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Tailgate Identification - What year do I have?

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Captkaos:

Not sure what year tailgate you have, well here is how to tell.  There are actually 4 versions of tailgates for the 73-87(91) pickup trucks.  This is how you tell the difference:


1) 73-74 - This version has a top guide welded on, the bottom of the tailgate is round, has a separate hinge mount bolt, the bottom trunion has no slot, so to remove it you must unbolt it from the truck. and the latch attaches with 2 bolts.  CHEVROLET Script centered on the tailgate.  It looks like this:



2) 75-76 - This version has the same setup as the 1973-74, BUT it has a relief slot in the trunion allowing you to remove the tailgate without any tools.



3) 77-80 - This version has the same setup on the bottom as the 75-76 allowing the removal, but the latch portion is now all one piece and bolts in the same spot as the hinge slot on the 73-76 and the upper latch bolt.  It doesn't have the hole where the lower latch bolt used to be.  The welded guide was dropped and integrated into the latch.  So now the latch has the hinge mount bolt and guide built in.





4) 81-91 - This version has the same upper setup as the 77-80, but new for this year the bottom of the tailgate is no longer rounded, it is flat, and CHEVROLET Script offset to the right on the tailgate, AND the latch assembly is no longer welded to the bottom of the tailgate, it is bolted.

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