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Necoa #: 11981
Location: 19(AK,ID,OR,WA)
Joined: Jun 24, 2008
Posts: 34
Year: 1982
Model: El Camino
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject: tailgate tale..
heyo all !! update time,if ya dont like long stories heres the pics
http://elcaminocentral.com/gallery-album_vandals-page3.html
ok, previos owners had not been nice to my tailgate, was thrashed !!
found a fairly good one in local yard but $400 us was a little steep !!
soo as im learning bodywork i figured a good time to learn how to repair a tg !! it started out with a 2" bow, upper edge caved in 1" , numerous dents inside face, plus the usual dents in exterior.
more experienced body guys said skin it, but alas no skins available....
hmm use old skin !! so i carefully ground the edge until skin layers were separated, then drilled spotwelds on top and in pocket, then carefully slid knife between layers (skin is glued). after removing skin i straightened frame by carefully beating the s@#$ out of it lol.. then i dollied and smoothed the skin. as im going to remove the lic. plate from tg i manufactured a brace for patch and as u wont have access to latch a hatch [heh a latch hatch lol ] then very carefully after fitting the straitened gate, welded the skin back on. (musthave fitted gate 10-12 times ! ) welded patch in the plate hole, then did bodywork , blocked and primed !!
now on to the rear bumper !!!
Lot of time in that huh? Came out nice, in the last pic it looks really smooth. And you saved a few bucks too, good deal... _________________ Mark
1972 Elky Picture Album
Necoa #: 572
Location: 10(IL,MN,WI)
Joined: Jan 28, 2003
Posts: 3629
Year: 1984
Model: El Camino
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:48 am Post subject:
Good for you...I was thinking about cutting a good door skin off to put on a good inner shell. Got a couple of doors off an Elky that was hit by a freight train, saved the passenger door (like new), but the drivers door was badly bent, Cut the old skin off and straightened the shell...hoping that Goodmark was gonna be making skins by now. _________________ "The day we lose our will to fight is the day we lose our freedom" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8
Necoa #: 11981
Location: 19(AK,ID,OR,WA)
Joined: Jun 24, 2008
Posts: 34
Year: 1982
Model: El Camino
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 9:23 am Post subject:
thanks for the good words all !!
i think the hardest part was re welding the edge using this method the guy who showed me this took a 61 impala convert quarter [ saw the pics it was hit in the r rear the decklid was folded in half !! but as qp for verts arent avalable....] took him a week but when done it was flawless !! (of course it cost the customer quite alot of $$) !!
Necoa #: 594
Location: 13(TX)
Joined: Feb 03, 2003
Posts: 287
Year: 1984
Model: El Camino
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 9:50 am Post subject:
Looks really good. I'm fighting with tailgates for my 84. I have one pretty close but I'm not happy with it.
$400 for a used one is nuts when a new one costs that... Even if I had the $400 that's too much for a tailgate considering one for an older elky is half the price as is most parts.
You have allot more patience with body work than I do. I'd like the lic plate on the bumper too but it's not a priority. _________________ Robert Adams
http://gparts.freeyellow.com
84 Conquista
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using this method the guy who showed me this took a 61 impala convert quarter [ saw the pics it was hit in the r rear the decklid was folded in half !! but as qp for verts arent avalable....] took him a week but when done it was flawless !! (of course it cost the customer quite alot of $$) !!
