Anybody try to straighten a bent tailgate?

[HeavyHauler]

All the tailgates that I have looked at for a 1968 Chevy C10 have been bent or curved. Is there a way to straighten a old tailgate or is it even worth it as it may not be as strong afterwards once it has been bent.

Maybe just buy a new one. I like the idea of finding a good original but I dont think that exists or are very rare.

[notsolo]

Not an easy fix, I think you have to peel off the front. Remove spot welds and straitened out the pieces and put back together. I wasted a lot of time trying to slide flat bars and pull, clamp and reshape. It doesn't work. Clean take offs, from a camper could run... $900.

[HeavyHauler]

Originally Posted by notsolo

Not an easy fix, I think you have to peel off the front. Remove spot welds and straitened out the pieces and put back together. I wasted a lot of time trying to slide flat bars and pull, clamp and reshape. It doesn't work. Clean take offs, from a camper could run... $900.

Yep that is what I thought. Best to just buy a new one.

[LockDoc]

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You might read through this thread.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=578233

There are a few more if you type straighten tailgate or flatten tailgate into the Google search box at the top of this page, click on the circle in front of 67-72chevytrucks.com, and click on the GOOGLE button.....

LockDoc

[68Gold/white]

It's not impossible to straighten a tail gate, just not easy. I have friends that can DO anything. I do have one that needs to be split apart and massaged...I'm not scared...

There's still many good used units around. Become a paying member and post a "Want to buy ad".

[Grumpy old man]

fast and easy ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGVTYpYPz9E

[RTHarvey]

That is odd. I'm pretty sure that a running Chevy pickup of that vintage will bring at least a thousand dollars around here, no matter how bad it is.

[rjs53]

Nothing bringing that truck back. Back to the subject at hand, could you tack allthread to it then run a piece of Chanel along those to draw it back straight.

[KY_GMC]

I've fixed a tailgate that was pushed in from the outside, but not fixed a bent one.

The tailgate looked like it was hit from the outside and pushed where the letter M is.

I drilled out the spot welds on the sides and across the bottom and cut across where a bend was. This made it easier to hide the weld seam. Then it was easier to straightened out the bend area. Then just welded it back together, one spot at a time.

It was a lot easier than trying to bend it back while it was still in one piece or trying to pull the panel out with a stud puller.









I think it turned out pretty good. I liked the idea of using and original tailgate instead of a repop.

[flashed]

What a waste .

[A1971Blazer]

I was never able to straighten a bent one.....but I have bent a lot of straight ones...