Question on Tailgate Lettering.

[68bowtie]

It very well could be. Good points. If someone bent the gate badly and bought a new one in say 1970, would they have installed a GM reproduction gate? What would have been on there coating wise, flat black primer? 55 years of wear and tear on the body would look indistinguishable from 52 years of wear and tear on the gate. It’s an interesting question.

The tan 68 I pictured above (same tailgate situation) is clearly a repaint based on the grille and roof not being ivory. But the tailgate looks similar on the inside as the 67 in question. Now that I look closer at the light green 67, I don’t see the usual fading on the upper shoulders of the bed and fenders and roof. I am leaning more towards an old complete repaint.

I certainly am not claiming I know any more about it, just tossing out my perspective.

[cericd]

Not sure if this could be part of the "possible repaint" equation but I noticed that both tailgate links are unpainted. All the NOS ones I've seen have been unfinished but I rarely see survivor trucks with their gates down so I've always wondered if they were originally body colored or unfinished. Anyone know for sure? My truck has had one exterior repaint in it's life and the links are body colored and there is overspray on the rubber tailgate bumpers.

Here are the pics from above.

[leddzepp]

Original paint claimed on this 68.

[jocko]

My 2 cents - the 67 data book states that all trucks had off-white tailgate lettering, except for white, off-white, and silver trucks, which had black lettering. So trim level should have no bearing on tailgate lettering paint presence.

As for the question of whether or not the tailgates "should" have painted letters, I'd say that should be a yes.
As for the question of whether all tailgates actually had their tailgate letters painted by the factory, who knows - lots of examples to the contrary above.

While I think we all have a good eye to be able to tell if paint looks original, sometimes it's easy to forget that these trucks are now 50-55 years old, and a 40-45 year old repaint can look pretty darn original, faded, and rusty now. Great data points above to scratch one's chin on though.

[the67Beast]

Here is my original, never painted 67. If the letters were painted then there is no white residue left like on the once white top.

[atog]

I got this from original owners son 36000 mile no repaint True barn find has painted letters

[Already Gone]

ATOG and The67Beast if the spids are in your trucks what plants were they built at. If built at same plant and one has painted letters and one not, I give up.

[the67Beast]

Already Gone, mine came out of the Atlanta plant.

[atog]

Mine was from flint

[chevmn]

My father had a base 67, and I had a loaded CST, and both had original paint (this was in mid 70;s), and both had the white painted letters. No idea what plant either came from though, and they were traded long ago.

[wrangler94]

I'm still trying to find a definitive answer to this one. I have a 1970 custom with unpainted tailgate letters, and I've been noticing others lately (like sitting in a tree row slowly dying) and no painted tailgate letters on them either. Is there a definitive answer as to whether or not the letters should be painted?

[doowopper]

My '69 that I bought new has white letters.

[MikeB]

I used the stick-on vinyl letters when my truck got a cheap paint job back around 1990. They actually lasted around 8-10 years. But when the truck was painted again in 2018, the shop painted the letters and topped them with clear coat with the rest of the tailgate. I don't know how they did it so well, but it looks factory or better.

On another note, this sales brochure shows that painted letters came on at least some trim levels.

https://www.chevytrucklegends.com/us...ucks/1967.html

[special-K]

That illustration shows no tailgate trim to go with the tail light trim. It also shows '66 hubcaps and the tailgate handle is either chrome or trimmed in stainless

[chewychevy67]

The illustration also shows the white roof color extending to the upper part of the door. That's odd.

[special-K]

Either it's not a GM illustration (inaccurate) or it's pre-production. The body color is under the drip rail and on the windshield post but not above the window and white is below the window. A mixed bag there. What? The reverse lenses aren't bullseye! Obviously whoever did that illustration wasn't expecting "us" to see it

[Willie Makeit]

that appears to be a modern computer-generated graphic & not something from an original brochure

[cericd]

Originally Posted by Willie Makeit

that appears to be a modern computer-generated graphic & not something from an original brochure

Agreed. Here's the only picture from the 1968 Pickup Brochure that shows tailgate lettering. The 1968 Pickup Brochure didn't include any pictures of the lettering side of a tailgate. The 1967 Pickup Brochure was illustrated and didn't include an illustration showing the outside of a tailgate. The pic I've attached although original, isn't proof that gate lettering was painted since we all know that brochure photos could be of pre-production models or doctored before going to print.

[OregonNed]

Though I know not for everyone, I didn't like the lack of care in painting of the tail gate letters by the previous owner - so I had a local pin striper outline and shadow mine. I really like it..

[chewychevy67]

I agree. That's a nice finishing touch.

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

My truck was original red paint when I bought it and the tailgate had painted letters. Truck is a factory Custom trip.

When I redid the truck I did the stick in letters as it makes such a huge difference in the look.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Willie Makeit

that appears to be a modern computer-generated graphic & not something from an original brochure

Definitely not from a brochure. Could it be computer generated from an earlier factory photo or illustration? I've seen factory pre-production photos and illustrations of trucks sporting irregularities like this, before such details were finalized. Or yeah, some computer graphic guy didn't know the trucks that well

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Willie Makeit

that appears to be a modern computer-generated graphic & not something from an original brochure

You guys are probably right. The brochure would have had real photos of trucks, not computer drawings. My bad.

Anyway, here's mine after the last paint job. Clear over paint. However, when I bought in the late 80s, it had the original paint with white tailgate letters. I think it was standard, at least in 69.

[factorystock]

It left the factory with letters. GM loves free advertising. Photo taken when fairly new.

[special-K]

It's brand recognition. Tailgate letters were to show the pride in rolling stock