New tailgate.....

[Big Rob]

Now I'm pissed off!

I have no problem spending money on a good product.

Why would anyone make a product that is supposedly a "replacement part" that isn't an exact copy?

The original tailgate on my van is perfect except where the old bloke that owned it dropped the tailgate on the tow-ball and dented it. It fits and seals and does everything that it's supposed to do. I guess I need to trial fit the new one and see what the story is...., problem is that if I cut the corners out to fit the van it will be impossible to send it back if it doesn't fit!

[Taily]

Why would anyone make a product that is supposedly a "replacement part" that isn't an exact copy?

Because if they make it to suit the one application and if it can suit another application (with owner mods) then they reckon that is close (or good) enough for them and the consumer will just have to "put up" with not being able to return it if they fluff the mods or even mark the metal for that matter.

A bit like them only doing 3mm steering wheels. They'll do the job but they are not the "right" part. Sign of the times Rob, I've recently been spending quite a bit on repro bits and some of the parts are very very good, some parts have me looking back at the original to see if I could make that bit work again.

At least someone is at least attempting to do repro bits for our old busses. I wish they'd hurry up with a few more external hanging panels. I see a lot of rusty crap at swaps and on ebay nowadays and I feel for the poor blokes with rusted out doors and wonder that if the unthinkable should happen and I prang my ute just what would I replace any hanging panels with? It would be very very nice to be able to go and buy a new door or guard or even a bonnet for a HJ-Z but hey, we can only hope....

[panoz78]

As much as I hate to say it Rob
I had heaps of problems with my supposedly you beut bottom tailgate .
The sides had to be square up lots, then still had to stuff around with the bottom hinges to get the alignment right..
After all that I still have the problem of the excessive gap in the Middle at the bottom, the same as Agro ,big enough to put your. Fingers through.
Hope yours is a good one and you don't have any dramas,just spend plenty of time on the trial fitting..