Repairing and installing a Tailgate

Since there was a recent thread asking about Aircraft Remover, I thought I'd post this. I put a tailgate on my 69 daily driver so the dog can jump in easer. I got the gate off my 67 parts Jeep.

Applying the Aircaft Remover...directions say to brush all in one direction...I obviously didn't:

The gate had 4 or 5 layers of paint, so I applied the AR more than once:

The paint bubbling and softening...it scrapes off easily with a flexible putty knife:

Found this under about 4 layers of paint:

Paint gone...just need some light sanding...lots of holes in this gate:

The top rail was bent...I put the gate under the legs of my engine hoist and pulled it straight with a sling:


Started filling the holes with my stick welder using a 1/16" 6013 rod. Worked, but was slow going and frustrating. Here is one I did before taking the gate to a friend who has a mig welder:


The MIG welder was unbelievable! I'd never used one before. My friend had me filling holes in no time! I REALLY need to get a MIG welder!! A little grinding, primering and painting and the gate is installed!

Should have done this long ago. I really like having the tailgate.

 

I wish I could put a tailgate in my fiberglass tub.

Yours looks nice. Good job on the hole filling. Question, I see the aluminum on the back side of the metal which I assume is a heat sink. and I assume you have it directly under the hole. How do you keep it from melting as you weld on top of it? OR did you center the hole in the tailgate on the hole in the wedge?

 

The aluminum was just used as a backer because I knew the weld wouldn't stick to it. I don't recall it melting at all, though I did have to clean some built up crud off it a few times with the grinder...maybe because there was still paint on the back side of the gate. There's no way to add one on a fiberglass tub?