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I've done steam boilers and structural. These baby rivets are nothing. Your tools just were not up to the task.
Those backing plate rivets are cold squeeze and on pretty good. Hot rivets are easier.

Or it could be the beat up and worn out old body, Mine, not the truck! We are both the same age after all.

Got the brakes completed and on the passenger side and in the process of painting the the other side and I was washing the axle of the passenger side when I found something interesting, and troublesome. The are wear marks on the axle out close to the wheel end where it was scraping on something but only halfway around, like the axle was bent. No way in hell is it bent this close to the hub and no idea what it could have been hitting over a wide area. See pics. I also found the spline has some serious wear on it, this type of wear I have seen on brush trucks where they don't know how to run them and they engage four wheel drive before leaving the pavement and then make a sharp turn while still on pavement with four or five guys, a pump and 500 gallons of water. The end result is usually a broken long side rear axle but this is the short side and the splines are not twisted. The other side is fine. Again, look at the pics and let me know what you think. I have not checked the rear for oil but the axles were very wet and oil ran out of the tubes so I will assume there is enough in there for lubrication.

Looks more like something is in the tube rubbing. Old seal or something. It'll be loose now that the axle was removed.
That spline wear will likely also be on the sidegear splines. Putting a good axle in will just get gobbled by the worn gear.
If it were me, I'd pull the third member and do some careful checking.

Yea, I have a rebuilt third member and another with all the parts to rebuild it. I was hoping to get the rear end back together so I could drive it around the yard with brakes as I worked on the rest of it. I just looked over the other axle and the butt end of it where it goes into the differential was binding against something and the only thing for it to bind on is the spider pin. That has to be a depth problem. That was the side with no outer seal or paper seals on it and I am wondering if the clearances are so close that without those seals it jammed the axle into the pin? I am getting surgery in a month so it will probably go back together for now without outer seals and just some RTV to seal the axles and I will pay attention to where they bottom when I put them in. I just need enough for it to move. The long side axle has some pretty bad rust pitting on it so it will be weakened. I will need to find a pair of axles.

Rear brakes are done and axles back in for now. I will be welding on tabs for the brake hoses and running brake lines to the master cylinder. I need this thing to be able to move and I am not going to have time to swap the third member before surgery. It will be quite a while afterwards before I will be up to that so if it is movable I will still be able to do the light stuff and some bodywork. Over the next week I want to pressure wash all the nasty areas since most of the body is off of it.

You are moving right along Rick, I'm still puttering along.

Scored some more parts. Got two complete beds with solid toolboxes and solid floor rails. One has a semi-decent floor but the fenderwells were cut for a water tank. Sort of makes you wonder where the tires went if the tank was there? The whit bed has arrow straight sides on it with very little rust but the floor is toast. The front panel is bad also on the white bed. I also got two very nice complete side panels and a gas tank from a generator which apparently is the same as the M37 with the exception of the fittings the holes are the same. When I asked if the tank had had gas or diesel in it he could not tell me so I smell it.............. Nothing, no small at all! This tank is brand new.

Hey Rick, That is quite a haul/score! If I recall, it was a better deal than we had, pick and choose/use the best pieces.

I have to start going through all the bits and pieces and culling out the ones that I want to keep and put the stuff that is beyond anyones needs in the scrap pile and the rest will be set aside for the Gilbert meet and I am hoping I can get a spot where my RV will fit and I can try to sell off what I don't need. Along with a ton of unsold ammo cans of various types.

Well' I go under the knife for my prostate surgery on Monday so the restoration has come to a halt again. Missed the connection on the last of my parts due to a miscommunication on dates on my part but I am working on trying to get someone to meet with the guy on his way back down from vacation. Unfortunately all of the body stuff I picked up in the last couple months is all sitting outside in the open because I just ran out of time to get it under cover. I should be able to get it tarped once I get home. So updates will start again once I am able to get back to working on it. The doc told me 6 weeks of no more than 6 lbs. lifting, then he said that is not set in stone when he saw the look on my face. I basically will have to take it easy for a few weeks and then see how I feel. I am pretty sure I will not be moving 1,000 lb. steel plates like I was this week for quite a while.

Wow, wish I was closer, I could lend you a hand Rick, if you need me for a pick-up and drop off, let me know? Listen to your Doc and do your PT!