[Robert Sexton]

Hello Terry, the front section carrying the locker and spare tire is separate from the tray entirely,it is an exact copy. The ends were scalloped to clear the fuel tank although I would think a lot of skin was lost opening the fuel tank as the clearance is so close. The tray although heavy had some quite considerable weak points; the last bearer that carries the tailgate only just sits on the chassis and relies on the next anchor point to hold it in place, in rough off road driving it would be highly liable to failure as all the vertical movement would go through the mortise joint..Where the tailgate catch is fixed you will see that the vertical steel support finishes two boards below the catch, this leaves the critical catch point (for the tailgate) only connected to the two horizontal boards without support from the vertical member. Maintenance of tightness in the hundred or so bolts not to mention the hundred screws would have kept the driver occupied in his "spare" time. It has been fun to do all the same.
Robert