Vendo 81 bezels

[cokecolaman]

I was wondering what tricks people use to get the coin return and bottle opener bezels put on tightly on a large door 81... Ive tried the pliers with tape on the jaws, but I'm not able to get the bezels on tight enough...any tips would be appreciated.

[bcharlton]

I have the same problem.

Brian

[coke_and_stuff]

I carefully use a flat blade screw driver from the back side and push the tabs in.

Joey

[Funtronics]

The trick is to put lots of electrical tape on bezel then use a pair of vise grips. Put the large part of vise grip on outer side of bezel and small part of vise grip on tab and squeeze vise grip till tab is flat. You may have to adjust vise grips several times to get the opening just right. Good Luck.

[cokecolaman]

Thanks!

[Jim]

First, I would bend one side of the tabs in half way just to aid a little for that side when it comes time to finish bending them inward.
I utilize a small/medium size "channel locks", otherwise they may not fit into the opening, a good rag and carefully get the outer-most teeth to lock onto the outside of the bezel, then slowly squeeze thus bending the tab inward and upward locking it into place quite well.
Be sure to center the bezel as you continuously monitor the rag position, so nothing gets scratched, and the tightness of the tabs... You might have to go back and forth between the left and right tabs until everything is centered & tight

[SIGNGUY]

I do what Rod says, I have a pliers I just use for that purpose.. it's would up with electrical tape to not mar the surface and just position and squeeze.. never had a problem.

[Zerbie]

 
This search is the closet I could find with the help I need on my small door Vendo 81B coin return bezel.

I was wondering what folks do for removing and installing the coin return bezel on a small door Vendo 81B? I'm assuming what I have is original? The coin return bezel has four small rivets holding it in place. Before I ruin anything, I'm assuming that the bezel comes off during a restoration process? And then what is the most common way to re-attach them?

1. Try and find small rivets to replicate the original look

2. Use small SS machine screws with a SS nut on the back(there's nut a lot of room on the back side for a nut - it would have to be pretty small nut which may be hard to pair up with the correct size screw diameter for the hole size in the coin door).  

Appreciate your help in advance!

[Jim]

Definitely drill the rivets out with 1/8" drill bit and be sure to very slightly enlarge the holes as both processes, chrome plating and the paint/body work, will make the holes small again. A small aluminum rivet will work fine for re-installing the chrome return cup.

[Zerbie]

Thanks for the tip Jim! I like your verbiage of "chrome return cup" better than what I was calling it .....a coin return bezel - it makes perfect sense to me now that this part is not a bezel at all because it is all one piece. Any tips/tricks special tool to install and set the the new rivet correctly?

[morgan1965]

Years ago I faced this exact issue.  At the time it seemed the options were pop rivet (yuck) or small phillips/slotted machine screw (also yuck).  I stumbled onto a place called Totally Stainless.  They sell exactly what we need: small threaded screws with unslotted rivet heads (truss head for V-81A/B coin return cup and V-39 coins entry bezel, round head for VMC-27/33/72 bottle chute bezel).  They're stainless so they polish up great, look original, and make installation a breeze (especially compared to the solid shaft rivet/speed nut design used on the VMC bottle chute bezels).  I've been using them for years.  Here are a couple screen shots from their catalog (pages 118 and 121).  I have seen other head styles and sizes at other specialty nut and bolt places.  A google search of "unslotted screws", "slotless screws", or "threaded rivets" should do it.

[Zerbie]

 
Thank you for your post Morgan1965! A greatly appreciated source. I'll let you know how it turns out. One web page for them said they were shut down for COVID. 

[Zerbie]

Hi Morgan,

So I ordered a package of slotless stainless fasteners thru a Hot Rod Site because Totally Stainless was closed due to COVID. The smallest 6-32 that came in my assortment package are slightly over sized for Vendo 81B coin return bezel (so I'll order the 4-32 when Totally Stainless re-opens. But the good news is that I was able to use the 10-32 fasteners on my Jacobs 56 to bring it back to it's original look. The person who restored my Jacobs 56 chose some flat head phillips screws and then covered the plastic light bezel with a piece of plastic chrome. It looked OK and hid the screw heads for the most part. But I was on a mission to find exactly what provided in your note. Here are some pics.