Posted by Keith in Washington on Wednesday, September 05, 2007 at 11:42:58 :
In Reply to: Re: WC 53 tailgate posted by Dan Shockley on Tuesday, September 04, 2007 at 05:45:08 :
If you really lokk at the lower tailgate it is not all that complicated. A person could make one. (Forget the upper tailgate you will never make that with the windows). The sides and bottoms can be made without much problem. The inside is flat sheet metal with a crease in the center. All the external and internal fittings can be made. The most difficult part will be the outer skin but Gordon has instructions on making that. If you do not have the hinges that will make an interesting fab job. I suspect that they could be ground out of a solid block of metal. My hinges were all broken when the pin goes through. I ended up welding pieces of metal there and redrilling all the pin holes (I did the same for my doors also). It needs to be done as all the holes are egged out. The tailgate side latch mechanisms can be made from a block of metal.
I made a new bottom for mine as it was rusted out. I bought sheet metal and bent it. The inner edge of the bottom and sides are flat and you cut the outer edge to match the body shape. The bottom is not only curved on the outer face but the ends of it wrap up around the lower corners. I a piece of metal and bent a 90 bend in it. One side just a 1/2" flange and the other side was shaped for the outer body curve. I then took a metal shrinker and stretcher and formed this curve around the corner. I then bent another piece of metal with 1/2' sides and welded it to the bottom piece to make the flange for the outer skin to pinch onto.