidized stainless or oxidized aluminum, but just a slightly different alloy that oxidized a different shade.

 

It’s illegal to change or alter a vin in some states therefore the rivits are not legal. I worked with someone years ago that got busted cause the tag was on the seat as they repaired the bent post. state trooper on routine inspection noticed it and charged him with a crime for altering a vin. No time but stayed on his record. The laws may have changed by now.

 

^^^^ Agree with CrustyC6. Here is mine for reference.

 

I see the point but have to ask...wouldn't screws be easier to swap out a tag...just kinda funny is all

 

My ‘71 has screws holding the tag on, its the original frame and what’s left of the original body.

 

Yup funny part is both cars that were cut up were legal but the ones before that.....

 

Yours has been replaced, I have seen several 71’s including mine and there factory riveted. My body has never been modified and is in very good structural shape with all original paint, frame and drivetrain.

 

There are special "star" or "rose" rivets that are not commonly available that GM and others used in the 1960's and 1970's to retain the vin tags. These were intended to show tampering if they had common pop rivets instead of the special ones. A guy I knew way back had a small box of them from when he worked at the Norwood Assembly Plant in Cincinnati.
-Donny

 

Pricey. Black Market rates?

 

I think donny was referring to these . we used them at work for data plates

 

What kind of tool do you use to set those?

 

These are drive screws, you use a hammer to set them. Available in a dozen sizes are more. You can buy them all day long at McMaster Carr. We use tons of them at work for data plates on the molds. These are not intended for sheet metal but rather for solid stock at least an 1/8” thick.

The rose head or rosette head rivets are available all over eBay and several auto parts vendors. From what I can find there illegal for possession in 3 states. Michigan, California and Illinois. The other 47 only if used in illegal activity.

 

Yes, Howard, those are the "not commonly available" rivets I was referring to.
Ron, those are what I call "U drive screws". Those work best installed in solid materials like castings, not so much for sheetmetal. I have a couple different sizes of those around. They are difficult to remove from a blind hole, but a chiesel usually does the job.
-Donny

 

Thank you! By any chance do you recall them being aluminum or stainless rivets?

 

My '56 has screws and I'm pretty sure they are original. One previous owner, and they were not removed when she repainted in the 50's.

 

I could look and see, there definitely not steel. Either aluminum or SS.

They changed to rivets in the late 60’s.


To remove drive screws, slot the head with a Dremel cutoff wheel and then use a small screw driver to take them out.

 

I may as well muddy the water a little.My '71 Ren II has the vin tag attached with screws. No way to tell what may have happened with this jeep over the last 40 some years. Looking around I don't see evidence of a respray or damage and all the other numbers on frame and dash match. Probably will never know.

 

My ‘71 is also a Renegade II and if I remember right only 4 off in production from mike’s. Mine had a paint job oversprayed but not under the vin plate. But as they’re screws they could have been replaced.

 

Looking at internet images of vintage jeeps I see a lot of the early (‘66 and earlier) with the Philips screws. (My VIN plate is held on with screws)