Been searching for a good tailgate ever since I had gotten my truck last October. Musta been in every yard in south Mississippi and southeast Louisiana several times, but no luck. Since my work has been keeping me entirely too busy, I finally decided to give LMC a try.

I had ordered the repro tailgate and the handle that goes with it. I should have gotten the cables, but they can be found in any Autozone. Lastly, I got the two retaining clips for the linkage rods to connect to the handle.

Order was received today and I must say that the first impression was positive as there was no damage to the box and when I opened it up the tailgate was also damage free. Definately packaged well. And I thought that this was gonna be easy breezy.



However all that won't mean anything if the part isn't useable. After I had gotten it "installed" as best I could here are the results. Obviously the body lines aren't even close to lining up, particularly in the upper drivers side corner. The passenger side was marginally better.





I expected to receive a part that even though the metal may have been a thinner guage, but to at least fit properly. Definately not at all happy with this purchase and it will be returned and on its way back tomorrow.

Seems as I've read several threads about their body panels, but this is the first I know of w/pictures. Would be nice to have a factory Ford tailgate, but my budget won't allow the approx $600.00 that one would cost, so back to the drawing board, and the yard searching yet again.

 

Wrong year!

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

Sorry to hear that.
All that excitement for a crappy built tailgate :/

if it makes you feel better, my tommy gate is starting to rust through, do I have the cash for that? nope.
do any junkyards have a truck with a tommy gate on it?
for some reason... nope.
so i'm going to be in the same boat as you soon haha

Have fun browsing through the local junkyards

 

NO. thats the correct year gate. Just made poorly. Its a shame. I have alway had goodluck w LMC parts and this is a first for a bad.

On a lighter not i just bought 2 Brand new ford tailgates for 400 a piece

Out at ford carlisle there was a Take off tailgate for only 300. It was perfect(taken off when new for a slide in camper)

 

I have a couple real nice OEM tailgates with little to no surface rust and no dings.

I could hook you up!

 

looks just like the one I used on my truck. wish I would've thought to put pics on when I answered you way back when. wish I would have known about stosh back then, he's not a far drive for me. oh well, too late now. stuck with what I got for now

 

Sorry, wrong post... um. lets see....
Talk to stosh about his tailgates. Like his signature says, he shops in the Junkyard, he always seems to come home with some good stuff

 

I have one here in Ct as well. It was off an 86 and looks to be a relacement and has trim on it. Sadly I did not have it when I drilled my repop gate for the trim or I would have used it. Also I did not fit mine before I painted it and the bed. Only after did I find some clearance problems. Live and learn.
Let me know if I can help.

 

Mark, send it back for a refund and I'll hook you up......

 

Stosh, I have a real good one and a front fender up at my folks place. I am going up there next saturday to get them. He works right around me, It will save shipping. I hate to see stuff just sit around and not get used. I would rather see it on his truck than let it start to rot in our field.

 

Even better.

 

Old Miss. I do not know if the tailgate is the wrong year or an ill fitted stamping, however, on an OEM tailgate of your vintage from the top inside of the the tailgate it makes a 90 degree bend outward for approximately 1" then starts to slope downward. Your bed corners have the correct profile to match. Hope this helps - 6pack.

 

It doesn't help one bit.

Next time, you should READ the thread before posting nonsense like this.

 

Many thanx to all who had replied. Like Stosh, I also spend, or rather used to spend alot of time in the local yards. But Amtrak's been keeping me plenty busy 6 days a week.

My goal is to have my truck painted by labor day, and I still think that is plenty obtainable.

BTW, the crappy/ill-fitting tailgate will be going right back where it came from. Most likely being picked either tomorrow or Tuesday.

 

Stosh, I did read the thread and was trying to convey to Old Miss. that the bed corners as pictured have the correct profile for a "matching tailgate" of that vintage , i.e. the bed was not from the late '80's. Old Miss. simply put, your bed corners as pictured should align with a "correct replacement panel" not what you received. Hope this helps.