My new POS tailgate

[DangerBoy]

I got a goodmark gate with the Chevrolet lettering a while back and haven't had any problems with it at all. It fit good and looks good and everything. I must have been one of the lucky few for once.

[72MARIO]

I went thru 3 Gates before I found a N.O.S.

The fires was a old repo smooth. Thin as tin foil. Fit was Poor.
Then I got a Goodmark Smooth as well as a Goodmark stamped Chevy.

The smooth gate fit fairly well but the stamped was bad. The lettering is also smaller versus the stock gate. And they are still alot lighter than the original.

[ChevLoRay]

The plain Jane fleetside tailgate that mothertruckers sells, is Tri-Com, not Dynacorn. Says so on the blurb with the product description.

Here in central Arkansas, we have Mid-State Aftermarket Truck Parts. I went there and they looked at the 3 remaining plain tailgates that they had for sale, but they were all trashy....dinged and dented. All imported from Taiwan. Probably made in the same factory as Goodmark.....I mean, how many Taiwanese businesses are going to be stamping these things out for our market?

[stllookn]

ChevLoRay, You are probably correct about the number of plants making these gates and we have heard that comment directly from many suppliers as well. I have seen the NOS and aftermarket gates side by side and I think the after market gate looks much better (at least the one I was looking at). It is not that much lighter than the NOS gate which means the strength is about the same depending upon where the thickness is reduced. This was a new aftermarket gate delivered last summer so perhaps there are some old ones still around that are of lower quality. I have seen terrible quality on some aftermarket parts and excellent quality so it is mixed. If your supplier has some old stock or junk and he has sent to you...return it!

Ron...go see Frank (PICKMUP) in Olympia and he will show you aftermarket vs NOS vs Original. You can pick the one you want! I am very picky and I know that I will buy my next gate from Frank where I can see what I am getting and compare. Just my 0.02! Good Luck...let us know how you get this one sorted out. I am still short one gate...since I can't bring myself to put that "take-off" on the truck...LOL!

[junkyardjohn]

(quote) I have seen the NOS and aftermarket gates side by side and I think the after market gate looks much better (at least the one I was looking at). It is not that much lighter than the NOS gate which means the strength is about the same depending upon where the thickness is reduced.(quote)

HMMMM ... AFTERMARKET TIWANEEZE TAILGATES ARE JUST AS THICK & STRONG AS ORIGINAL G.M. TAILGATES??? & THEY EVEN LOOK BETTER TOO?? COME ON... I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE WHO OWNS ONE , & WASN'T TRYING TO SELL THEM THAT HAD ANYTING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THEM COMPARED TO GM MADE GATES. EVERY AFTERMARKET TAILGAIT I'VE EVER SEEN WILL BEND IF SOMEONE THAT WEIGHS MORE THAN 80 LBS. SIT ON IT. SURE... EVERY BIT AS THICK OF METAL & AS STRONG. JOHN

[67Fleet]

Originally Posted by junkyardjohn

(quote) I have seen the NOS and aftermarket gates side by side and I think the after market gate looks much better (at least the one I was looking at). It is not that much lighter than the NOS gate which means the strength is about the same depending upon where the thickness is reduced.(quote)

HMMMM ... AFTERMARKET TIWANEEZE TAILGATES ARE JUST AS THICK & STRONG AS ORIGINAL G.M. TAILGATES??? & THEY EVEN LOOK BETTER TOO?? COME ON... I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE WHO OWNS ONE , & WASN'T TRYING TO SELL THEM THAT HAD ANYTING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THEM COMPARED TO GM MADE GATES. EVERY AFTERMARKET TAILGAIT I'VE EVER SEEN WILL BEND IF SOMEONE THAT WEIGHS MORE THAN 80 LBS. SIT ON IT. SURE... EVERY BIT AS THICK OF METAL & AS STRONG. JOHN

Gonna have to raise the on that one. I have my original gate that came with my truck, an aftermarket POS gate, and now a good original. There is NO comparison. I've seen plenty of other aftermarket gates also and while there is some difference between manufacturers, there is NONE I have seen that even come close to rivaling the quality of original.

[Ron]

The Goodmark gate seems to be just as heavy as the original, it's just that the fit and quality is way off. I have nice originals here too. My originals are WAY better than the Goodmarks. Why is it so hard to make a quality gate?

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by Ron

The Goodmark gate seems to be just as heavy as the original, it's just that the fit and quality is way off. I have nice originals here too. My originals are WAY better than the Goodmarks. Why is it so hard to make a quality gate?

My guess is that it is all about the money. Where ever the factories in Taiwan get the steel, assuming that it isn't imported, has to come from a recycling plant. The Taiwanese were very good at recycling, when I was stationed in the central part of the Island, back in '68-69. Low wages, although no where near as low as they were then, explain why our sources seek the Taiwanese to build the parts we want so we can afford them after paying the freight to get them here. So, controlling costs is what it is all about. As long as we will accept the shoddy parts and then try to make them fit, they will keep making them the same way. At the same time, the cost of the steel fluctuates; shipping costs rise with wages and fuel.....and, it goes on and on. Dies used to stamp the parts, will wear. How many Taiwanese do you think have ever owned, or even driven, a '67-72 Chevy/GMC truck? We had a '67 Chevy where I was stationed, but I don't recall any of the nationals driving it, while I was there.

I am going to guess that the next country to seek a contract with for the manufacture of parts will be Bangladesh, India, VietNam or some such place. If they are made in India, they may be made of brass.

[nu2-72]

The majority of steel that I have had shipped in this past year was from the Ukraine or Argentina.
Not that it matters who has driven 67-72 trucks. Look at the big 3 in America and you can see that foriegn markets are killing us with fit and finish. Deny it if you wish. I own 6 of the Generals products. But look at the shape they are in and one wonders why this is so. If these companies and countries can make complete autos like they do, how hard could it be to make a tailgate?

[junkyardjohn]

Theres All Different Qualitys Of Steel Too. The Steel Was Probably Much Higher Quality Made In Detroit Or Pittsburg 35 Or 40 Years Ago Than The Recycled Stuff They Are Using In Tiwan, India Or The Ukrane TODAY. John

[MOTHERTRUCKERS]

Most of our large 47-66 and some of the 67-72 sheetmetal parts are now Dynacorn, we have been pretty happy with the DII quality except for a few early tailgates that the sde spot welds came apart on. They sent out new tailgates or paid the repairs on them.

[Huck]

Manufacturing large body panels is very expensive for a very limited market. You need huge presses --keep in mind that a tailgate is basically one large piece of sheet metal that is stamped, then bent into a loop at the top so that the end come together at the bottom. Then you have two smaller stamped sections to place into the ends. Now you get to do all the spot welding. Hell, the BUDD stamping plant here can barely stay in business making stampings for BMW & FORD.
My experience with the Tiwan tailgates has been that the newer ones are workable but no where near equal to original. Goodmark quality is NO better then any other as they just re-logo Tiwan. The problem I have seen is that none of the new ones have the center spot welding that gives them strength. They also tend to have the ends not correctly aligned or spot welded. Now given the price for a "No Name" tailgate, ($175.) it can still be a good deal if you see it first or have your favorite vendor personally check out the quality before they ship. Fenders are better and doors are yuck. Good luck--Huck