Thanks guys!

They are the latches from the stock tailgate. I'm going to be using the stock tailgate handle as well.

 

Got it painted and put back on, I still have to skin it, I spent today redoing some wiring and putting a new CD player in the truck so I didn't get any work done on this, but here are some pictures from my phone so they are kinda crappy

 

What's it like backing out? I have a swing out tire carrier, but as of now the spare is small. Larger one going on in the future.

 

No problems at all. I offset the tire so that I can see behind me at all angles looking over my shoulder either way or using my mirrors. It's obviously not as easy as not having a tire there, but nothing bad

 

It will be interesting to see how you integrate the stock latch handle.

 

I'll be working on that this week. Hopefully it works as well as it does in my head

 

WOW!!
Nice work man. Looks solid and clean.

 

Sweet!

 

Looks awesome man!

 

Thanks guys, I appreciate the compliments! I got the tailgate skinned and the latch grafted in, gotta make some final tweaks tomorrow and I'll post up some pictures tomorrow.

 

So here are the pictures of it skinned with the handle grafted in. I still need to do another round of bondo work, but I ran out of bondo so I just painted it up and called it good for now. I had to make a little extension bracket for the latch to work properly, but it works perfect now. I think I am going to add a cover on the back section where the latch is just to cover it up...or I may just mount my jerry can in front of it, we'll see. The metal was a little too thin for the set up I had to weld it very well, so I just did little tacks the whole way around, looks pretty bad on the back side but oh well. I took some better pictures on my camera, but I didn't have time to upload them before I left so here are some from my phone to give you an idea.

 

Yay!!!!!!!!!! Pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Can't wait to see the "long run, lessons learned" updates!

 

:like:

 

I'm sure there will be a few, there's already a list of things that I learned and would do differently if I built it again, but they are minor so far, hopefully there isn't a catasrophic failure and it doesn't fly off on the freeway haha

Next up is how to mount the license plate light and my hi-lift...debating on whether or not to mount it on the top rail, or cut it to mount on the backside (hidden)

 

for the license plate light, all you'll need is one wire for positive, as the tailgate itself is "ground". simple wiring, just run it across the backside and through the tail light cavity to get it under the bed

i really like that handle/latch idea!

 

Thanks, that's what I was planning on for the light, I just need to decide where to mount it. I think I am going to mount two, one on the right and one on the left side. (I already have two in my garage so that's probably what I'll go with since they are cheap ones and one doesn't light up the plate too well.

 

the latch you came up with is the frosting on the cake. great imagination man.

 

Thanks man, I appreciate the compliment!

Today I mounted the two license plate lights and wired them up...nothing too exciting so still no better pictures, I'll post up some more pictures later when I mount my Hi Lift and I'm going to incorporate a CB antenna mount on to the main mounting bracket (I haven't had it hooked up in over a year so hopefully it all still works )

 

bumping for updates.
and also to throw in my compliments as well. quite nice 89, quite nice.


looking to do something not too different.

 

Looks like it could do a wheelie if you dumped the clutch. Really cool. Love the handle relocate. Does the spare look bigger than the tires on it to you?