My '50 3100 that I got from my uncle (he bought it new) had the remnants of the thin rubber sleeve over the tailgate chains. The chains were cadmium plated/rusty. I know for a fact that the chains were original to the truck, and my uncle was not one to spend money that didn't need to be spent on keeping anything "pretty". When we took the truck bed apart to re-do/paint it, the chains did not show any evidence of ever having had paint on them.
