re-attaching upper storage cabinets?

[pbart]

Hi. We have a 1956 Caravanner. On a recent trip, the upper cabinets, originals, separated from the wall on the bottom, leaving the cabinets to hang by the top rivets. (too many washboardy backroads!)The bottom is now about an inch from the wall. I am looking for recommendations as to how to fix this. I am new to riveting but did not find re-riveting parts of the belly pan to be very difficult. I have some DIY skills but not a remodeling expert. I am assuming the cabinet needs to be reattached to the inner skin somehow. Thanks, Peter

[57Vintage]

Can you post a photo? Are these the metal wall cabs, I assume so. If the original rivets were 1/8" diameter, I would go to 5/32" diameter to help with any damage to the original rivet holes.

[InsideOut]

We have wood cabinets in our ‘56 Safari. They have a metal “L” angle riveted to the wall on the vertical leg, then the cabinets are set on top & riveted up through the angle on the horizontal leg with plain 1/8” pop rivets.

Shari

[pbart]

yes...original metal cabinets with small rivets, probably 1/8". The hardest part is that it is hard to push the lower edge of the cabinets back against the wall to re-rivet. I suspect the cabinet metal has bent to some extent, pushing the cabinets away from the wall. Probably will take some "pushing" them back in place before re-riveting with some sort of bracing...may try later today. thanks for helping.