An apparatus and system for retaining and installing rivets into a belt fastener includes a collated rivet strip comprising connected upper and lower strips and retaining a predetermined configuration of rivet heads therebetween. The rivet strip is used in conjunction with a guide block assembly having top and bottom portions interlocked together. The top portion contains studs aligning with the rivet heads to assist the release of the rivet head from the rivet strip, seating the rivets in pilot holes of the lower portion of the guide block assembly for further driving through the belt fastener and into the belt material.