My 78 K15 High Sierra build - Fish Tremble

[rgunlock]

I think I'd have had a better shot running the board lengthwise down the tailgate, but I was focusing the force on the center by running the 2x6 up and down. Boy did that work, focusing the force I mean

I am going to try very hard to fix this. I've already spent over an hour on stripping the paint and don't want to waste that effort.

[rgunlock]

Well, maybe good enough. I first tried pulling on studs and hammering, but the dents through the body lines were too deep and the metal too thick. Barely budged if at all.

Then decided to just cut out the dented sections, hammer them out and weld back in. Well, that sort of worked. They looked better in person than some of my pictures would indicate, but I think the pictures are right. Didn't get the body lines reformed well enough and the whole patched area is low.

Out came the stud welder again and with more pulling and hammering I got the low areas up some, but I still have a good 1/8th or so in spots, and that is after a lot of work. I was debating just moving on to filler, but decided to give up on it for the weekend and sleep on it.

[Greenlee]

That's a lot of work! I would have given up and started searching for a replacement. In fact, I have a stepside tailgate hanging on my fence as a piece of yard art because I thought it was too far gone to go on the truck.

That being said, your tailgate being a GMC with the letters in the middle would likely be hard to find. My truck is actually titled as a GMC, but I went back with all Chevy stuff because I already had a Chevy grill, steering wheel etc. and I couldn't find the GMC parts.

[srt6]

I have a tailgate on the side of my house I can't remember if it's chevy or gmc stamp. UnfortunatelUnfortunately I think shipping would kill from wa.

[Greenlee]

I thought of an idea to get the remaining dent out in the picture above. Get a large C-clamp and stick the top side in through the handle opening. Put a 2"x4" or something on the outside and clamp down until it squeezes the dent out. I did that for a dent on my bedrail and it worked pretty good.

[rgunlock]

I like the c-clamp idea. I will definitely give that a try. I did hit CL last night and found a couple Chevy tailgates, but no GMC. I'll keep working on my own a bit more, but if worse comes to worse my tailgate band would disguise a Chevy tailgate I think.

[rgunlock]

Thanks for checking into my build srt6, and appreciate the tailgate offer but I think you are right on the shipping charges. Plus, haven't quite given up on mine yet. So far, the only replacement panels I've got for my truck are the inner fenders which were about half gone with rust. Never consciously decided to stick with all original panels for the rest of it, but its kind of become my goal now.

Also, your profile pic looks just like the 73 1/2 ton I had back in the mid 80's. Really liked that color scheme (still do) - sharp looking truck!

[srt6]

No worries, I just thought I would try to help.

I should update my profile picture, I sold that truck ot was a 77 1/2 4 speed 205. Sweet truck terrible rust.

I'm loving the truck you're working on I soon plan to build up my first 2wd. Well see how that goes.

[srt6]

Do you have a final color in mind? You're Def going very meticulous I like that gives me a couple ideas for when I get to that point.

[rgunlock]

Well, for color I'm thinking 1) medium brown with copper highlight, or 2) a blue green more blue than green, or 3) a "steel blue" that is silver grey with blue tint. I've only got a paint code for one of them. But that's just this week's choices. Ask me again next week

[srt6]

Those are great choices! Your painting oor having it done?

[rgunlock]

Plan to do it myself. So far, the only work I've had done by someone else is the transmission and transfer case rebuilds. I just didn't want to have to pull them for a redo if I didn't get them right once the truck is back together. I think I've got pretty good paint equipment, just need to figure out how I want to make a temporary paint booth. That, and making a final choice of color still are a few months away though.

[srt6]

My cousins made one out of one of those carports you can close all the way in. Turned out pretty good. The ones that are poles and canvas.

[rgunlock]

So the wife said "you broke it, you fix it" so it didn't seem like a good idea to buy a better tailgate. So, its as fixed as its likely to get. All I know is that if I did bodywork for a living I wouldn't be eating nearly as well as I do After 4 layers of filler and countless hours of sanding I think its good enough. On to fenders next.

[mjensen]

Good work! I would have just pulled the skin off and hid it underneath the rug, thrown a new one on and say I fixed it!

[Greenlee]

Looks good!

[y5mgisi]

Good enough is an important phrase!

[srt6]

Looks great!

[rgunlock]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. 2 full weekends for one tailgate, should have looked into a skin like you suggested Mike. Since the whole thing looks like one sheet of metal folded over and tacked together along the bottom, that would have been a new tailgate and no more time than placing an order

Hope everyone has a merry Christmas!

[boynton]

I could make a suggestion to your children for a late Christmas gift if you aren't happy with it

[Bomp]

Good job on the tailgate. They are one of the hardest pieces to get right. IMO

[rgunlock]

Thanks for the offer boynton, but the kids are already kicking in for the vintage air and the tailgate did turn out pretty well. And I agree with you Bomp. There are a lot of creases and contours to those body lines that were hard to get right with the filler. I got creative with sanding blocks, using paint sticks, pvc pipe, etc. but a couple of those contours I haven't found anything quite the right shape. I can still do touch up though right up to the point that I paint it.

You fellas have a Merry Christmas.

[Dean'smeanmachine]

Nice Repair

[rgunlock]

Thanks Dean! Not much to post but I had a heck of a time figuring out how to reassemble the handle on the tailgate. Couldn't find much info searching, so thought I'd post a pointer here. Seems the only way this will go back together is to first attach the rods to the latches and install the latches. The ends of both rods needs to point up where they attach to the handle. In order to get the rods attached to the handle, you need the clips (got mine from LMC), and best I can tell you have to install them with the handle outside its hole as shown in the photo. Then shove the handle up into the hole and bolt back in. The hinge on the handle sticks up enough that it is difficult to get back into the tailgate. I don't think I could have done this without scratching up a lot of paint, so I think its best to reassemble before paint.

On a side note, adjusting the tailgate is not child's play. Must have had it on and off 25 times tweaking the pivot mounts.

[rgunlock]

I've also stripped the paint from both fenders. I've now got many hours work into them between my initial attempts at patching the rust, and time spent stripping the paint. Found some additional rust pitting which I cut out for yet another patch. Found this mess behind it. At this point, I know there is still rust between the inner and outer skins. My body lines look like total crap from the patching and I don't know that I can make them look right with filler. I've resisted, but I think after posting this I'm going shopping for new repro fenders and just take my chances on them fitting.