Anyone near Springfield Missouri

1961BelAir427

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
I've been looking for a '61 tailgate for more years than I can remember now.....and just saw one listed on Ebay for $700. I'm at the point that the price isn't so bad, but they want local pickup or $400 for shipping. That is a deal killer. I got to thinking that there may be someone who could pick it up and then ship it to me at a more reasonable rate?
Is there anyone among the group who is nearby enough that they could possibly help me out? Thanks, Jason

P.S. Even this tailgate has some rust through showing, but less than mine has. Do you think I'd just be better off to let someone build patch panels from scratch and repair my existing tailgate? It's rough in about the lower 4" all the way across the bottom.
 
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63 dream'n

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Supporting Member 4
I've heard people say grehound ships in the cargo holds.I can't quote a price but have heard rumor 70.00$ ?????:dunno
 

1961BelAir427

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Supporting Member 3
I've heard people say grehound ships in the cargo holds.I can't quote a price but have heard rumor 70.00$ ?????:dunno
Yeah, $400 just seems super rediculous. I've shipped a pair of fiberglass fenders from here to Michigan in an 80 pound - 67"x 36" x 15" wooden crate via UPS for $180 plus about $40 in materials. Hoping either someone in the group is near there and willing to help.....or either someone will talk me out of buying something not worth it. LOL After about 15 years of looking I haven't found much. Missed ONE about 3 years ago that was really nice. There hasn't really been anything else in all those years. :bang
I've even got a line in my signature here saying I need one, but no luck so far.
 

63 dream'n

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Supporting Member 4
Is a 61 tailgate the same between models.....I'm definitely not in the know when it comes to wagons,but weren't there more than one style?????
 

1961BelAir427

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Supporting Member 3
Yes they are all the same except the Brookwood (Biscayne) would not have any holes in it for trim. That wouldn't matter to anyone I don't think as holes can be drilled or filled as needed.
Parkwood (BelAir) and Nomad (Impala) wagons are the same including trim since all wagons only had 2 tail lamps per side unlike the usual 2 per side vs. 3 per side for the cars.
 

chevy man

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Supporting Member 9
Jason: I'm 3 1/2 hours east of Springfield. I don't have any plans to go there any time soon.
Russ Campbell lives in Springfield and I am sure he would get it for you. I haven't seen him on here lately, but its possible some of the others here have talked to him.
Ken
 

1961BelAir427

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Ken, THANK YOU for the reply and the recommendation. The more I get to thinking about it, I'm just not sure I'd be much better off with that one. It would take less repair than mine, but still would need a good bit of patching. Maybe this will be the push I need to give up on finding one and just take mine to the body man and telling him to "fix it". ??? Or maybe someone will read this who is in the dry mid-west and will let me know about one they've seen or have.
I started this thread in kind of a rushed panic as the only other one that was nice that I've seen on Ebay sold within about 20 minutes of me seeing it. :bang I almost clicked "buy it now" on this one today, but thankfully now a few hours later I am thinking more clearly. (I hope.)
 

62impala409

 
Supporting Member 1
Jason, I always like to "sleep on" any purchase before "I buy it now" on Ebay. When it comes to a rusted $700 tailgate, I would need to sleep on it a little longer, like several months. Leo
 

1961BelAir427

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
I'm that way too Leo, but missing that one a few years back had me scared I would miss another nice one. In this case, the more I got to looking at the pics the less "nice" it is. As I said, still nicer than what I have now. Oddly I have ran across 59, 60, 62, and 64 tailgates that were very solid and in the $300 to $400 range. Two different '60 tailgates for under $200 that were good. Kinda wish I had bought them and set them aside for later, but I have too much stuff like that already. Who would have thought that I would see over FIVE 409 M/T crossrams to every ONE decent '61 wagon tailgate for sale? I am beginning to think I'd have more luck looking for a pair of Z11 heads/intake. LOL
 

61belairbubbletop

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Jason,
A good metal man could fab & replace all the bad metal in your gate. Chances are, if you do buy another one it too will need some new panel work.
 
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