[OrrieG]

these trucks are a great first project because they are relatively simple, and have lots of room to work around. On a TF you need to look for:

Rust - headlight eyebrows, front fenders at the bottom by door, lower door hinge pockets, firewall below the battery (on northern trucks the whole area below the point it turns back towards the trans), rear cab corners are usual area. In the rust belt you can add eyebrow over the windshield, a pillars, sill below the rear window, steps and frame rot where the cross brace and spring mounts are. Fleetside beds, at the front and rear cross braces, and over the fender, and rear corners. Step side over the fender lip and where fender attaches to the bed. If it's been sitting, gas tank might be an issue too.

Mechanical, MR48 covered it TF is about the same. Look for poor six to v8 conversions.

Wiring, it will be brittle and a fire waiting to happen.

Stock suspension is pretty bullet proof, including the brakes, but does wear out. Good news is replacement parts are still made.

Same with steering.

Minimum upgrades I would do are brakes, change single mc to dual unit, and wiring.

Most of the parts for these trucks are reproduced, major exceptions are fleetside bed sides (end and tailgate are same as 60-67) and misc frame brackets.

Good luck and have fun when you get one.