Ford Script on Tailgate

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Sep 26, 2005 | 12:20 AM

WillyB

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From: Near Fresno, California

Ford Script on Tailgate

I have decided to change the backend of the box on my 59 shorty styleside. These years were sort of bland at the back, with a single small round stoplight. They did have FORD in capital block letters stamped into the tailgate, but even that looks boring.

I have decided to scab the back of a 87 Ford box onto the 59. These have a large rectangler stoplight that fills the area, and also acts as a side marker light. The body lines come very close to lining up.

The tailgate opening is also larger so most of the area is taken up by the stoplight. This will also give me a modern style latch and hinges, with inside straps replacing the oldstyle chains. I will have to section about an inch out of the tailgate to make everything fit.

The only problem I have is that the new tailgate is also boring - the only logo is a sticker paisted to one corner. I would like to weld in a panel that has the real old "Ford" script like is on the 40 ford pickup tailgate (and others).

Anyone know where I can get a panel with that stamped in it?

Also, your comments on the proposed mod will be welcome. Below is a picture of my donor truck, and the red tail is a 87 I found on Ebay. My 87 is the same. Script also came off an eBay truck, a nice one!

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Last edited by WillyB; Sep 26, 2005 at 12:33 AM.

Sep 26, 2005 | 12:30 AM

Fomoko1

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From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Sounds like a cool and a fresh idea, post some pics when you are done.

Sep 26, 2005 | 12:39 AM

rhw

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From: colorado

there's a ford script tailgat on ebay right now with 22 hrs left. it's item #4577464753. It's at $100.00. Also Sacremento vintage offers the script for the small bed panel that's just behind the cab for $ 75.00 Iwould keep checking Ebay... I've seen the tailgates go for $35.00 or so, when they're beat up and if you're going to give it the chop -then what's some extra dings and rust around the edges between friends?

Sep 26, 2005 | 08:10 AM

svooom

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From: Rochester, NY, USA

Northern Classic Trucks also sells the script pane that rhw mentioned.

I like the idea of changing the gate lettering but I think there may be some easier mods to the back end that could be done to spice things up a bit. I would think some of those tall skinny Caddy tail lights (90's Deville) would fill in those flat side panels real nice. Add a roll pan and you would be good to go.

Good luck and keep us updated.

Sep 26, 2005 | 09:00 AM

Randy Jack

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From: Riverside, So Cal

WiilyB -

Sounds like a cool idea.

I welded in a panel with the block Ford letters into my smoothie gate. The welding warped that flat panel and it took a lot of bondo to make it look right.

I would suggest fitting a hole in the gate to the script panel, then make a larger doubler to go behind both and cover the seam with about 1" over lap. Then epoxy it all together. That was my original plan. Should have done that.

Sep 26, 2005 | 09:59 AM

rhw

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From: colorado

I saw a 60-something C***y that the guy had plasma cut the letters out of the gate, put in some plexi glass and somehow got a little blue light in the gate to back light the whole deal. That would look really cool in the script. Of course it might eat up a whole summer doing it!

Sep 26, 2005 | 10:23 AM

bbearls

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Tailgate Script

I wanted to do the same thing with my '55 F100, but it just looked too tricky to try to do. So, I settled for the Ford script on my taillights. Neat idea though.