Head lamp gasket replacement

[Jim in PA]

I seek opinions...
I have new headlamp rubber gaskets from SS to install on my 66 SV.
The gaskets are between the headlamp buckets and the fender (wing) and are held in with pop-rivets.
The question is...do I replace the pop-rivets with squash nuts (threadserts) and use screws to hold the buckets in place or do I use pop-rivets?
I have no idea what is original since this vehicle has had several owners.
The local British car restoration garage likes to use the squash nuts when they can.
I am concerned the outer flange of the squash nut will stand-off the gasket from the headlamp opening in the fender and maybe cause a buckle in the rubber. I hate the idea of tapping the squashnut down to reduce it's profile when I am not planning other body work to blend it all.
Pop-rivets or squash nuts?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Ken Ellis]

I vote squash-huts (Wellnuts?) with brass or stainless screws, and abrade a 'counterbore' in the rubber to accommodate the profile of the protruding squash-nut, if merely tightening things up doesn't give you a flat result. This advice would likely be all wrong if this were the Factory Original forum, though.

Ken

 

[mikephillips]

They were originally installed with pop rivets, and that's what I've used when redoing the front end. However I've switched to stainless rivets when doing that. Also don't be surprised if you find you need to do rust repair to the mounting area before reinstalling the gasket and bucket.