[GLTHFJ60]

Originally Posted by kevinmrowland

Teaser pic for the loyal thread followers.
And not to worry, there are 3 more tailgate lids in various stages of completion on the desk next to these.

oooooooh, aaaaaaaah. Can I be the test dummy?

Seriously though, they look great!

[intense1]

Those are awesome! I know I want @ least 1, the pass side. I'm not sure if I wanna get rid of the factory washer fluid and tool area. I'll have to think about that. How much are you thinking for those? Perhaps a package price for all 3? Hmmm?

[RockDoc]

Oh boy, how about a teaser list of the que for the quarter hatches? (I know, we are a demanding bunch)
How much clearance would you suggest between one of the hatches and the immovable bits of a drawer system? Would even with the inside edge of the wheel wells be plenty?

[kevinmrowland]

Originally Posted by OlympiaFJ60

oh man Those look nice. I'm on that list too right?

You are now!

Originally Posted by 1967 TLC

I know I'm on the list, but can you tease us with a rough time frame???

Well, looking at the “lists” yesterday, if I quit my job and worked on this stuff full time I have enough of a backlog to keep me busy for at least 4 months.
I know that I want to make a few more design changes, you see how you can see air around the panel? If the lower 1/4 panels are not sealed up, a lot of dust can get thrown up into them. On my truck this was not a concern because I know they are sealed, but I would rather not have my panels spewing dust into peoples trucks, so that needs a bit of attention.
The ones pictured are for a striped down truck with no trim, rear shoulder belts, speakers, vapor holder, washer bag or wheel well trim. For simplicities sake I made them just like mine.
So I don't really know, you are close to the top though and since these can be made alongside the tailgates (they dont take the same jigs) I'll bet we can get you a set next month. (along with one or two others, I will get a list and another thread going soon for those)

Originally Posted by GLTHFJ60

oooooooh, aaaaaaaah. Can I be the test dummy?

Prototype tester has already been arranged.
You're not very far down the list though.

Originally Posted by Intense1

I know I want @ least 1, the pass side. I'm not sure if I wanna get rid of the factory washer fluid and tool area.

The fluid washer will just be a $5 add on option, all it needs is two hooks welded to the top rail and away you go (makes shipping weirder though). The tool and jack brackets need to be removed, but you gain much more storage.
On the other side I suggest relocating the evaporator to the back corner, I can make a simple bracket to mount it in the OE spot, but it is smack dab in the middle of the useful storage in that location.

Keep in mind though that these are basically like building two tailgate lids that use the materials less efficiently. $$$$

[kevinmrowland]

Ok, I see now that was a dumb move.
I was just exited about having something to show-and-tell!

All the 1/4 panel stuff should be moved here.

I will post a list and a bunch of other stuff tonight, I have to take care of my "real" job at the moment.

[BillyGHusk]

I was finally able to come in from sitting on the front step waiting for the fed ex guy...

Man this thing is SO nice. VERY VERY Professional!!!

I am hoping to install over the weekend.

quick question...

Has anyone used or thought about and decided not to use some form of bed liner on the inside of the tailgate. Or is the general consensus that the silver sound deadening material is the way to go?

Thanks,
Tim

[kevinmrowland]

Great! Glad it got there safe and sound, had some trouble with the latches on early shipments, but the sections of cardboard tube seem to have helped.

I recommend the silver sound deadener.
Spray ons do not do much in the way of sound deadening, and black undercoat makes for a black hole of a tailgate. The silver brightens things up in there a bunch and helps little bits to not get lost.

Post a pic when you get it in!

[wyomingben]

I'd like to buy one.

email me at wyomingben@yahoo.com

Thanks
-Wyo

[meckles]

My name's on the list.


Hope many more pass .


Is that list current?

[silvercruiser]

Great product....can't wait to see what you can do for the 80 series. Please put me on the list...I'll save the $$$ President Bush is going to be giving me

[kevinmrowland]

Originally Posted by meckles

Is that list current?

Unfortunately, yes that list is current. I just completed a design change and a new set of parts was cut today that might help to make construction faster. The parts are going to cost me considerably more, but there will be less labor on each one if it works.
I am up and running on the lids now, but just can't move fast enough keep up, let alone make much of a dent.

Originally Posted by silvercruiser

Great product....can't wait to see what you can do for the 80 series. Please put me on the list...I'll save the $$$ President Bush is going to be giving me

I've got you down on the 80 list.

[OCHO4I]

Well, I certainly hope that list is current! (I'm only three from the top!! )

[kevinmrowland]

Just fixed it, now only 2 from the top!
(and if intense doesn't get back to me soon....)

[DocuDude]

Awesome build. Add me to the 60 list please. Sweet looking!!!

[Journey]

please put me on the 60 list.

[ekimatuan]

Great looking product, but I have the barn doors on my 40 :(

[kevinmrowland]

Thanks guys, list has been updated, also just posted some info in the tech thread as well.
Long-and-short= I am working my but off on this stuff, thanks for the support and patience.

[Mace]

Glad to see you doing well with this Kevin!

[alkaline747trio]

I'll take a spot on the 80 list and the 60 list, expecting a 60 by the time that would roll around.

[kevinmrowland]

Good news and bad news tonight.
The bad news is that the new prototype version that would save me fab time, just doesn't stack up strength wise against the old version. So back to that one I go, makes the 80 lid a bit tougher, and puts me back to the slow schedule again, but you guys don't really care about that.

The good news is great news though, my plastic came in today and I milled it up this evening, it looks awesome.
It cuts and mills beautifully, it seems incredibly resilient, nice texture, comply impervious to the elements, it is marine grade, high density polyethylene, completely water proof and UV stable. I love it!

I also got over a brain fart today, looking at the laser cut profile with its nice clean holes, I suddenly realized that nice stainless pan head screws would be much more appropriate. It is tuff to get the flat heads sunk evenly, and hole size limitations keep the size limited to a #10 screw. If I use pan heads I can alleviate alignment issues and use up to a 1/4-20 screw instead.
On top of that, it just looks damn cool that way, and helps to protect the finish from being marred when things are slid over the gate since they will ride on the pan heads rater than the surface, I also wont have to keep burning up counter sinks, that is getting expensive...... I could go on, but here is a pic that shows some stand-in button heads to show what I am excited about.

[RockDoc]

Looks dead sexy!!

Do you have a link for the plastic? I wonder if it would be workable for constructing or covering a rear storage box?

[Mace]

That plastic door is sexy!!

Right on amigo. How much of an increase in price for the plastic?

[kevinmrowland]

Originally Posted by RockDoc

Looks dead sexy!!

Do you have a link for the plastic? I wonder if it would be workable for constructing or covering a rear storage box?

Yeah, the plastic just puts the whole thing over the top, can't believe how good it looks. I purchased it as a big sheet through my local plastic supplier, so no link, but it is basically marine grade HDPE, textured. I dont think it would be the best to construct a storage box, and it requires some precision work to get it as clean as the pic shows (crazy expensive anyway). But as a covering, it would be right at home. You typically see this stuff as very thin sheet, used as a top lamination or top panel in hollow core construction.

Originally Posted by Mace

That plastic door is sexy!!

Right on amigo. How much of an increase in price for the plastic?

Not sure yet, but not too bad, I think about $25 additional. The material is WAY more expensive, but some other things are simpler, so I think it will work out to about that.
As of the work last night, I am inclined to not even offer the ply anymore, this is such a massive upgrade at a minimal price/labor increase that it is hard to justify using the ply.
But, I still need to test the new material and make sure it holds up properly.

[OCHO4I]

Kevin, do you happen to know how much soundproofing material I’ll need to line the inside of the tailgate on my 60 when I install my tailgate storage setup? (I’m so close to the top of the list, I can almost smell it!) Any recommendations for soundproofing suppliers?

[kevinmrowland]

OCHO4I Kevin, do you happen to know how much soundproofing material I’ll need to line the inside of the tailgate on my 60 when I install my tailgate storage setup? (I’m so close to the top of the list, I can almost smell it!) Any recommendations for soundproofing suppliers?

Oh man, I know, the list stalled right at your name!
Yours will be able to ship next week though.


You will need about 7.5sq' of material.
Depending on the condition of your tailgate, you may want to spend less or more on the sound deadener.
If you want the best cheap option, this works great.
You can also order it from Aubuchon online here.
I have some of the 6" rolls I can sell you at cost and ship with the tailgate. The stuff is good, sticks great, and works. But it is asphalt based and not very technically advanced. I have it because I can't justify spending 5 times as much on something to stick to rusty metal.

If you simply want the best, these guys seem to be the source of choice.

And this is a great explanation of what is the best and why.

[CDN_Cruzer]

Wow that looks amazing!! I am anxiously waiting! only 17 more!

[kevinmrowland]

More pictures!
Testing on the plastic went great, scratches dont show up as lighter plastic (some plastics even scratch white) It takes a lot of pressure to get compression dents and seems to be resistant to every chemical I can find, including lacquer thinner scrubbed into the surface!
Good weekend.

[BCM]

Looks great....throw me on the 80's list


-BCM-

[NLXTACY]

Just realized something...we go snowboarding a lot and we use the tailgate to gear up and gear down. So that means me 200#, my wife 135# and my son 80# are in some configuration sitting with all our weight on the tailgate of the 80. How do you think this access door is going to hold up to that kind of weight? And hold up to scratches from our boots and such?

[kevinmrowland]

Valid concern, we talked about this in the original tech thread a few times.

The new lid will be stronger than the OE tailgate (not saying much) and certainly strong enough to hold as many people as you can fit on it.
I can put the lids across two saw horses and stand on the unsupported middle, and once it is bolted into the tailgate I can drop a 33" tire on it. I severely abuse my stuff and my tailgate was bowed in prior to this mod, with that in mind I made the frame rigid enough to put the tailgate back into shape.
This is why I am continuing to make the frames out of a continuos piece of angle iron, the new prototype was plenty strong enough, but just not that strong.


Edit: Oh, and the ply lids show the scratches but the coating holds up well, the new plastic lids wont scratch from a pair of ski boots, you'd have to be wearing crampons to mess them up!