Tailgate Issue

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Era

New member
Joined
Sep 21, 2020
Messages
3
Hi Everyone!

It is my first post on this forum!

I own a Ford Puma 1.6 from 2001 that I bought back in 2016.

Recently I had a little accident that made me want to replace my tailgate as it was sort of sunken.

I bought another tailgate that I found online, thinking they were all the same but when I tried to put it on my car, it was like a bit too long and wouldn't close the trunk as it would slightly go further than where it's supposed to lock.

And now I find myself needing another tailgate again and the one wearing my color are pretty rare in my country (Fr).

My question is : how do I make sure the one I'll buy will fit my car? Does it have come from the exact year my Puma was built? Or does it have to do with something else?

Thank you.
 
Hello

I'm sure all tailgates are the same. Can you loosen the bolts on the lock and move it a little to make it shut better... or loosen the bolts on the tailgate to move the 'loop' that goes in the lock?
 
Perhaps your 'little accident' moved the rear panel as well as 'sort of sinking' the tailgate?
 
Thank you for your answers!

@CherryVimto I cannot really do that because when I said it goes slightly further, I meant by 1.5 inch (3cm). It looks like it's not even the same dimensions.

@PhilLew I thought about it but the rear panel looks perfectly fine.

One difference I noticed between my tailgate and the one I bought, is that mine has a small red rear light on the tailgate that is connected to my car by a little cable coming from the "inside" of the tailgate, through the right strut.

The tailgate I bought doesn't have that, and that made me think that tailgates could have other differences.
 
According to this "Swapping a non 3rd brake light bootlid for a boot lid with 1", they should both be the same:

https://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=1898
 
The rear panel on your car needs pumping back out with a hydraulic portapower that a body shop will have.

As someone that used to specialise in crash repairs I can advise you that it is good that you have the straight tailgate as your body shop will use that to determine how far to pump the rear panel out . It will be correct when the tailgate shuts properly and has even panel gaps all the way around.

From what you have described the rear panel has travelled inwards due to the impact.
 
Thx again for your answers.

I wanted to give you an update and it seemed indeed that the rear panel was kinda bumped inwards due to the accident.

I managed to "pump it out" a bit and now the tailgate closes just fine. So yes they're indeed all the same size.

Thank you for your time and advises.
 

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