CJ style tailgate that folds out, not down

[Chris]

So here's my dilemma: I want a CJ style tailgate simply for the looks, but I do not want it to fold down, I want it to use the factory hinges and swing out.

Does such a thing exist, or are you forced to switch to a fold down style tailgate with this setup?

 

[jjvw]

Pretty sure @jscherb made one

 

[Chris]

Pretty sure @jscherb made one

Of course he did, he's made everything

Problem is, you can't actually buy any of it

 

[someguysjeep]

the CJ gate has no provisions to be held that way, but neither does a tj to hold it like it like a CJ does.

not sure if i'd ever trust it to carry the weight of a spare, unless some solid backing plates could be installed inside against the outer skin to disperse the load. i'd probably even spot weld it in a few spots also right through the face of the gate and refinish the spots.

if you don't carry on the gate then some sort of smaller tapped backing plate could be fished over through what you might need for the latch easement.

 

[Chris]

the CJ gate has no provisions to be held that way, but neither does a tj to hold it like it like a CJ does.

not sure if i'd ever trust it to carry the weight of a spare, unless some solid backing plates could be installed inside against the outer skin to disperse the load. i'd probably even spot weld it in a few spots also right through the face of the gate and refinish the spots.

if you don't carry on the gate then some sort of smaller tapped backing plate could be fished over through what you might need for the latch easement.

I am not carrying a spare on my tailgate, forgot to mention that.

 

[Chris]

I was almost wondering if I could take this thing:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DLH2WE/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Then cut the outer portion of the factory tailgate off, weld this in place of it, and then clean it up / paint it.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

If you're not holding any weight just drill some holes and bolt it up.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

I was almost wondering if I could take this thing:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DLH2WE/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Then cut the outer portion of the factory tailgate off, weld this in place of it, and then clean it up / paint it.

Actually this would be better than my first post.

 

[Chris]

Actually this would be better than my first post.

It seems like it might actually work. It would obviously involve some welding and sanding, but I think the end result might look pretty good.

 

[someguysjeep]

the TJ hinge is 6" and the CJ gate gives you 2ish.

you could lay a hinge down and see how much might need removed to fit around the form on the CJ gate.

see the hinge holes and where they run over that gate at 6" long.

 

[someguysjeep]

find an old 1, cut off the face. then trim about 2-3" out of each side between JEEP and the bead work, pull it together patch it back together and make it narrower then you could fit that onto your stock gate. definitely be a 1 of a kind.

 

[motomick76]

@someguysjeep, I was thinking the same thing, the hinges would hit the seams.

 

[jscherb]

Pretty sure @jscherb made one

Yes, I did one a few years back as a proof of concept. It's a Wrangler tailgate with a modified CJ tailgate skin on it. It's in raw metal in this photo, I never bothered painting it or installing it on a real Jeep because it was just an "art project". (Art projects are things I do because I think it would be a cool design project but I don't really plan to use on any of my Jeeps). It's shown installed with YJ hinges because this is a YJ tub but it's mostly a TJ tailgate.

Of course he did, he's made everything

Problem is, you can't actually buy any of it

Not really true... about four dozen of my designs in metal, fiberglass, cloth and wiring are available from MORryde, Overland Outfitters, Retrofit Offroad, Gr8Tops, Compact Camping and TrailTopCampers, including hardtops, trailer kits, Jeep storage solutions in canvas/leather, overland and camping gear such as the Trail Kitchen from MORryde, slider window kits for factory hardtops, and things like the Exogate/MORryde tailgate reinforcement... problem is that that those 4 dozen designs are only a fraction of the list of things I've designed. Pretty much anything I've ever designed could be a commercial product if there was a company interested in marketing it, but I don't sell anything myself so if a company doesn't contact me about a design then nothing usually happens with it once I build a prototype or two for my own enjoyment .

 

[crackedcornish]

So here's my dilemma: I want a CJ style tailgate simply for the looks, but I do not want it to fold down, I want it to use the factory hinges and swing out.

Does such a thing exist, or are you forced to switch to a fold down style tailgate with this setup?

how do you plan on keeping it shut...CJ's didn't have a latch system like the newer swing open tailgates do, they only had little swing latches on each side of the gate to hold the drop down gate closed

 

[Chris]

Yes, I did one a few years back as a proof of concept. It's a Wrangler tailgate with a modified CJ tailgate skin on it. It's in raw metal in this photo, I never bothered painting it or installing it on a real Jeep because it was just an "art project". (Art projects are things I do because I think it would be a cool design project but I don't really plan to use on any of my Jeeps). It's shown installed with YJ hinges because this is a YJ tub but it's mostly a TJ tailgate.

View attachment 207627



Not really true... about four dozen of my designs in metal, fiberglass, cloth and wiring are available from MORryde, Overland Outfitters, Retrofit Offroad, Gr8Tops, Compact Camping and TrailTopCampers, including hardtops, trailer kits, Jeep storage solutions in canvas/leather, overland and camping gear such as the Trail Kitchen from MORryde, slider window kits for factory hardtops, and things like the Exogate/MORryde tailgate reinforcement... problem is that that those 4 dozen designs are only a fraction of the list of things I've designed. Pretty much anything I've ever designed could be a commercial product if there was a company interested in marketing it, but I don't sell anything myself so if a company doesn't contact me about a design then nothing usually happens with it once I build a prototype or two for my own enjoyment .

That right there is basically what I am looking at doing. Basically just getting that center section into the TJ tailgate somehow.

Was that very difficult to fabricate?

 

[jscherb]

That right there is basically what I am looking at doing. Basically just getting that center section into the TJ tailgate somehow.

Was that very difficult to fabricate?

It's a pretty straightforward sheet metal sectioning and welding project. I did this image back when I did the project:

My plan at the time was to make a mold of the finished skin so it could be available to people who wanted to reskin their TJ tailgate but didn't have the metalworking capability. There didn't seem to be too much interest in that at the time so I didn't make the mold.

 

[Chris]

It's a pretty straightforward sheet metal sectioning and welding project. I did this image back when I did the project:

View attachment 207629

My plan at the time was to make a mold of the finished skin so it could be available to people who wanted to reskin their TJ tailgate but didn't have the metalworking capability. There didn't seem to be too much interest in that at the time so I didn't make the mold.

Yep, when I originally started researching this I was looking for a skin just like this that I could put in place with some cutting and welding.

I can see how this would be done though and it doesn't look terribly complicated. I'm thinking I may buy a spare TJ tailgate to try this on. To be this would be the best of both worlds. Keep the TJ swing out functionality, but have that cool CJ style look.

 

[jjvw]

how do you plan on keeping it shut...CJ's didn't have a latch system like the newer swing open tailgates do, they only had little swing latches on each side of the gate to hold the drop down gate closed

View attachment 207628

The version above retains the TJ paddle handle and latch.

 

[Fouledplugs]

So here's my dilemma: I want a CJ style tailgate simply for the looks, but I do not want it to fold down, I want it to use the factory hinges and swing out.

Does such a thing exist, or are you forced to switch to a fold down style tailgate with this setup?

Depending on how much attention and care you have for quality, it can be done and it can look really good. I’m guessing you’re after the, “Jeep,” stamp and the indentation it sits in, which is borrowed from the CJ tailgate...

I would suggest some junk yard tailgates that are in good shape and worth,”restoring,” then find someone who's done custom body (metal) work like a hot rod shop.

I can likely get you in contact with whoever did the Blue and Orange tailgate in a few months or so.

 

[LONGJP2]

Really trick, would be custom hidden hinges on the inside. Something you might see on a high dollar custom hotrod.