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Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98
It looks to me that there's a lot of original paint still left on this one. My thoughts are to consider leaving as much of the original paint as possible, but fixing any rust issues it does have. I definitely would want to fix the driver's front fender. It might be a little more expense, but if you could get someone to blend in the repairs to match the remainder of the original paint, it would look really good.
If you are going for more of the stock look, tall skinnies would fit the bill for sure. Another good option would be some 15x8 steel wheels that would let you go with some wider tires if desired, but could still have some of that stock look. I'm running 15x8s with 30x9.5s on my 63 currently, and I really like that look. It's not a 4x4 though.
You could potentially do the build in two stages. Stage 1 would be get it running, make it look a little better but still keep it original paint, and drive it a bunch while saving up for stage 2. Stage 2 would be the full restoration of whatever direction you want to go with it.
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Thanks for the input. We are going to repair the fender and blend the paint. The goal is to save as much as possible. Matt has the skills. Once we get the truck to his shop in Edison, we’ll get eyeballs on everything and make an assessment. The dents don’t bother me… neither does thin OG paint with primer showing. But rust terrifies me. Thins tend to deteriorate quickly here in PA, so I’m going to make every effort to preserve and protect what seems to be a pretty dry truck.
That fender was damaged, not rusted out btw… so it should be straightforward to repair and blend the paint.
The hood seems to be the worst part with regards to bare metal and surface rust. That will be the biggest challenge to get protected while matching the character of the rest of the truck. I’m not sure yet what our plan will be. It keeps me awake at night. Ha.
Wheels and tires… maybe I’ll fall into some 16” 6-lug steelies. Har! Likely going with a tall skinny. I like the stock look on these rigs. Maybe a little taller. With the engine and transmission this rig is getting were shooting for a pretty specific rpm range at cruising speed to maximize fuel mileage. We’ll see how that works out.
I’ve attached a few pics that I’m using for inspiration for this build.