I have a 1951 Chevy PU 3100. The tailgate supports had rusted out and the tailgate had been off for years. Here is a quick fix I came up with for making some new supports that look great and are very strong. I used a 3/4 inch steel pipe connector, Home Depot # 51411 64007, in the tailgate hole, it fits perfectly and is just the right length. Then I mounted it using a 1 inch conduit strap which I mounted on a steel oval electrical box cover (1.5 X 5.5) using (4) 1/4 inch by 1.5 inch bolts. I mounted the strap in the very middle of the conduit cover, and drilled out the two end holes using a 5/8 inch bit. I also used a second oval conduit box cover, same hole pattern, on the reverse side. In all there were 4 holes in the conduit cover. I put the conduit cover on the truck and marked the holes and drilled them with a 5/8 bit. Then I secured them with the (4) 1/4 inch bolts using lock washers on the back sides. I needed a very long set of needle nose pliers to hold the nuts up in the hole from underneath on the back side. I am very happy with the results and when painted it will look almost original. This also adds strength to the end of the bed which holds the mounts. In my case it was badly rusted. If you are interested in doing this and want pictures you can email me at
[email protected].
