there's bound to be variation in dimensions on any of these old trucks to the point that parts off one truck don't fit well on another .... the Factory Assembly Manual will have a tolerance shown for the bed width, if not the tail gate itself - 50" is the inside bed width
Bill
As Bill posted: 50" is the inside width of the 47-53 bed and is also the inside width in 54/55st (as shown in the FAM).
The tail gate width would have to be a little less than 50" (as posted by most people above)?
