My "before" pictures, '69 long step

[goose_on_fire]

So here's the starting point... the truck was a graduation gift a few years ago and was bounced around the family for a few years as people of different means had their ways with it, from my dad (who put a new engine in) to my younger brothers (who crashed it into everything in sight).

Now I'm at a point where I can give it the attention it deserves, and I'm real excited to have a car project again.

Here are the "befores," and these are the "not bad at first glance" shots. Pretty much the base model, as the sticker shows, with the sweet turquoise trim. Now it's "prowler orange," which is cool, but I haven't settled on a final color scheme yet.

The "not so good at a second glance" shots will follow, in which I ask for advice from you guys...

[70cst]

Hey goose_on_fire

to your new internet truck family and from Ohio.

on having one very truck

[white 67]

Cool truck I love the long stepsides.

[goose_on_fire]

In these ones, you can see what awaits. The clear coat is peeling off all of the horizontal surfaces. The original metal (especially the cab) is going bad fast; the drip rails are basically gone, which rotted through to the interior above the windshield, above the doors on both sides, the pillars, and so on.

From what I can tell, they basically sprayed directly over the original blue (you can see it in some of the rust shots) and then put a layer of clear on that. Even where the paint is clean, it's all wavy and peely, as shown in the "palm tree" shot. I don't think I have a choice but to strip the truck to bare metal at this point... the bed lumber is clearly shot.

A few panels were replaced by the insurance company in the last few years, when a semi tried to hitch a ride and peeled off the front left corner... I can pretty much tell which metal is "original" (or at least at the time of the last paint job) by looking at the dings on each panel and seeing whether or not there's blue underneath. What appears to have been replaced are the hood, cowl, and front left fender. Everything else (rear fenders, bed, gate, doors) is blue underneath, as far as I can tell.

The door panel bottoms and rockers are also cancerous, but I know you guys have seen pictures of rust before, so I'll stop.

(These are via imgur, I think I wore out my welcome uploading too much on my first day...?)

[goose_on_fire]

Thanks, guys! One thing I've loved about this site over the last few weeks I've been lurking is how welcome everyone seems to feel.

One of the reasons I want to start this project now is that my boys (6 & 3 years old) are getting smart enough to realize what's going on around them. I want to teach them early that not everything is a black box with "NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE." I built my first car, a '71 VW bus, from the point where I split the crankcase and put it together from there. I want my boys to see something similar from an early age, *especially* given how fast the world is changing nowdays.

I'm a software/electronics guy by day, and when I'm facing something daunting, I start making lists as a preliminary way of organizing my thoughts. So I spent about a half hour making this list as a way of prioritizing. I'd love to hear any thoughts anybody out there has about how I should put this project together, since I've never done a frame-off of anything.

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***** Things that are BAD (i.e. require significant body work)
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- Drip rails basically rusted off
- Rust along top of windshield, pillars almost rusted through
- Rust along bottom of doors & rockers bad enough to bubble the paint
- - So I'm worried about the state of the floor
- Rusty snaps where the bed cover should go
- Clear coat is severely peeling on roof & fenders

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***** Things that are UNSAFE (these could easily go in other categories)
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- Reverse lights are wired strangely & only one side works
- Windshield washer doesn't pump
- Windshield wipers are loud, slow, and ineffective
- The windshield glass itself is pretty scratched up and pitted
- Shifting is really loose, it takes almost no pressure to shift gears

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***** Things that are COSMETIC (but may get worse with time)
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- Dents & dings on basically all exterior parts
- Interior of engine compartment is filthy
- Bed boards are ugly (in fact the entire bed interior is a mess)
- Steering wheel is beat to **** and has a GMC logo
- Lazy painters painted all over windshield gasket & other places
- Hood lifts up at back edge by about an inch
- Whole steering column (and everything on it) are ugly as hell

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***** Things that are FINE (until they aren't)
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- Seat, roof liner, dash panel in good shape (all black)
- Radio & speakers (but need speaker grilles, and maybe an upgrade)
- Engine runs great (basically brand new)
- Brakes work fine (no leaks, master holds fluid forever)
- Tach & speedo work, but not sure about speedo accuracy

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***** Things that are OBNOXIOUS
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- Exhaust leak from right side header somewhere (pop pop pop)
- Windows are a ***** to roll up & down
- Brakes require a seriously heavy foot. A small woman probably couldn't stop this car.
- Vac, oil pressure, & temp gauges don't work
- Right turn signal doesn't auto-return

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***** Things I don't know about but should CHECK
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- Does the heater work? Do the vents open & close? Defroster?
- How's the chassis?
- Not 100% that all lamps work (should the side markers have lamps in them?)
- The electrical has been modified at some point in the past. How bad?

I think that's it for tonight. Thanks guys, for any input or general support you have. I will certainly keep the boards updated, and ask questions whenever they come up. Peace!

[RenoKeene]

Welcome aboard from Central Florida!
You want the bad news first? You will probably be better off in the long run with a different cab and doors. You didn't mention the shape of the cab supports but I assume they are toast too, along with the rockers etc.
You live in the land of solid sheet metal (CA) so you should be able to come up with a good donor truck.
I'm sure others will chime in with their thoughts.
Good Luck with your build, however you go about it.