brake pedal rivet - how to remove??

[demonpixel]

I changed my 72 Firebird from manual to power brakes. The service manual says that there is supposed to be a brake pedal switch striker in the hole above the hole that goes to the booster rod.

In that hole though, is a rivet/stud that had a clip on it. I got the clip off no problem, but how do you remove the "rivet" that's in the hole? Here's a pic of what I'm talking about:



And here is what I want to put in place of it:


Trying to get that rivet/stud out is forcing me to be a contortionist. I'm looking forward to the ridiculous soreness I will feel tomorrow.



Thanks for any help/advice - this is my dd so I have a feeling I'll be in the garage trying to figure this out all night.

[Stan W]

In my experience with this I just hit it out with a small ballpeen hammer and a brass punch. It's more of a pressed in pin than it is a rivit.It took many hits to get it out and you cant get a good direct shot at it.

[bs46488]

I was a little more forceful with my hammer, but it eventually came out.

Does the new bolt come with some sort of pin/clip/ retention device?

[Phillip68GTO]

I sometimes wiggle the pedal forward and back while tapping on it, that may help.

[demonpixel]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses. I finally got it out.

The space is so tight under there knocking it out with a hammer was impractical for me. There was just no room for me to swing anything. Having said that, I got it out with a Sears Auto Hammer. You just press a trigger button and it pounds away. I let the pin soak in PB Blaster overnight and the next day while I was at work. When I got off of work I went to Sears, bought the Auto Hammer, came home, held the brake pedal firmly with one hand, used the Auto Hammer on the pin with the other hand, and it came out in about 5 seconds.

I lucked out too, it was on sale for 50% off.

I have the new striker in and a new brake light switch, and everything seems to be working normally again.