barn door conversion

[Fat 454]

So I have a '76 sub with a factory tailgate, that I want to convert to barn doors. I have been researching this on the net for ages and collected all kinds of pics and articles. A couple of U toob vids show folks cutting and welding the captive nut plates into the C pillars and all kinds of mods to make it work, however both my '76 and my '73 subs already have the holes, plates and hinge slots from the factory. Were the earlier subs different to the later ones ? I still need to change the sill panel, but it looks like the doors will bolt straight in - has anyone done this without cutting ?? - maybe a ******* question, but I can't find this covered anywhere else - thanks ..... ....

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[yevgenievich]

That is correct for earlier ones. Later in production it changed

 

[Fat 454]

OK - cool - guess I can just buy the tailpan then and catches and swap over to doors. Just need to find doors now !!...

 

[Goldie Driver]

Good luck, but I wish I had the tailgate...

 

[bucket]

Good luck, but I wish I had the tailgate...

Me too. I was going to ask what the plans were for the old tailgate, but then I noticed shipping may be an issue

I don't remember what year the hinge provisions were removed from the tailgate models, somewhere around '83 I think.

 

[Fat 454]

would be interesting to know what year they changed.

Yeh - decent parts are hard ( ie. almost impossible ) to find over here. Last tailgate I found I pulled from Sun Valley Auto parts in L.A. when I was over visiting family. Think I paid $20 for a rust free one, and took it back on the plane...May have to come back for the doors !!

 

[Fat 454]

Here's the old girl in all her glory. Fixing it up with my older boy. Actually a lot better than it looks, floor, sills and scuttle all rust free. Just some in the roof on one side, and all the doors ( ? ! ). Maybe a bad day for steel on the line that day ...

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