Hi, y'all.

Rusty's in the shop right now getting fixed finally. I got a new job and am making better money now so things are moving along. But I need a tailgate for my truck and I have yet to find any in the local classifieds except one but it's about a 100 miles away...

So how hard is it to modify a newer year tailgate to fit an '86?

 

Not sure how I missed this, prob was in the hospital

80-86 gate will fit, but hardware is different than newer trucks. This is what is on your truck
Tom posted a picture of the difference in your other thread
https://www.fordtruckzone.com/threads/rusty-adventures.661217/#post-5278404
87-91 is the next style tailgate, but the hardware, and latch is the same from 87-96, which was the last of the gates, but NOT THE SAME as your truck
97 diesel 250, and 350's were called OBS, and were the same body style as the 92-96 trucks, so if you are lucky , you might find a decent 97 gate

 

1983/86 is the same, 1980/82 is different.

1980/82: The R & L latches are made as part of the tailgate supports.

1983/86: The R & L latches are separate, the tailgate is supported by cables.

 

Thanks Bill, I forgot that. They were actually straps, not cables.

 

Hey, y'all.

Thanks for the all tips. I'm going to see what I can find...mod-ing seems a little complicated so I am going to do my best to find a 83-86 tailgate that I can just put on. I should have Rusty out of the shop next week or the week after. The mechanic and his wife went on vacation before I could get the money to pay the bill so...sigh. Just another bump in the road with this truck.

 

E3TZ-9943052-A Right & E3TZ-9943053-A Left .. Tailgate Check Cable

1983/86 F100/350.