Reproduced Tailgates

[Dodgebawl]

Body work is being done on my 49 B1B and I need to get a replacement tailgate ('48-'57 49 in. high side). Horkey's tells me his is made out of 14 gauge steel and MAR-K's catalog says theirs is made out of 16 gauge steel. Both say they are made to original specs except MAR-K's is not "Dodge" embossed.

Does any one know what gauge steel the original tailgates were made out of?

Where have some of you purchased your tailgates and how do they compare to the originals? Thanks for your input.

[ggdad1951]

I can measure when I get home if no one else has an answer by then, but I *THINK* they are 16 gauge, or .060 think steel. 14 gauge is MUCH thicker (.014").

[Dave72dt]

16 ga. standard steel is .060 and 14 ga. standard is.075. 9 ga puts you at .14 plus there's a tolerance range for each gauge. My bedsides measure at .060 on a 1/2 ton bed. Tailgate metal looked the same thickness as the bed sides as I recall but I don't have mine here to measure.

If you want "DODGE" on the tailgate, the choices narrow down in a hurry.

With more time than money, I repair the taigates. Really bad ones can look like new if you work at it.

[buds truck]

if you really get desperate, you can do what I did. I took a front panel and made it into a tailgate. I even welded the "Dodge" emblem into the center recess. It isn't point perfect, but I'll bet it would fool alot of people.

[ggdad1951]

I have 4 tailgates...they all are all measure .060 with a caliper....so 16 gauge.

[1952B3b23]

I measured my tailgate from Horkey with "Dodge" embossed (low side) and its made of 0.060" thick material.

-Chris

[Scruffy49]

You can go later than 1957 for your tailgate. I put the gate off an 84 on my friend's 50 1/2 ton. Only difference was the later gate came with the center hinge that some early trucks had and some did not. My 49 has the bottom panel hinge holes but the gate came without a hinge. And more than one 61-65.5 truck on the Sweptline boards is running a Pilot House tailgate...