new project-some questions

[lippsgarage]

Howdy all, new to the site. I've got a pretty hevy duty project going. I've got a 79 long bed standard cab pickup. It started life as a 251 3 on the tree. I got it for free and put about $800 to get it running, sat behind a garage for 8 years, put in a fuel pump, a starter, a batt, and some fresh gas, fired right up. But the brakes were swelled and locked up, lol. Got to where I wanted it and prceded to tear it apart. It is now a rolling chasis with just a cab in a friends field, lol. My plans....

Full frame resto with a V8 and a six speed manual tranny, a substantial drop, 20/22 rims, and lots of go fast goodies. Here are some options I'm still entertaining and wouldn't mind a little toss around the group.

Engine: the three i'm looking at are a basic 350, a 383 stroker, or a vette motor. I'm a Ford guy by nature and am still getting used to a bowtie. I'm thinking a small block for mileage reasons, and I like the numbers I'm finding in a base rebuild. If I go with a carb set-up, I want to do a shaker hood. Would look awesome on our big hoods. Otherwise, I was thinking a FI swap onto a 383 with a lowrise supercharger to keep the hood stock. Then I saw an episode of Gearz where he put a twin-turbo kit on a vette and thought that would be really cool. 1000hp out of our trucks? Hmmmm....

Suspension: static or air? Static drop is easier to plan out, you don't need much of a length of travel plan. But air, I can adjust to help with launches, weaken the rear a little to help with rear bias in a launch. Hmmmmmm....

Body: I found a site where I can get a complete fiberglass body with a one-piece tilt front end, but I was thinking about maybe chopping the top and that i think is harder with fiberglass. Hmmmmm.....

Things I know I'm doing, converting to a 77/78 grille set-up, but paint the surround body color (marble blue w/ silver or black ss stripes) and just leave the front bumper and billet grille insert polished (along with the windshield surround). I'm also converting the door panels to an 81 style so I can put the billet insert in the door to match one for the dash, and do a 2-tone blue and black interior. Going with autolite cobalt guages with a billet guage surround. I know I'm keeping the lond bed, I like that look in a lead sled. Got a few more things kicking around in my head, but any thoughts? anyone done what I'm trying to do? Hit me back and I'll try to keep updates, but I'm on the long term plan, just got relocated for work and have a one year old, but should be fun.

Thanx.....Jace