Newbie from Tulsa here, project coming, want advice...

[Igorsgonemadd]

Ok so I'm looking for a squarebody crewcab dually. I'm gonna go with a static drop 5/7 or 6/8.5. I'm not going to be doing any real heavy hauling, but I would like to be able to tow o boat or maybe a car occasionally. My dad had one years ago and wanted to so something really cool with it, but never got to. He's been gone for years now but every time I see one of these I think about him and what we could have done with this truck.....so I'm going too! I know what I'm doing with the interior and the body, for the most part. Two things I'm on the fence about. One, it's really tempting to make a short bed dually out if it, thoughts on that? Second and the biggest dilemma I have, the drivetrain. I'm thinking about doing a 5.3 swap, question is..is this to big of a truck for a 5.3. I know they put them in the new crew cabs and I wouldn't think the old squarebodys out weighed them by that awfully much. I want the best gas mileage I can get and dependability cause I plan on driving it.....alot. I know the 6.0 is probly more suited but the gas mileage is horrible. Does anyone know what these trucks weigh? Anyway thats it in a nutshell, so gimmie your thoughts!!