72 GMC project

[hoser]

Its time to fix up my old 72 GMC and get it back on the road again, I am seeking
advice from others experiences I am looking for the best prices and hoping to
avoid the scammers and making common mistakes people make when restoring
a truck like mine, this is not a project truck like you see on TV where people
throw thousands of dollars into it, I want to bring the mechanical end up to
snuff then start fixing up the body....

A brief history on this truck, my dad bought it in 1978 from the original owner,
it was owned by a guy that had a gas station/automotive repair shop, it
came from the dealer with a snow plow on it and was used to plow snow
in the winter, not commercially but it seen alot of use, the snow plow is long
gone... Its a 3/4 ton 4x4, has factory a/c tach, cloth seat (bad shape) it had
all the chrome trim and was originally green and white, my dad added a
tilt wheel from a 72 Blazer, mom gave me the truck when my dad passed away
I havent driven it very much but that is going to change, the original engine had
about 90k miles and needed rebuilt so I built up a SB 400 as a replacement,
the factory TH350 trans started leaking oil into the transfer case so I did the
700R4 swap in hopes of squeezing another 2-3 mpg out of the truck and
so it would cruse nicely at 70-75 mph with the 4:10 gears.


I am currently going to do a engine swap, the current engine is a SB 400 bored
.030 over 9.5:1 flat tops crane HMV 272 cam bla bla bla, it averages 6-8 mpg with todays gas prices its time to swap it out for
a stock 350 I already have, its left over from my 86 Suburban part
out., the 400 is fun to drive but really dont need the extra power,
I am looking to get the mpg up in the 12-14 mpg range,
I already installed a 700R4 trans and transfer case out of a 87 Suburban.

After I do the engine swap next on the list is to replace is the
suspension, it needs shocks and all new bushings so my thoughts are
while I am into the suspension I will go ahead and upgrade to all new
springs by getting a 4" 'soft ride' lift kit, new springs, shocks, bushings
U bolts the works.

Other things on the list are as follows

Rust free 8' bed.

Rubber floor mat (I hate carpet)

New exhaust , I need suggestions on what works well and is durable

Convert the a/c to 134a freon, anybody have tips on this? I have
converted newer systems nothing this old...

New rear drive shaft or at least get the current one balanced after 700R4 swap.

Here is a page I started last year when I did the trans and transfer case swap.
http://12.215.122.222/GMC.htm

So now you have a idea what I want to do any help suggestions links
would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance.