Barn Doors, Liftgates and More!!!!!!

[Fornesto]

OK,

The other thread had about 6 different conversations going. I am interested in fixing the tailgate/window dilema and recognize that there a variety of substitutions/solutions. Probably one for every gearhead in the IFSJA. So, let's here it. Hopefully, between all of our heads we can gather enough ideas to fix it.

I've come up with the following ideas.

1. Keep Tailgate, weld up the top, borrow/fab a liftgate from another vehicle (Scout II or Traveler?)

2. Scrap Tailgate, bring in barn doors from a Suburban or an IHC Travelall. (A bit more complicated)

3. Keep Tailgate, weld up the top, cut in half, install hinges, and borrow/fab top glass and frame to create homemade barn doors.

4. Keep Tailgate, weld up the top, leave it in one piece, install hinges, borrow/fab top glass and frame, and create one big ambulance style door.

BRAINSTORM.....and measure any rigs you have laying around for possible doners. :eek:

The overall best solution wins something TBD :cool:

[ March 09, 2004, 02:48 PM: Message edited by: Fornesto ]

[pb]

#3 sounds like the better option. IMO all that would need to be done is to attach 3 sides to hold the glass/plexiglass on top of the tailgate halves. Cover the exposed ends of the tailgate from where it was cut, move/add the hinges to the side, and install a handle (door handle from a parts rig?).

Sounds easy. It would seem to be the easiest. Would have to do much modifying of the other doors, it would match up body style, and the weight of the tailgate wouldn't be over your head when open.

Another option is to make it hinged on just one side to swing out. Problem with that is when there isn't room to swing it out all of the way. Plus weight support. Maybe not a good idea.

I would be interested in seeing it how it can be done.

[ March 09, 2004, 02:48 PM: Message edited by: pb ]

[Fornesto]

When I said a liftgate, I ment a two-piece, where half goes up and the other half goes down - the tailgate. Yeah, the thought of the whole tailgate over my head like a mini-van....I can feel that lump and see those stars just thinking about it.

Are there any camper shells that have liftgates with profiles that are similar enough to work with the FSJ? Anybody work at a camper dealership?

[ March 09, 2004, 02:58 PM: Message edited by: Fornesto ]

[LRRH]

a member here by the name of maynard made a lift gate like the one you describe. he took the lift gate from the shell of a dakota pickup I think. looked pretty good.

[Fornesto]

http://www.billstruckshop.com/60-66used/60gmcreardrsub.jpg

These are off an old 'burb

[Fornesto]

More

http://www.billstruckshop.com/55-59used/55barndrs.jpg

He wants $250 a piece! They're off a '55

[Fornesto]

The OLD Travelalls are probably too tall.

http://www.island.net/~rich/images/new%20travelall%20from%20back.jpg

[Fornesto]

Scout II Style

http://www.rafferty.org/images/scout03.jpg

[Fornesto]

Land Cruiser probably too tall..

http://www.cruiserparts.net/parts/60/liftgate.jpg

This is a slide show of Truck Butts!!!

[Nobby]

Good Idea Fornesto to start a new thread.

As I posted on the other one I would go for number 1. I use the tailgate too much to lose it.

The neat thing about FSJ's is the way the back angles whick makes it nice to lower something heavy onto the tailgate from a hoist. This has proven most helpfull with the glass in gate problem in that i can load on the stronger hinge side of the tailgate. You can sometimes pull it in to the back and almost miss the gate completely which I guess would work if you lost the tailgate feature.

Also keeping the gate sure sounds alot easier with the liftgate idea. Making it pretty and fairly water and wind tight. Also fitting a glass that does not decrease the size of the upper apeture too much.

[Nobby]

Another idea would be a canvas/plasic softtop style rollup window, with popper fastner hardware etc. The technology sure is out there for that could even have zippers on the sides and poppers on the gate. Security then becomes an issue tho.

[andy d]

Originally posted by Fornesto:
Land Cruiser probably too tall..

http://www.cruiserparts.net/parts/60/liftgate.jpg

This is a slide show of Truck Butts!!!that landcruiser is from McGee toyota in hanover MA? small world. BTW, as toublesome as the factory set up is, maintaining it seems to be easier than jury rigging any thing else. if you use the gate on a regular basis, they are less likely to foul up.

[ March 09, 2004, 04:02 PM: Message edited by: andy d ]

[Elliott]

Take them burban doors and gut what you need, chop the Jeep tailgate in half, splice what makes it work, adjust the upper window channel to the correct angle/dimensions and drive away. ;)

[4x4n In A Cherokee In Colorado]

How bout hinge the original glass, and use hatch style struts to hold it open, you could have the glass custom cut to fit, and drilled for all the mounts...

You would need a ledge for the glass to seal against on the body. Maybe remove the outer pinch weld strip where the channel sits around the glass. You would need a ledge on top of the tailgate for it to seal against too...Then drill a hole in bottom center of the glass and use a topper/truck cap kinda latch set up..Or even a factory latch set up out of say an Explorer, Bronco 2, our any that uses an all glass upper..

It would be similiar to alot of the new SUV's that way...It would be an all glass upper and an all steel lower...My $.02..

[ March 09, 2004, 07:58 PM: Message edited by: 4x4n In A Cherokee In Colorado ]

[Tom Duncan]

Ramchargers had a liftgate that was made of fiberglass from the factory.The whole thing went overhead.We have the technology!

[1BDWAGN]

I don't think any of those barn doors posted here will give the visibility that the panel wagon has (except the travellall). If you look at the barn doors on the wagon the body lines are the same as the tailgates up to the glass. Then there is a thin channel that is bent and goes up and over. With all the fab work the more hardcore guys do on this site I don't think that would be hard to replicate on a tailgate.

[ March 10, 2004, 07:14 AM: Message edited by: bd2thbnAZ ]

[Great Pharoah]

Just a thought here. Old Ford full size station wagons like Country Squires, had a combination tailgate that could open down with the window down, like the regular tailgate, or open out with the window up or down, like a door. I think you would have to mate the Ford hinges to a FSJ tailgate shell and some changes to the window channel, but I can't see any other downside to it. Weight shouldn't be that big a deal, those old Country Squires were big huge monsters, and those tailgates were heavy. I'm thinking 69-78 models would be just right. Like I said, just a thought.