Smashed Tailgate. Cant find How to Thread.

i'd just drop it off at a body shop (the best one) and let them take it from there. get a rental car while you're at it.

 

If they are doing this through their insurance, you should be able to opt for them to write you a check instead of fixing the truck. Do that and source your own tailgate. They pop up on here sometimes, there are several used auto parts sites (lkqcorp.com, car-part.com, etc.), and your local wrecking yards. You might need to have it paint matched but you would probably come out ahead if you do it this way and swap some of the internal stuff from the one you have.

 

Backpage also has a few stolen ones for SALE,lol

 

A check is what the company and i had in mind. Id like to just leave the tgate at the body shop and let them use it for the internals and paint match. My schedule wont allow me to physicaly hunt down parts. I just got 2 estimates...850 & 950$ replace, prep, and paint.