More....
This is how I mimic the factory ribs and embossed areas without a 300 ton press and $50k die set. I cut a slit from the formed area to the edge of the material. This prevents any buckling of the material when I bend them. The end user then has to weld the slit closed during installation. Not a tough job for most cruiserheads. In the first two pics you are looking at the bottom right corner of a tailgate panel. I can do the main embossed rectangle but I can't do the letters. The "T" shaped slit is for the half-round rib that runs along the bottom of the tailgate - it has yet to be formed. After the rib is formed the horizontal edges of the slit will butt together for an easy weld. The end of the raised rib will require a bit of filling with weld and then a grind and buff to make it perfect. Please excuse the spots of rust - these parts have been sitting for three years waiting for me to start my rebuild.
The third pic shows the top right corner of the tailgate with the relief slit as well as the mounting hole for the tailgate latch.
