Center tail gate trim

[vht]

Mine was scrap on my 84, how they tore it up so bad and not destroy the tail gate I'll never know. Can't afford new, and they are nuts on ebay with some of their prices. I found 1 on a later 70's tail gate that's decent, some dings and small dents. No real way to get in there and try to straighten them. Has anyone used body filler and painted or done something else to make them look decent? I know I seen one redone on a build thread somewhere but I can't find it. Thought about carbon fiber stick on through the center. The chevy emblem is perfect on kt. Any ideas?

[TKCR]

There this one. They show making repairs

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=Tailgate+band

[UKNOWME]

Is it a narrow band? Any pictures of the damage?

[Jeff's bowtie's]

I'd say the 70's model will not fit the 81 and up gate do to the recessed space being more rounded than the 81 and up they are more square

[vht]

I will try it on there, didn't think about that. It is the wide one.

[TKCR]

Post up some pics, of the trim and the damage. Other members can give you a wealth of info, if we can see what it is. We can only speculate on what you have.

Most of the trim on the earlier model trucks where narrow, that's why it was stated that it might not fit.

The narrow was common on the 73-80.

The wide trim was common from 81-87.

[1774btcrew]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Post up some pics, of the trim and the damage. Other members can give you a wealth of info, if we can see what it is. We can only speculate on what you have.

Most of the trim on the earlier model trucks where narrow, that's why it was stated that it might not fit.

The narrow was common on the 73-80.

The wide trim was common from 81-87.

I actually disagree with this. It has been much harder for me to find the narrow bands than the wide ones. The narrow was just a lower trim level than the wide ones. As far as the openings go, a wide early one WILL fit the newer tailgates but the opening on the newer gates is a little wider and it doesn't look quite right. I ran an early wide band on my later tailgate until I got the right year tailgate.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by 1774btcrew

I actually disagree with this. It has been much harder for me to find the narrow bands than the wide ones. The narrow was just a lower trim level than the wide ones. As far as the openings go, a wide early one WILL fit the newer tailgates but the opening on the newer gates is a little wider and it doesn't look quite right. I ran an early wide band on my later tailgate until I got the right year tailgate.

I stand corrected, after further researching, this is what I found. Sorry I just assumed that when they started using another tailgate trim, the previous one was dropped. So that wasn't the case. Well, you learn something new everyday

Yes the 73 had the woodgrain tailgate trim, that was the upper level model.

74 the aluminum tailgate panel was added to the center of the tailgate.

75 Upper trim levels receive brushed aluminum panels on tailgate.

[vht]

OK,, been sick and just now went out and snapped pics. This is the trim laying on my tailgate. Also a pic of another tail gate I picked up, it has no trim but has the bigger hinge holes, earlier model. I will use my gate and sell this one I guess. I would like to have the narrow trim, but as was said, I can't find it. This is the best wide one I've found and it's no cherry.

[vht]

Should have mentioned, reason for pic of early tailgate is that it fits both, the early one just doesn't have the holes to mount it.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by vht

Should have mentioned, reason for pic of early tailgate is that it fits both, the early one just doesn't have the holes to mount it.

The holes just need to be drilled, if you want to mount it.

[vht]

Don't really want to use the early one.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by vht

Don't really want to use the early one.

So you like the wide band? I will keep an eye out for you, it is hard to find these bands. But I will keep an eye out and if I find anything, I'll shoot you a pic. What sucks, is the yards that I have seen them in, they won't sell the band. They say I have to get the whole tailgate.

[vht]

The narrow would be fine.

[UKNOWME]

I noticed LMC is selling the narrow bands now.

[vht]

How much, I looked but couldn't find them.

[UKNOWME]

http://www.lmctruck.com/features/cc/CCTGB.htm

[vht]

Dang, prices for these are crazy.

[UKNOWME]

Check the forum classifieds. Good used ones get listed every so often. All else fails eBay has a few listed. I think 229 is a very good price for a new one though. Considering it's a GM restoration part I would expect a very good quality.

[HunterRotten]

While we are on the topic, how do you go about repairing dents made from tightening these down with screws that were too big? I picked a thin band GMC one a few months ago and my dad and I don't know how to go about fixing those. It's a brushed aluminum finish. We don't want to sand it and end up with holes or messing up the finish with a hammer..

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by HunterRotten

While we are on the topic, how do you go about repairing dents made from tightening these down with screws that were too big? I picked a thin band GMC one a few months ago and my dad and I don't know how to go about fixing those. It's a brushed aluminum finish. We don't want to sand it and end up with holes or messing up the finish with a hammer..

There was a link that I posted back on Post #2. They showed how they repaired theirs.

Just over the last few days, I've been watching youtube videos on how dents are taken out of aluminum & stainless parts. And then the polishing process.

[HunterRotten]

I saw the thread but my dents aren't really the same/he covered his up with a badge.

Here's what I have going on.. besides these little dents its in awesome shape.

[vht]

Mine is worse than yours. I'm going to drill holes in the back where the dents are and lay the trim piece on a piece of pine and use a wooden dowel or something similar and try and work them out the best I can. Yours would bring good money if it was a chevy, bing a GMC it's no telling what it'd bring. I seen one worse than mine for $150.

[tucsonjwt]

I decided to delete my tailgate band. I just put some small screws in the 4 screw holes in the tailgate and painted over it. I considered putting some kind of LED light bar in that area but decided it would look worse. I am also deleting the body side moldings and having the holes filled in.

[HunterRotten]

I think I bought it for about $75 shipped, probably my best buy when buying OE parts thus far.

I didn't even know they existed and I only found two or three on my searches on the internet that were actually installed on the trucks. I want to refinish it however I just don't want to sand through the dimples caused by the too big of screw and have little holes.

I had my dad put holes in the tailgate for it. I'd hate to mount it with chipped paint and the little dents but if I can't find a way to safely repair it then thats the only option I can think of.

This photo is from when I bought it back in August, my truck is further apart now.