Fitting the adventra rear garnish to a vz wagon

[Lex]

Not sure wiring wise what the vt has back there, might be the same might not,

I think it would be very similar if not the same.

The parts l'm interested in where to cut & the wiring for the tailgate.

I've got the vt - vz workshop manual for the wiring.

My tailgate is a little rough, either l repair the dents & paint it or just scrap it & do the adventura tailgate upgrade?
I'm thinking the 2nd option is looking pretty good to me.
Notice the dents on the bottom, not to mention the commodo & executive badges.

 

[Exogator]

To cut the corners I started by making a template off the old tailgate, make sure one edge is long so to have a good straight reference, mine was about 300x150, 300 on the bottom.
Trace the curve of the og tailgate corner and cut it as close to exact as possible, most of the factory boots don't actually have smooth corners, but rather 3 or 4 "flats" along the "curve".

Lay that on the inside of the adventras boot, flat edges on flat edges , the trace the curve.

DO NOT CUT THIS LINE

You will need to mark the 1st cut line 10mm wider(closer to the corners) so you have the metal free to form and fold it around.

Next bit is to unpick the tailgate seams at the corners, even tho you only need about 100mm from either side, you'll need to start the flattening of the seams about 150 up so you don't over stress the fold.

I used a razor to clean the seam sealer off, the a small cold chisel ground to an almost sharp point so it would fit between the layers but not mangle the outside layer.

Pic halfway through flattening seam (my lines are also on the other side so my wide cut line is there aswell)

You need to fold the seam out almost 180 so it's flat with the outer skin just past the "cutting line" the rest of the bit you unpicked is to avoid over stressing the metal, not really needed but it saves extra metalwork later to fix it.

Now comes the part you don't want to mess up, you have 2 cut lines well call the 1 and 2 to save me messing up what I'm calling them. Line 1 is the one closest to the corner, line 2 is the inside one.

Line 1 gets through both layers that forms the curve we need, with excess to fold over.

line 2 ONLY gets cut through the steel for the inner skin (the line in the silver tailgate photo)

Now you should be left with a small curve on the inner skin that roughly follows the actuall boots lines and a curve roughly 10mm bigger on the outer (should line up with the outside of the edges of the flattened seam.)

Now comes the "fun" part,

Forming the seam.

I cut small pie cuts out roughly every 15mm (from memory I think I just broke the radius up a few times evenly maybe 6 or 8 times)

<Edit added photos of template up top>

Make sure these cuts DO NOT touch the inner skins curve as you don't want them visible from the front or side when it's done.

Now just fold them around, start at one end and do a couple of taps on each tab then down the seam and rinse and repeate, do it slowly untill the tabs are 90° (pointing towards you(same position as my photo))

This is the last time you'll get a good chance to see the curve that you need to form it to, give the tabs a few love taps to shrink the gaps and go back to flattening the seam. Once it's done you're bound to have some little imperfections so hammer them out.

Now it's time for the other corner xD

If you feel I missed anything or just did a **** job explaining it let me know this will go towards a 1st draft of my actual write up

 

[Exogator]

My tailgate is a little rough, either l repair the dents & paint it or just scrap it & do the adventura tailgate upgrade?

You'll probably find alot of adventra tailgates look the same little ding and dents the same as yours and you'll still need to paint atleast part of it after the corner cut. I'm just lucky that I got mine for $50 each, before I found those the cheapest one I god quoted on was $350 from a wrecker, door only wiring cut.

Gotta ask, did your exhaust get ripped off too or is your car a little cold?

 

[Lex]

To cut the corners I started by making a template off the old tailgate, make sure one edge is long so to have a good straight reference, mine was about 300x150, 300 on the bottom.
Trace the curve of the og tailgate corner and cut it as close to exact as possible, most of the factory boots don't actually have smooth corners, but rather 3 or 4 "flats" along the "curve".

Lay that on the inside of the adventras boot, flat edges on flat edges , the trace the curve.
View attachment 265701

View attachment 265700

DO NOT CUT THIS LINE

You will need to mark the 1st cut line 10mm wider(closer to the corners) so you have the metal free to form and fold it around.

Next bit is to unpick the tailgate seams at the corners, even tho you only need about 100mm from either side, you'll need to start the flattening of the seams about 155 up so you don't over stress the fold.

I used a razor to clean the seam sealer off, the a small cold chisel ground to an almost sharp point so it would fit between the layers but not mangle the outside layer.

View attachment 265699
Pic halfway through flattening seam (my lines are also on the other side so my wide cut line is there aswell)

You need to fold the seam out almost 180 so it's flat with the outer skin just past the "cutting line" the rest of the bit you unpicked is to avoid over stressing the metal, not really needed but it saves extra metalwork later to fix it.

Now comes the part you don't want to mess up, you have 2 cut lines well call the 1 and 2 to save me messing up what I'm calling them. Line 1 is the one closest to the corner, line 2 is the inside one.

Line 1 gets through both layers that forms the curve we need, with excess to fold over.

line 2 ONLY gets cut through the steel for the inner skin (the line in the silver tailgate photo)

Now you should be left with a small curve on the inner skin that roughly follows the actuall boots lines and a curve roughly 10mm bigger on the outer (should line up with the outside of the edges of the flattened seam.)

Now comes the "fun" part,

Forming the seam.

I cut small pie cuts out roughly every 15mm (from memory I think I just broke the radius up a few times evenly maybe 6 or 8 times)

<Edit added photos of template up top>

Make sure these cuts DO NOT touch the inner skins curve as you don't want them visible from the front or side when it's done.

Now just fold them around, start at one end and do a couple of taps on each tab then down the seam and rinse and repeate, do it slowly untill the tabs are 90° (pointing towards you(same position as my photo))

This is the last time you'll get a good chance to see the curve that you need to form it to, give the tabs a few love taps to shrink the gaps and go back to flattening the seam. Once it's done you're bound to have some little imperfections so hammer them out.

Now it's time for the other corner xD

If you feel I missed anything or just did a **** job explaining it let me know this will go towards a 1st draft of my actual write up

Thanks for this. BUT,
l don't think l'll be doing this!
I'd need a few adventura tailgates, because l'd make to many mistakes!

You a panel beater by trade?

This is not wasted, there will be people out there who will do this upgrade!

Once again thank you!

 

[Exogator]

Thanks for this. BUT,
l don't think l'll be doing this!
I'd need a few adventura tailgates, because l'd make to many mistakes!

You a panel beater by trade?

This is not wasted, there will be people out there who will do this upgrade!

Once again thank you!

I'm not a panelbeater one bit, I can kinda knock a dent out, but give me a hammer and ill show you how to make a good dent appear xD

It was just a bit of tinkering same as the wiring, I had a rough idea of how it needed to go, then just a buttload of tinkering to get it set in place right.

If you're eager enough for a drive to sa I'm sure I could slap another one up at some point xD
You'd be one of 4 ever to have one that I know of

In all honesty metal is metal, it's easy to add, don't get it right? Make it a show car and add a tin of bog under the paint xD close enough is good enough, mines not how I'd like it to be but it's better than the stock boot, so idc.

If you want an "easier" option just swap the tailgate and lights, no cut and modify the bumper, fibreglass the corners square to suit the tailgate.

 

[Lex]

Gotta ask, did your exhaust get ripped off too

No it didn't get ripped of. It's just hidden by the lower lip.

If l can get the tailgates for $50.00 each, then l might go ahead with it.

I was just going to buy a tailgate from the wrecker. Not sure on that cost. Would probably have to repair it anyway?
I was thinking of one that l didn't have repair or paint.

 

[Lex]

The line closest to the edge is the cut line?
What is the inner line for?
What are the 2 x for?

 

[Exogator]

No it didn't get ripped of. It's just hidden by the lower lip.

Aww, mine got ripped off a month or two ago (fixed now) when I bottomed out blasting down a dirt road xD ripped straight out the back of the mid muffler and flung off the road xD

I thought we were no exhaust buddies,

I'd suggest Facebook marketplace for any chance of getting them cheap, plenty of cars pop up and all it takes is a "how much for the tailgate" message rather than driving to wreckers and getting stupid prices.

I'm looking out for another couple as it is, I want some spare parts before they get expensive.

 

[Exogator]

The line closest to the edge is the cut line?
What is the inner line for?
What are the 2 x for?
View attachment 265704

The line near the folded seam is what I've called "line 2" the inner seam cut line that only goes through the inner skin.

The x x are all over the boot, those were all the dents I needed to take out that were there when i got it. The other " line" is just a gross goo line from the boot seal.

Look at the blue boot for the cut lines cut 1 goes through both layers 2 only goes through the inner

 

[Lex]

Aww, mine got ripped off a month or two ago (fixed now) when I bottomed out blasting down a dirt road xD ripped straight out the back of the mid muffler and flung off the road xD

I thought we were no exhaust buddies,

I'd suggest Facebook marketplace for any chance of getting them cheap, plenty of cars pop up and all it takes is a "how much for the tailgate" message rather than driving to wreckers and getting stupid prices.

I'm looking out for another couple as it is, I want some spare parts before they get expensive.

I tried your suggestion of face book. Got a hit. Guy wanted $250.00. Got him down to $100.00. but he wouldn't come lower. hahahaha
& l won't go higher! hahahaha