New tailgate.....

[Big Rob]

Hmmmmmm!

[Taily]

My 40 year old original gate doesn't fit quite as snug as that ute one but that could be more to do with the Freeway camper that was bought and used with/on the ute from new back in 1975, or even the bikes (think ramps on the tailgate) and heavy crap I've I've loaded on it from time to time over the last 17 years I've owned it or the fact I do like to drop the tailgate and sit my fat 100kg+ rrrs on it to have a cuppa when I'm travelling too...

Is there much play in the hinges or do you reckon you might be able to "adjust" the holes/bolt position so as to bolt-up closer (tighter) in?

It may well be that the tailgate that was being used as the original template for the repros had bend in it a bit too or maybe the tooling is a little worn nowadays?

[panoz78]

My

Is there much play in the hinges or do you reckon you might be able to "adjust" the holes/bolt position so as to bolt-up closer (tighter) in??

I believe there is no adjustment to move the bottom of the tailgate in/ out ,only up-down & left/right..
Evenif there was with a BOW like that the corners would hit before the middle got close..
I think it's the way there pressed together, Too much pressure on the ends first is possibly bowing the inner first.
But who really knows until they look at the issue properly..

[Taily]

I believe there is no adjustment to move the bottom of the tailgate in/ out ,only up-down & left/right..
Evenif there was with a BOW like that the corners would hit before the middle got close..
I think it's the way there pressed together, Too much pressure on the ends first is possibly bowing the inner first.
But who really knows until they look at the issue properly..

I understamd what you're saying (and you're right, my own tailgate is very close at the ends) but if you saw some of the ways we used to need to adjust some of these things in Holden dealerships back in the 80's you might see where I'm coming from. It is possible to adjust in and out by reworking the hinge point up and then lowering the attach point.

Knot up a pair of fairly sizeable rags and insert them inside the ends of the gate and go to close the gate... Get my drift?

All part of everyday life in PD depts in dealerships and panel shops back then. It was only really the early 90's Australian manufacturers got their acts together (so to speak) and started to get some reasonable panel fit.

[Vombil]

very tight fit where gate bolts to hinge (philips screws). there will be some up and down in the hinge to body but no in and out at the bottom where the gap is. in and out adjustment is up at the strikers which is already OK.

[panoz78]

Taily being on old truck driver delivering into P.d's you wouldn't believe what use to happen
before they got to the dealerships.
But bending & bowing something that is suppose to fit is not right
With a gap that big there is something deffently wrong

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[agr071]

That's pretty much exactly the same as mine. The only other pic I would have taken is a rear shot showing your fingers disappearing in the middle gap.

[Valencia]

Seriously Rare Spares get them made here and they would be right the first time
its a bit of pressed metal FFS cant be that bloody hard surely

[Frosty]

Seriously Rare Spares get them made here and they would be right the first time
its a bit of pressed metal FFS cant be that bloody hard surely

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[Vombil]

hows this for an idea... Rares sent a genuine battered, bent and bowed one off as a template so now all we have is bowed 'new' ones?? could just be an innocent mistake/oversight. i'm waiting to hear back from Greg who will be test fitting one himself in the next couple days.

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Like

this is funny

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can we get a 'like' button Blocker? it will fell more like facebook then