To buy or not to buy.....that is the question

[kanuck]

I picked up a 1980 shortbox stepside in late November for $400 that came with registration but was fairly rough. The good was two new front inner and outer fenders, rusty but straight tube type grille with a clean factory suround, 4 clean rallys with OK trim and usable tires, two rust free doors but both have a large concave in the center, good box sides and OK rear fenders with a bit of rust on the lower edges.
The bad is no motor but 4 spd still in place, (was 6 cyl), cab is totally rusty but has a clean interior and good glass.
Worst was when I finally crawled under for a clean up I found the frame in only the one spot at the crossmember that ties into the drivers front of the leaf spring mount had rusted the lower edge of the frame channel enough that it has perferations.

OK, Today I took a closer look at another shortbox fleet that I had a quick look at before Christmas and had dealed out a price subject to inspection.
This is a 1977 to 1980 truck with no papers, but was someones longterm project that was picked up for parts and is again being flipped.
The good is a rust free cab with no interior or dash, rust free doors with the drivers having a crease, rust free front fenders, belltech lowering shackles rear and drop in front of about 3 or 4 inches, frame all painted, new radiator, turbo 400 with converter, decent headers, box floor seems to be rust free.
Bad is box sides around wheel well are very rusty, needs all dash, wiring and interior parts, all panels are different colors so will need paint after dents are fixed and windshield is toast with no back window.
Firm price is $1300, talked down from $2500.

So with both trucks I have to add a motor and misc and lots of labour.

$1300 worth having all the frame work done and a rustfree cab???

One major question that I noticed was on the frame drivers side near the back of the cab, the lower edge of the frame is pulled down around 1-1 1/2 inches but the frame side looks perfectly straight, and when I checked out my 80 stepside in the same location the lower edge of the frame also was pulled down but it didn't seem as much and again looked almost factory.
Is this something I'm missing as I didn't see it on a longbox frame I also looked at.

Any opinions welcomed
Thanks