Tailgates without Chains

[Blue666]

I'm putting my bed back together & don't want to use the stock chains & hooks.

What after market or OEM parts have you guys adapted to fit your 64 - 66 fleetsides? I plan to use stainless barrel slides to secure the gate but what type of flat bars or cables work best? Was any cutting of the tailgate required?

[jason65]

Welcome. Check out my build thread. I got an aftermarket tailgate from mar-k. Hope you get the info you want.

[Blue666]

That's really trick set up but at nearly $600 w/o shipping is beyond my current budget. It does look great though as does the rest of your project. You are doiing some gret work.

MAR K sells the slide barrels & chain eliminators for $150, I was hoping to find an even lower cost option.

ANy ideas or pictures would be great. Thanks

[jason65]

I've seen people use latches simular to the ones mar-k sells but made for the doors on sheds and such from the ho depo or lowes and I don't see why the linkages from a square body wouldn't work.

[502tripower]

This is the hardware from a late model S10. I bought a wrecked tailgate for 5.00.

[Blue666]

502TriPower, that is the solution I was looking for. That cost is more in my very small ballpark.

Did you weld the MAR-K type slide bolts to the S-10 latch? Does the whole latch unbolt & slide out from the end of the tailgate? Do th cables hide in the space between the tailgate & the bed or do the cables store in the bed?

Thanks,

Blue666

[502tripower]

Originally Posted by Woogeroo

502tripower,

that looks really nice and very well done. I take it that you just pull those tabs of bolts inward to get the latches to release?

-W

Yes, The bolts that you see will be replaced with some nice polished stainless bezels and some chrome Pike nuts.
http://www.bitterendchoppers.com/Hardware.html

some more options to look at:

http://www.wow-products.com/

products / tailgate

----

http://www.persh.org/pickup/IdeaPage.htm

look under Tailgate & Beds

----

-W

Originally Posted by Blue666

502TriPower, that is the solution I was looking for. That cost is more in my very small ballpark.

Did you weld the MAR-K type slide bolts to the S-10 latch? Does the whole latch unbolt & slide out from the end of the tailgate? Do th cables hide in the space between the tailgate & the bed or do the cables store in the bed?

Thanks,

Blue666

I did not use any aftermarket products. It is all the S10 hardware fit into my tailgate. The cables tuck up just as they would in the S10 or any of the later tailgate using the cables. If you look at the one pic you will see were the inside of the tailgate was trimmed to accomodate the cables.This pic may show it a bit better...Good Luck with your project...

[Woogeroo]

502tripower,

that looks really nice and very well done. I take it that you just pull those tabs of bolts inward to get the latches to release?

-W



some more options to look at:

http://www.wow-products.com/

products / tailgate

----

http://www.persh.org/pickup/IdeaPage.htm

look under Tailgate & Beds

----

-W

[aspiringthomas]

Originally Posted by Blue666

I'm putting my bed back together & don't want to use the stock chains & hooks.

What after market or OEM parts have you guys adapted to fit your 64 - 66 fleetsides? I plan to use stainless barrel slides to secure the gate but what type of flat bars or cables work best? Was any cutting of the tailgate required?

I am thinking about putting a regular latch on the outside of the tailgate and doing away with the chains. May have an old 73-87 tailgate laying around to get the handle and guts.

[newbe351]

I used latches and cables from Frantsen. They have bolt on or weld on. Give them a call, real easy to get along with........

http://www.frantsen.com/chevygmc.html

[LVPhotos]

http://www.mar-k.com/Catalog/catalog.aspx
$75 from Mar-K. Latches up to you. I am taking the hidden one off and going with cam locking clam style.
http://www.horkeyswoodandparts.com/page17.html
They also have hidden latches and supports.