Tailgates are possibly one of the most abused parts of a truck. It is not uncommon for them to have a significant bow, to be scratched and dented, and to close poorly. Its probably the case that even an NOS tailgate would need massaging to get it ready for a show quality finish.
The tailgate here was in pretty good shape, having some bowing in the center and needing a fair amount of massaging to make it acceptable.
