Nomad liftgate straightening

[Had a few Tri 5's]

I picked up a gate from Mike. He has a plater that he uses that seems to know what he is doing. I personally spoke to the plater who explained to me the correct way to re-plate pot metal. Many platers do not do this correctly, getting rid of the bad or corroding metal before filling and re-plating. He also takes steps to maintain or fix the detail on the gate before plating so what you end up is a gate that has detail and solid plating.

Mike has taken the pains through doing things over and over again until it is right. He is currently up to speed doing a real good job at straightening gates. I picked up the one I put on my 56 and it looks great. It fits the contours of the rain gutter and follows the opening equally down each side. I would recommend Mike to anyone that wants a quality gate.

When he sells one, he is clear as to the condition. If he says show quality, he means it. If it even has minor scratches or some other imperfection, he will also state that. He beats himself up pretty good over very minor stuff. It takes a lot to make him really satisfied with the job, and if it does not satisft him, he either re-does it or sells it as "driver quality".

He is not a good friend, in fact I actually only net him once, so this review is strictly based on his honesty with me and the product I received.

BTW, Jerry also does a real fine job. In speaking to Danchuk, I don't think he is related to them anymore.

[56 2x4]

I bought one from Mike. The easiest transaction ever. Wish I could do that with everything else as easily as that ended up being.

[56madmook]

thanks for the kind words guys, i really appreciate it. when i had my project 56 nomad, i was very picky with the bodywork, gap fitment, etc. i think it just kind of carried over to these liftgates. the liftgate fit isnt as perfect as i would want it, there are still very minor details i still have problems with, but its nearly impossible to work them out unless you want to get into cutting/welding potmetal. each nomad has a different fit for a liftgate. meaning, if i were to install one on my car , doesnt mean it would look the same on yours. every nomad body has its own tweaks and dimensions. the trick is to get it close to a point where you can adjust here or there and get it looking good. if anyone wants more information about liftgates in general feel free to email me

[Chevynut]

Mike, as we have discussed via e-mail I will eventually be getting my liftgate straightened and re-plated. Mine has been off the car since about 1974, so it's probably not as bad as some of them. I did notice that one of the threaded hinge holes is stripped, or close to stripped. Do you fix those threads and all the other threads when you restore a liftgate? I think it would need a heli-coil.

Also, it looks as though there are some drill bit marks below the liftgate hinge holes, as if someone ran a drill through the holes for some reason. Does the plater fix things like this by filling and smoothing them? Otherwise my liftgate is in very good condition and I'd prefer to get it back than to exchange it. Does your service include straightening and plating of all the attaching internal pieces too? In other words, do you restore the whole liftgate or just the glass frame?

[56madmook]

Chevynut, the plater i use, plates the outer frame, and the upper rail on the inside as well as the two side glass holder pieces. he does offer an option to plate the jamb of the liftgate, but it doesnt come out as good as the finish on the outside of the gate. as far as imperfections, little stuff like that i would have to bring to his attention before hand to get it done. i know that you are really picky about things, as well am i, i recommend u sending me ur liftgate, having me straighten it, then u fit it to ur car and make any adjustments urself. even after being straightened, it will drive u nuts and you will want to make it better, as do i. there is only so far you can take it without getting into cutting/welding. as far as the finish, well the finish comes out really nice, but i know you want a "perfect" piece for your nomad, and thats just not going to happen. i have yet to see a perfect finish liftgate, being potmetal, its just not in the cards. i dont know if there is a special potmetal restoration plating shop, but the guy i use is the best ive seen and i have tried 3-4 platers. most beat up the edges pretty good and the finish isnt mirror-like. if you are looking for a perfect piece, and price is of no concern, then you might want to ask around. i would really like to see someone get one of these things perfect. i dont want to degrade the quality that i sell, because it really is awesome, but not perfect. cant stress that enough.

everyone has been pleased with the ones i have straightened, i had one return but only because the guy was relentless in letting me try to assess the problem. some people dont know that there are a lot of adjustment in the hinges, etc. they mount the liftgate and if it doesnt fit, then they think it will never fit and thats not the case. i always offer a money back guarantee if im unable to troubleshoot it, then when i get the gate back i will check it out and either resend it, or a new one. if anyone needs anymore info please feel free to email me.

[56madmook]

forgot to mention, i do replace the threads at an additional fee, but thats something you are more than capable of doing urself. its not hard at all.

[56madmook]

here are a couple of pictures of liftgates i have done. pictures dont really show the right angles, but you can get an idea of how they fit. i try to get the gap at the top of the liftgate rail with respect to the roof equidistant across the length of the roof.









and here are a couple before the chroming process on one of our cars....

[Chevynut]

Nice stuff Mike.

Do you know what ever happened to your 56 Nomad? I was wondering if the new owner ever finished it.

[56madmook]

never heard from the guy, interesting. at the time ( 2007 ) i thought i gave the car away with the amount i had invested in it ( morrison chassis, 502 ramjet, heidts independent rear ) and maybe the guy flipped it. but as of right now, i consider myself lucky for selling it when i did. i probably couldnt get half what i got in this economy. i just hope he kept the car and finished it the right way.

[56madmook]

another thing just to mention on the liftgate straightening with regards to the roof rail gutter that wraps around and meets the liftgate. i know the ends of the rails on our cars as well as other cars are flared open a little, most likely by a previous owner. my best guess is back in the day when the liftgates didnt fit and no one could straighten them, the gutters didnt line up, so guys would flare the gutters open on the body to line up with a bulged/bent liftgate. i always tell people if their car isnt painted yet, or not restored, to go ahead and tap the rail in a little if it looks like its flared open. this way the gutters will line up better. anyway, just thought i would pass this along to you guys, there are a ton of variables with the liftgate fitment.