Hey guys I have a 94 F350 XLT and like most of them with the brushed chrome panel on the tailgate and the plastic insert that is loose and broken.
We want to keep it mostly stock but need a nicer looking gate. What have you guys done here?
Thanks

 

I bit the bullet and bought a new trim piece.

It's one of the single most expensive parts I've bought.

 

You could get an XL tailgate. They don't have the trim piece, just painted with a Ford decal. I've always thought they looked better than the XLT tailgate anyway.

 

I would personially go painted tail gate my self if i could find it in the same color as my truck check your local you pull or what ever if you havent done so already. LMC and NPD are two other places I can think of off the top of my head as well!

 

Some of them didn't even have that. My tailgate has no markings whatsoever.

 

Thank guys. I would agree that I like the painted ones better.
I did see one last week that was painted with the blue oval in the lower left hand corner and the F350 plastic emblem in the upper right hand corner - looked sharp - so do you think that was custom made using one from an XL?
1. Or is there another year that fits our body style that doesn't look like out of place?
2. Can a guy buy a brand new one somewhere? (aftermarket or otherwise) without spending a fortune?
3. If the silver trim piece is taken off is it a regular (XL) tailgate with a few holes in it that can be painted up ? (Mine is a Texas truck with NO rust).

I looked at my local yard and ALL the Ford tailgates were already gone except for the rusted out ones of course!!

Jamie - what is LMC and NPD??

Thanks again guys!!

Rob

 

The 97 F-250HD and F-350 had the painted tailgate with emblems. This would be hard to find though since this was only done in 97.

 

You could get a 87-91 XL tailgate. It has the older style indented FORD.

 

Wouldn't be hard to make one though...XL tailgate and an emblem or two from eBay. And doing that, you can put 'em where you want 'em if you wanna be different.

 

I have 2 tailgates for my '96 XLT...one is stone stock original with am untouched aluminum trim piece-the other I made to look like a '97 with the emblem...I usually run with the '97-style as I don't want to mess up the stock one. That trim piece, if needed will run you into 2nd mortgage territory *when* you can find one.....
Roger

 

Also if you like the new style tailgates that have that big ford oval on the center of the tailgate, you could put it on

 

LMC = LMC Truck - Truck Parts and Truck Accessories for Chevy, GMC, Ford and Dodge Trucks from LMCTruck.com

They have full replacement tailgates (and pretty much everything else that came on your truck from the factory) but they are a little thinner than the stock tailgates, at least the one I bought was.

NPD = National Parts Depot

 

I have a '97 and my tailgate has no markings or badges on it. I do have an OEM emblem for a newer Super Duty that I can drill holes for and stick it on, but I like the "FORD" stickers on the top right. Does anyone know where to get the stickers?

The older ones with the stamped letters in the center would be sweet too though.

 

LMC has them.

 

No such thing as an XL only tailgate or 1997 F250 H/D & F350 only tailgate. It's the same puppy for all.

F2TZ-9940700-A .. Styleside Tailgate-Drill Holes for Finish Panel / Obsolete

Last MSRP: $1,268.47 / Dealer net cost: $761.08.

Applications: 1992/96 F100/350 & F(Super Duty) / 1997 F250 H/D, F350 & F(Super Duty).

There are 37 available NOS from FoMoCo Dealers. But considing the prices...who knows what the dealers will want for it?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
F2TZ-99425A34-A .. Styleside Tailgate Finish Panel / Obsolete

Last MSRP: $480.48 / Dealer net cost: $288.29.

Applications: 1992/96 F150/350.

HAVEN FORD in Haven KS has 1 = 620-465-2252.

HENRYETTA FORD in Henryetta OK has 1 = 918-652-0990.

WESLEY OBSOLETE PARTS in Liberty KY has 1 = 606=787-5293.

CARPENTER NOS OBSOLETE PARTS in Concord NC has 40 = 800-476-9653.

Haven will prolly be the cheapest.

No other Ford Dealer or obsolete parts vendor has any. AFAIK, it's not reproduced.