[omodified]

And just like that...this project has stopped. Ugh.

Installing the tailgate today. I have NOS latches that I nickel plated but I will save those for the final build. For today I have a different pair of NOS latches that I will use. I also have an NOS tailgate handle for the build. I nickel plated my original latch rods but I will also save them for the final build. For today, I will use some Counterpart latch rods.






I got all the parts installed on the tailgate only to discover the first issue. It appears that the tailgate handle mounting holes that get stamped into the outer skin was put in the wrong place. When I tried to pull up on the handle, it was too far up inside the gate to be able to lift all the way up. When I compered these measurements to a GMC gate that was in the shop here, my holes were off by as much as a 1/4 inch.






We were thinking we could cut out the stamped area and relocate it. So, I went ahead and mounted the gate to the bed. This is the bigger issue. The crazy thing is that nobody ever saw it until today. The bedside, also NOS, is problematic. It appears that the very back of the bedside was spot welded incorrectly at the factory. The outer skin is about 1/4 higher than the inner structure and not level at the top. So, now I will pause and weigh my options. Buy NOS they said. It fits the best they said. LOL.