Dedicatedperfection: Tailgate turned into plaque

[Smack]

Dedicatedperfection: Tailgate turned into plaque


Over at work I was asked to make some sort of award plaque from a tailgate to display our awards as we collect them. The only requirement (and the verbiage) was simply use a tailgate we could hang on the wall.


I wet out to our scrapyard and secured a tailgate from an ‘03 Silverado before it heads off to the auction lot or car crusher. This panel has been in service for some time but the gate was in great shape to use as my foundation to build a plaque.


Once I got it cleaned up and free of debris I gave it a good inspection before moving on any further. No previous bondo, work, free from gouges and anything else that could get in the way of repainting the gate.


After that was sorted out I did find the usual scuffs, swirls, minor scratches expected from a work truck. No matter, the whole gate is to be repainted. With that out of the way the next step is to remove the Chevrolet banner from the surface. That was removed with a razor blade. Remember its being repainted.


Next order of business is to sand the face of the gate with a DA to level the face as much as possible and scuff the rest of panel to accept paint. I didn’t want to go to far from the norm of Air Force Blue but wanted metallic flake. I decided on BMW’s Tanzanite Blue Metallic for paint and use white Vinyl for the display.


After painting it, it was left to bake and then the following day it was moved into storage to let the paint fully harden. Three weeks later I pulled it from storage to begin sanding the clear coat with 3K grit to level it. I polished it out and got it ready for a coating. 24 hours later the vinyl was applied as well as the trim.


I got it hung up on the wall for display and cleaned it up once more to remove the fingerprints and applied a spray wax.


Products:
BMW Tanzanite Blue Metallic (Paint code X10)
Painted with SATA paint guns and PPG paint
3M green 233+ masking tape
Sanded the face of the gate with 3M 3K Trizact
Compounded/polished/jeweled FG400/SF4000/SF4500 via PE14
1st Wipe-down with Eraser to remove polish
2nd Wipe-down with Wolfgang Perfekt Finish Paint Prep
2 Heavy coats of Wolfgang Über Ceramic Coating
White vinyl verbiage applied
Coat of Midnight Sun Carnauba Spray wax
2 coats Sönax Trim Restorer Gel cured via heat gun




http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0003_zpsrbpx5qol.jpg


Normal defects from use
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0005_zpsddwlv7sm.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0006_zpsm4omwowl.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0007_zpsqhetfw8v.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0008_zpsvennjrul.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0014_zpsw1cbrcbu.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0018_zpspcjs1nvb.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0022_zpsju4vqtcm.jpg


New paint
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0025_zpspmqb8pvc.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0027_zpstteeybpx.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0028_zpsq31taknp.jpg


Dust that must be sanded out
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0033_zpsjkq0yzl4.jpg


Beautiful paint
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0035_zpsx78flj5e.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0036_zpsho9kx6kt.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0037_zpsxcmpmkqi.jpg


Sanded down
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0002_zpsdemyvyrj.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0003_zpsr5nfw3if.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0004_zpszqhux4pi.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0005_zps9vedadwn.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0007_zpsa0bsubmh.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0010_zpsv9gbz3ll.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0012_zpsldkbkovp.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0014_zpsdnsvwzfy.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0015_zpsuypeptf3.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0016_zpsn1qfp6cs.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0018_zpszs1rrzy0.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0021_zpszo5wsyzi.jpg

[Smack]

http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0023_zpssljoqgmt.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0024_zpswtoaa3ia.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0026_zpsin6xocxx.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0027_zpszwwjr6tm.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0029_zpsijpof1kt.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0030_zps1qpw7d86.jpg


Hung on the wall
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0169_zpsari4v3wz.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0171_zpscjze3c1l.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0173_zpsjvvdfird.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0175_zps7qxknxhm.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0177_zpsy92lui12.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0183_zps23ubefmh.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0184_zpshifwqmsc.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0189_zpsgcxacm5v.jpg


http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/123smack/Tailgate%20Plaque/DSC_0192_zpszrsa7yn5.jpg




This is a bit different from the norm and thought you guys would enjoy.

[mjlinane]

Awesome!

[Angus]

Looking good Mike!!

[JBM]

Cool!

[rlmccarty2000]

Always said you Air Force guys had it easier than us Army guys. Lol. Nice work.

[Smack]

Thanks!!!



Always said you Air Force guys had it easier than us Army guys. Lol. Nice work.

I do have a pretty nice gig. I am the shop foreman for our body shop. Thanks.

[House of Wax]

Very cool.

[XxBoostinxX]

Nicely done! I just found the hood to my first car in my shop about 2 months ago. I am in the process of wet sanding and polishing it for the wall in my pool room.

[Pats300zx]

Very cool project Mike !!!

[Smack]

Very cool.

Thanks.


Nicely done! I just found the hood to my first car in my shop about 2 months ago. I am in the process of wet sanding and polishing it for the wall in my pool room.

Right on! That will be sweet.


Very cool project Mike !!!

Thanks Pat!