Great looking tailgate treatment

[XLTsplash]

I found this picture of a newer Ranger with an older Ranger's deluxe tailgate panel and I think it looks great. It's to bad Ford don't make a panel that would fit a flairside tailgate.

 

[Bronco638]

Yeah, you're right, it doesn't look bad. So, what's to prevent you from using a brushed aluminum applique and edge it with some 1/2" wide pin striping tape? The applique should be thin enough to mold to the contours, if any, of the tailgate. It won't stand 'proud' from the tailgate, like the one in the picture, but it shouldn't matter, the look will be similar.

 

[Mark_88]

Looks great!

And...by the size of the rear tires...the almost distinct red colour of the rear brakes (indicating disk conversion)...I'd say he's got more invested in that ride than i have in mine...

 

[stmitch]

Something about it seems just a bit "off" to me. Maybe it's all of the things stuck to the panel, or the fact that it's not the same height as the taillights like it was on the older trucks, I'm not sure.
Here's the same idea taken a step further, by actually combining the two tailgates and I think it works much better here:
http://www.speedhunters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/SEMA-2013-042.jpg

 

[Mark_88]

Something about it seems just a bit "off" to me. Maybe it's all of the things stuck to the panel, or the fact that it's not the same height as the taillights like it was on the older trucks, I'm not sure.
Here's the same idea taken a step further, by actually combining the two tailgates and I think it works much better here:
http://www.speedhunters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/SEMA-2013-042.jpg

That does look nice...too bad it's so low to the ground...

 

[Mike Tonon]

I had one of those panels, with the 'F O R D', instead of the emblem on my 87' xlt. It was dented and had a white film on it that, I could NOT get off. The only thing I found that seemed to soak into the film and make it more 'see through', was thin oil, like wd40 and the like. So I looked into a new panel, even then (about 10 years ago) they were obsolete from Ford, but it showed a list price of somewhere around 600 or 700 dollars!!

I found a used one in very good condition for a lot cheaper and started getting it ready for after I had the truck painted, but never did and sold it with the truck. One think I did, because that panel being in contact with the paint and collecting dirt and being moist started corroding and rust started on the tailgate, just behind where it made contact, is I bought cork chair bottom protectors (similar to these here - http://www.globalsources.com/gsol/I/Furniture-felt/p/sm/1060437395.htm#1060437395) cut them in half and stuck them on the back of the panel with the rounded side facing up (so water, dirt, etc. would run off), everywhere there was pressure from mounting brackets, screws, etc. So, to give you an idea, I used probably about 16 or so. And if you do that, make sure you keep them in far enough from the edge, so that when the panel is mounted, they can't be seen.

Some newer Ford trucks have a newer panel similar to these.

 

[chvlfrk]

F y i:

I found this picture of a newer Ranger with an older Ranger's deluxe tailgate panel and I think it looks great. It's to bad Ford don't make a panel that would fit a flairside tailgate.

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All years of Rangers have the same body lines and the tailgates are interchangeable. I know where there is a 93 up Ranger with a 83-88 style tailgate on it, and since the truck has been repainted in JD Green, the normal person wouldn't even notice it.

I will try to get a pic of it tomorrow & post it in this thread.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The bodylines may be in the same places but they are very different over the years. May not effect the tailgate per say but you go swapping beds and you will notice while they line up they are shaped very differently.

That said I have seen where people cut out the recessed F O R D part of a first/second gen tail gate and weld it into a later one. Looks pretty sharp.

A styleside tailgate will not work on a stepside.

 

[chvlfrk]

The bodylines may be in the same places but they are very different over the years. May not effect the tailgate per say but you go swapping beds and you will notice while they line up they are shaped very differently.

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Oh, I know they are different over the years, but the tailgates are interchangeable.

A styleside tailgate will not work on a stepside.

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Yes I know and I thought bout that while at work after I had posted it, but forgot to come edit it yesterday. So, ya got me on that one.

 

[will1861]

The body lines do not match all and the 93 and up have to have either the latch or the hinge moved I have forgotten which one. I know I have seen a few early model trucks with splash beds on them and my opinion is it looks bad. If you can find a photo with an 1st or 2nd gen with a 3rdgen tailgate, grab some pics of the hinge and latch.

Sent from my RCT6773W22B using Tapatalk

 

[Grey_04]

I wonder what it would look like if someone had a vinyl graphic made similar to this that actually fits the flairside tailgate then had it clear coated over to make it less prone to peal off?