broken tailgate on my truck

[04lincolnls]

I have an 88 f150, loaned it out an it came back with a broken tailgate lever/handle. now I can't open it. does anybody know how to get into the mechinism?

 

[chicken]

on the inside of the gate there is a access panel (pretty much behind the handle) that runs the entire width of the tailgate 8 torx bolts and its off and just pull the 2 linkages together.

if its rhino lined and they went over the bolts your screwed....