I've taken the 67 to the body shop for paint. First thing He finds is the tail gate needs lots of work.
Some time ago I asked if a 73-79 tail gate would fit and was told (a day after the swap meet was over it would have fit.
So will newer tail gates fit? Say 1980 and up?

 

A 73 and up tailgate will fit all the mounting locations but it looks odd. The lines don't match the 67-72. A 64-66 is a perfect fit - mostly just the lettering is different.

 

64-72 Uses Same Tail Gate.

 

Tex, While you are correct about size and shape, there is a difference in the letter area between 64-66 and 67-72. Letters are larger on the 64-66 and the 67-72 has a raised ridge around the letters.


John

 

I know that the 1981 and newer are different,and really cheaply made! you see a lot of mid 80's where the spot welds along the edges have come apart,after a relatively short time

 

Welcome to FTE

Sorry, that's technically in-correct.

As original:

1964/66: C4TZ-9940700-A .. Tailgate

Fits: 1964/66 F100/250 Styleside 2WD / 1966 F100 Styleside 4WD.
----------------------------------------------------------------
1967/72: C7TZ-9940700-A .. Tailgate

Fits: 1967/72 F100/350 Styleside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The 1967/72 tailgate has smaller F O R D block letters than the '64/66 tailgate.

The 1967/72 tailgate has an raised ovate scallop line that surrounds the block letters, and a horizontal scallop line at the top center of the tailgate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In September 1966, Ford obsoleted the 1964/66 tailgate, and replaced it with the 1967 (1968/72) tailgate for use as a service part replacement.

Service part: Parts sold at Ford dealers parts counters.

 

So has anyone ever tried to put a 1980 or newer tailgate on a 67-72?
That's the question

 

I've never seen a 1980 or later tailgate on any previous year pickups.

Can it be done? Dunno. But I do know that...

The 1980/87 Styleside tailgate (EOTZ-9940700-A) & 1988/91 Styleside tailgate (E8TZ-9940700-A) use completely different parts than the 1973/79 tailgate.

Different latches, handle, hinges, strikers, scissors...not one part interchanges.

 

I wouldn't recomend it. Here's why...

The 1980-1982 tailgate is stronger made than later years, but with a different latching system, metal straps still hold up the tailgate, and different rubber bumpers.

1983-1986 uses Cables to hold up the tailgate and the bumpers are different yet to the 1980-1982. It's also not as strongly made.

1987- up are different yet.

All have the potential to rip out at the sides, if you exceed their weight limit. Owners manual states, Not to exceed 500 LBS MAX. Well my now ex-wife and I would overload it.

I'd try and get the right one if I could.