Rear Doors Plan B

[Wasatch Jay]

Spot,

I like your setup a bunch... Some questions:

Was your tailgate originally a tailgate that you widened, or was it made from a set of barn door?

If the latter, how did you do it in such a clean, factory looking way?

Where did you get all the hardware (hinges, latches, cables and cable mounting stuff)?

 

[spotcruiser]

Thanks Jay. I bought two mis-matched, rusted-out barn doors from somebody here on mud and made the tailgate. You can tell the difference between this and stock by looking at the space in the middle. The vertical strip in the middle of a stock tailgate is about the same width as the vertical strips at the left and right edges.

Making it was just a matter of patience. What you can't see is the 1" x 1/2" steel tube framework that I built inside, which is really the most important part. I wanted a tailgate that somebody could sit on, because you just know that somebody will. So the whole thing is spot-welded together like a factory job (mig welded through the drilled-out factory spot welds) in addition to being spot welded every few inches on each side to the framework. I think it's about as strong as I could make it and I've already had people jump up there and sit on it without a problem. I bought the chains for a Chevy truck or El Camino online. You can find several lengths, depending on where you want to attach them. I made the hinges and other minor brackets and hardware out of steel plate, tube, and angle. I bought the stock latches and was able to find both sides. Nowadays it's difficult to find the left side, but you can find two right sides and convert one to a left. If you want more specific info, just drop me a pm.

 

[Wasatch Jay]

Thanks Spot, expect a PM in a few days...

I've already got a pretty darn nice set of the barn doors and all the associated hardware. I did notice the center vertical portion seemed a bit wide but I think it turned out fantastic. I hadn't thought about taking the doors apart and building a square tube framework for strength. That's a great idea.