Hi Mike,
yes Teds got it right, I usually drill out the center of the river first so I can tap a 5-40 screw in to the post. Then I drill the head off, just a little bigger than the rivet.
i don’t take the wheels off the axle unless absolutely needed. Check back a few pages on this thread, I made new axles from nails. The tires do come off, I usually replace them because the rubber is hard from age. I always strip the paint, prime with white or grey, then apply top coat. I usually add gloss coat over that to prevent scratches. I’m working on a Plymouth wagon right now. I’ll get some pics up soon.
Joel
