OldSlowReliable Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Anyone ever heard of a pathy owner, converting the rear hatch from a lift gate, to; the bottom dropping down like a truck, and the top lifting up still? I just thought it would be perty sweet, it would give you a comfy place to sit, and make it a little more useful for stuff like lumber, and all that jazz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astroc2002 Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Anyone ever heard of a pathy owner, converting the rear hatch from a lift gate, to; the bottom dropping down like a truck, and the top lifting up still? I just thought it would be perty sweet, it would give you a comfy place to sit, and make it a little more useful for stuff like lumber, and all that jazz I have not heard of that, but that would be trippie design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 thought about it but with a roll down window...kinda like fords and 4runners but i think it'd be too much work and would def be a custom gate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 A couple cuts, a couple welds, a couple hinges, and a couple latches then you'd be set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 If you want to try I can sell you a couple HB tailgates... In reality as GG said, proably be nothign too major to do, little cut here-weld there and maby figure a way to use possibly HB tailgate guts for your latching system and your in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 (edited) cuts and welds sound a little too easy...I was thinking a little more into it...you can have the truck tailgate latch by stealing the HB stock mounts/latches on each side but then you have to chop the pathy hatch and then figure out how to secure it to the tailgate as you ride down the road which may be as easy as a key latch to a loop but I dont think I would want the loop sticking out of the top of the tailgate...then it comes down to relocating all the mechanisms for the glass and latch and don't forget the bitch of it all is getting it to seal so the rear doesnt fill up with water when it rains...I think it'd be a cool project but don't let people talk you into thinking it would be a cakewalk... I would start by measuring the width of the pathy opening and then the width of the tailgate...i'll guess its almost exact but dont know for sure...also if you want to pay for shipping of a hatch from CA to you I've got one we could make a deal on but think that is probably out of the question... Edited June 11, 2009 by unccpathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSlowReliable Posted June 11, 2009 Author Share Posted June 11, 2009 well, i thought a little, and hypothetically, you could cut a hatch in half, just below the window, then seal each side of that cut, and put some weather stripping on it... and then take OUT the current latch, and put two je** wrangler tailgate hinges on the bottom somehow, then use hardbody latching mechanism.... Id love to do it, but unfortunately I don't own a welder anymore But hey, who knows, maybe someone else, or maybe me, will try it one of these days! Would be pretty cool though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayfox2 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Why not just get a hard body, cap it and add two lawn chairs in the bed? lol. But really, sounds like an interesting idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSlowReliable Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 It would be interesting to see if the HB tailgate would fit.... alright, whos got the hb in here!!! i know theres one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I still have 2 gates laying around for them if someones gonna try, one needs a handle, other has a frenched plate and handle flip kit in it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSlowReliable Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 I still have 2 gates laying around for them if someones gonna try, one needs a handle, other has a frenched plate and handle flip kit in it... what is the width? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Have to figure that one out tomorow, they are at work underneath a bunch of other extra panels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSlowReliable Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 did you ever figure it out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 I actually forgot all about it, the HB gate is just under 2in longer. The real issue is in the depth. The HB gate is deeper than the door jam for the hatch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSlowReliable Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 (edited) So it looks like, it would be easier to chop up a hatch, and just use the latch from a HB tailgate..... I was actually thinking today, i would be a happy man if my truck got rear ended just in the tailgate, and a big I beam dropped 6" through the roof between the B and C pillars.....that way i would have an EXCUSE to screw with the body Edited June 17, 2009 by OldSlowReliable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 (edited) My thought process on it: Remove the latch from the hatch bottom, and the struts from the hatch part. Close the hatch and install hinges to the bottom. Open the glass and tack weld the upper part of the hatch in place onto the body. Cut the lower part of the hatch just above where the window seal turns up on either side. At this point the lower gate should be able to swing down on the hinges, and the upper part be rigid with the body. The glass should also still be able to latch on the lower tail gate. From there just finish up the welds, and make some sort of latch to keep the lower half from floping open. Edited June 17, 2009 by GrimGreg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSlowReliable Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 (edited) same exact process that i was thinking It minimizes the cut edges, so you don't have much if any cleanup or snag spots.... and keeps it rain tight . I would personally put a push pin kind of thing on the top, and have it push through into the side body edge, rather than weld so i could swap it out for the normal type one day possibly... I would just assume use HB latches, i think its the standard two loops, one on either side, then just run the cables and swap in the latch mechanism into the side sheet metal Lol, if i had a half decent fab garage, welder, the scrap parts, and SKILL...i would totally be on this After i get back from my trip, i wanna mess with photoshop on another version of the truckbed pathy (i know theres one or two that have the back roof chopped) But instead, chop all off behind the front seats, but only down to the bottom of the windows, then somehow get a bronco rear cap on it, and put a big bench seat facing backwards in the back, backed up to the back of the front seats, and use the rear two doors as suicide doors So many ideas..so little SKILL Edited June 17, 2009 by OldSlowReliable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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