Thread: Rear tailgate exchange issues

I am trying to swap a 1986 rear gate onto a 1987 vogue. The issue I have come across is the latch systems are different. The vogues has a horizontal straight shaft pin which has a latch on the gate like door latch. And an internal handle.

The 86 has a pin that faces the rear and the tailgate has a sliding tongue that locks behind the pin head, and an external handle.

The rear door on the vogues is bent past what I feel is repairable.

Currently I am thinking of using the 86 external handle and fitting the vogue latches to it, as the latch bolts are different I was going to drill some holes in the internal panel to allow me to put nuts on to bolts rather tham the plates that are there. I believe this will work, but interested if anyone has done this or in a different way.

Another option would be to change the pins to match the 86 door and leave the door alone. Issue is I believe the vogue pin is screwed in a piece of plate. Where the 86 pin sits into a housing and is bolted by a 90 degree bolt.

Open to any ideas of if any one has a spare gate

Thanks

Just change the latch on the car, it's all bolt on then