due to popular demand:

ok.... Heres the mechanisim from which i obtained from a hilux, as i spoke of earlier.



Now before you can mount the mechanisim on the tailgate you need to weld a peice of steel to space it out the right distance to match up with the latch (pictured in a sec)
so heres a pic of the steel spacer welded on.



now from annother angle.



then you need to cut holes so that the mechanism sits flush like so



Now back to that latch. i just sat the latch in position as pictured.



so when you shut the tailgate the latch and mechanisim lock together and the tailagte is held shut. this probably has confused you, but if you go to the wreckers and find a hilux and look at how it all works there you should be able to see how it all works and how i have adapted it to fit.
hope this at least a little beniificial to any of you.....
Peter