[special-K]

I think a repaint would be detectable on the inside of the tailgate with all the worn through paint, unless it was completely stripped to bare metal. Back then you just didn't see any paint job as durable as factory. When I use stripper on body parts, all paint jobs come right off down to the unaffected original. Then it's a bare even after multiple applications to strip that factory paint. Also, primer should show between paint jobs on this tailgate. I've seen white letter paint all but faded off on many trucks. But that's usually a truck that sat a lot and the edges on one side of the letters hangs is still there.

I believe it's original paint and the letters were never painted, for whatever reason