UKH

Hi guys,
Just bought a van -Citroen Nemo - and planning on making myself a micro-camper for the odd night away.
Anyway... it's got a cage style bulkhead behind the drivers seat that is riveted in. It needs to go to make more room.
I've tried chiseling them off but they're pretty sturdy and my drill just doesn't have the guts.

Anyone in Kendal or nearby that has a grinder and a spare hour to help out a stranger in need?

Willing to pay in belaying and/or a pint or two.

Cheers,
Kyle.

In reply to Kyle Warlow:

Nowhere close to you to offer any actual help, but as for a bit of advice, if you are going to be DIYing the van getting a drill/driver with some guts would probably be a good investment. I used to own cheap drills which were not great and would die on me within a relatively short time, then i got an £100 one and never looked back.

As an aside, i assume you were using a decent quality metal drill bit rather than something more 'universal'?

In reply to Mr Lopez:


Either this or cadge an angle grinder for taking the heads off. Often a bit quicker.

In reply to Kyle Warlow:

Are you sure they are rivets ? More likely to be spot welds, you might be best using a hole saw just bigger than the joint, screwfix will have them, and as above, buy a drill to go with it while you are there !

In reply to Kyle Warlow:
Hi, I have also just got a Citroen nemo van and am currently in the same process as you. Removing the bulkhead was a nightmare but I managed it with the cheapest b and q drill available eventually. They are actually screws but unfortunately to low to get at with mole grips etc. so what I ended up doing was drilling down into them just enough to wangle a flat head screw driver into the hole and lever it round to start unscrewing it. It took about 3 days to do the first 4 but then I bought a really good quality drill bit which made the difference and the rest came out in ten mins,
Hope this helps,
Sam

In reply to Kyle Warlow:

Get yourself a cheap angrygrinder, a half decent 18V drill, and a small set of cobalt drills you won't regret it.

Security screws (which it weirdly sounds like your 'rivets' may be) can be removed with a sharp cold chisel and a small hammer. Cut a nick into the screw edge then chase it round with the hammer to unscrew it.

Are you sure the bulkhead can be safely removed? Depending how well tied in it is it's potentially providing a lot of stiffness. Even if versions exist without the bulkhead they may have an additional hoop fitted.
jk