Fabrication thoughts.

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Scott

....standard practice at the time is usually 14 gauge for sides and tail gate with 12 gauge for the floor. Tailgates usually sport standard stock strapping in 1/4 inch thickness from one inch wide to two inches with hand rivets. Hinges being curved hand made 1/4 thick using varying width up to 2 inches. Hinges are done with 1/2 stock rod drilled with cotter pins to keep them inplace.

You say a tailgate similar but not like the one pictured..... what was that picture from????

Good source of basic info would be contained in the AEDB books that are available on this Forum...... remember that square tubingwas not common in that area instead the famous hat shaped form.... a square with one side open was the trick of the day...... Mig welding can approx. gas welding of the time.

do you have any dimensions for the wide of the box that will fit your Ford model????

What part of Penn. are you located in...? I am just North of the upper NY border.

Currently working on repairing a 1940 cab 11 cargo box including doing an exact copy of a totally wrecked tailgate....rivets and all. If I can be of any help let me know. I rely on local steel fabricators to precut and bend the parts and do the welding and tweaking to fit.

Cheers