Maybe the guy was Motor-T in the service and just blasted everything on it olive drab or zinc chromate green? we had Korea vintage water tanks on trailers out in the field and the wheels were still olive green and very little rust on them. The tires were rotted off but the rims were still good! They just kept filling those tanks for the exercises out there with no running water.
I just find it weird sincerely , because all the others parts in boxes are like that , to the bumper brackets @ the headlight buckets and all..we will never know , but indeed maybe it was a rust proofing paint .
