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Tailgate /Glass replacement idea

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think_07

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I am thinking about replacing my k5 tailgate with a regular truck tailgate, and then making a flip up style lightweight window for the top similar to a truck cap style, so I can still lock the cab up. Has anyone ever done anything like this? I am going to try and lighten my k5 up as much as practical, but still want to keep the top on for snow-by-4ing/cold and rainy days etc.
 
I've been talking about doing that for 2 years... either a custom lexan or trimmed down truck cap one...

The biggest issue is reworking the channel at the back of the top... The back lip would need to be removed, then reglassed. then you could lay some rectangular weatherstrip on the forward lip... Then hinge mounting has to be considered.. very doable, I just never cut into mine...

And now that I have a softtop, it's WAY on the backburner... heck, I still need to do the pu tailgate.....
 
The tailgate will work. The only thing you have to do is get the latch hardware to go with it. But, the size is the same..
 
We know that... The real mod is a top hinged window... I've yet to see it...
 
Weren't some of the early 2nd gens available the way you're talking about? I could swear I've seen reference to that in the LMC catalog. I'm pretty sure there was, what was basically a standard truck tailgate available, with a top that worked like you're talking about.

Or was that 1st gen only...?

I could be totally wrong. If you could get a top like that, and chop the front off, you could probably glass in the front section (where it bolts to the cab) and not really have to "fabricate" from scratch.

What about a really strong fiberglass pickup topper...shortened to match the length of a Blazer top, with the same idea applied...just add the section to bolt it to the cab.

Just throwing out ideas :wink1:
 
I think it'd be far easier to just mod the back lip of a K5....

cutoff wheel, some grinding stuff, couple dainty glass apps, some bodywork.. flat piece of smoked lexan, some weatherstripping and some hinges... Or a trimmed pu cap window from a boneyard.....
 
ryoken said:
I think it'd be far easier to just mod the back lip of a K5....

cutoff wheel, some grinding stuff, couple dainty glass apps, some bodywork.. flat piece of smoked lexan, some weatherstripping and some hinges... Or a trimmed pu cap window from a boneyard.....
Click to expand...

True... I'd love to see you pull it off. You do that kind of work, but I have a hard time envisioning it. Would you just cut out what you don't need and then form a new piece and bond it into place? I'm guessing the epoxies you'd use would form extremely strong joints.
 
well, being glass, that would be a shape thing... it may be close, no idea.. i certainly wouldn't take on trimming down a window...

the easiest would be a pu cap window that is larger than the shape of the K5, then trimmed down... but that is dealing with a plastic... i think a sheet of smoked lexan, cut down would be the route I would go..

as for the lip glasswork, I briefly looked at it.. basically you need to cut that back lip of the window channel off... that would leave a hollow gap an inch or so wide all the way around.. that yes, youd have to reglass..

And thanks Jon.. I would have no prob with the mod, it IS right up my alley.. But as I said its about priority #137..... heck, I was gonna run all winter in the softtop this year till the tranny shat the bed..... the truck is garage kept...
 
ryoken said:
well, being glass, that would be a shape thing... it may be close, no idea.. i certainly wouldn't take on trimming down a window...

the easiest would be a pu cap window that is larger than the shape of the K5, then trimmed down... but that is dealing with a plastic... i think a sheet of smoked lexan, cut down would be the route I would go..

as for the lip glasswork, I briefly looked at it.. basically you need to cut that back lip of the window channel off... that would leave a hollow gap an inch or so wide all the way around.. that yes, youd have to reglass..

And thanks Jon.. I would have no prob with the mod, it IS right up my alley.. But as I said its about priority #137..... heck, I was gonna run all winter in the softtop this year.. the truck is garage kept...
Click to expand...

Well when you get that far down the list, let us know... :D:D:D

I'm interested because I like the idea of running with the top off, but not the idea of the rear window just being rolled down with the tailgate internals not sealed off. Just a pet peeve I suppose...dumb to some people I'm sure.
 
jonrpick said:
Well when you get that far down the list, let us know... :D:D:D

I'm interested because I like the idea of running with the top off, but not the idea of the rear window just being rolled down with the tailgate internals not sealed off. Just a pet peeve I suppose...dumb to some people I'm sure.
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That and they make an infernal racket when a bolt comes loose
 
yeah, I've been running around with a gutted gate for like 8 months now...

I'm just gonna buy the whole setup from LMC.. gate, hinges, etc...
 
ryoken said:
yeah, I've been running around with a gutted gate for like 8 months now...

I'm just gonna buy the whole setup from LMC.. gate, hinges, etc...
Click to expand...

Well if I could just find a FOCKING HALF CAB SETUP... (sorry for the yelling... I REALLY want one) my troubles would be solved. I'd just get a pickup tailgate, and if I need to swap to full-blown K5 mode, I'd swap my old tailgate and top back on.

:doah::doah::doah:

I wish to God I'd ordered the parts from Creative Products before they went under. They had the fiberglass rear window in stock, and the drawings for the metal divider between cab and bed that they said any metal shop could make.
 
I've had plans for a shell type swing up door for my K5 for some time. Just have not got around to starting another project yet. I have a regular tail gate too and need/want to still have lockability to my top. So I was thinking of an aluminum door, two 1/8 pieces of aluminum with a piece of Lexan sandwhiched in between.

Have a rubber seal arond the Lexan so it seals but just use stainless pop rivets to hold the aluminum together. Have some of the rivets outline the Lexan that act as guide pins so they locate the Lexan in the right place. was going to use Aluminum diamond plate on the outer skin for that cool redneck look :D.

Then just a couple of nice hinges on top, either bolted thru or riveted thru the top with silicone squished in the holes so it is sealed. Use some stainless thick fender washers so the load is spread out better. Then pop rivet a rubber strip across the bottom so it is sealed at the tail gate. Maybe have the aluminum [late powder coated before assembly to match the shell color.

Then its done.
 
And have the edge sit on the beveled section of the hardtop?
 
I figured there would be some interest about this..
From looking at it the rear problems are the contours on the outside on the top. Maybe if I made a swing lid that swung inwards instead of outwards, and that way would lock from the inside? I'm going to get some measurements and see how this would work. My blazer box is full of 2 complete disassembled smallblocks right now so its tough to work around all the crap. Its also no fun right now since its full blown winter here.
 
ryoken said:
And have the edge sit on the beveled section of the hardtop?
Click to expand...


Yea, I would think that would look cleaner. I have not really looked at the top to see where would be best placement but I think it is doable.
 
I was just thinking it would be alot more likely to leak... And imo, it would look cleaner set in where the original glass was... imo :D
 
ryoken said:
I was just thinking it would be alot more likely to leak... And imo, it would look cleaner set in where the original glass was... imo :D
Click to expand...


I would probably put some sort of trim all the way around the edge.
 
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