1960s Interior wood panel restoration

[CadillacMac]

Hello all! Looking for help in how to deal with some one-use half-century old fasteners. Trying to refinish my wood panels 20 years after I took a stain pen to them when I was a dumb teenager. I don't think it can be done properly without removing crests, but they look from the back like they were just pounded into place, and I have to break them off to get them off. Anyone have a good suggestion for getting them back on securely?

Also—what are the upside-down looking cap nuts that secure them to the panels? I'd love to have a tool to remove them but it's unlike anything I've ever seen. Not sure what the tool is called, but I assume it's a GM-specific tool. (Would attach more pictures but it says they're too big.) Thanks for any help!

[Clewisiii]

Can you get a close up on that.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Are you referring to these in the picture/s?

I had the same problem which I fixed by grabbing my small nut driver, and ground away the outside to match the inside of the inverted nut.  Worked beautifully.

Bruce.

PS.   It started out as a 5mm Nut Driver, but with careful grinding/filing, to create the hex, I now have two tools in one.   The original nut driver, and the new external hex driver.

[CadillacMac]

Are you referring to these in the picture/s?

I had the same problem which I fixed by grabbing my small nut driver, and ground away the outside to match the inside of the inverted nut.  Worked beautifully.

Bruce.

PS.   It started out as a 5mm Nut Driver, but with careful grinding/filing, to create the hex, I now have two tools in one.   The original nut driver, and the new external hex driver.

Ohh man that is fantastic. I figured the only route to go would be making one—but was hoping someone knew the name of the tool. Back to my snap ring pliers haha!

I just KNOW at some point a retired 60s-era GM factory worker had one in his toolbox...and it got tossed when the kids didn't know what it was!

[CadillacMac]

Here's the back of the panels at the crest. I ground one off from the back but hated to do it and not sure I want to again. What else is there than epoxying the ends back on around the metal side once I finish with the wood?

[Clewisiii]

Or solder.