where do I start?

[redneckdds]

I need some help on finding a truck for my needs and from a financial standpoint... do I spend more for a truck with a good body to start with or pay peanuts for crap and pay the coin to have body work done? another question... do I go for a truck with all the options on it, working or not? I was thinking at least I can find replacement parts.... or should I go bone stock and add what I want, ie. a/c, ps/pb/at, etc??? same question about the motor and tranny.... do I want the turbo 350/400 it came with and rebuild it or look for a truck w/a stock v6 and toss it with a newer tranny 700r4, etc??? I need some help, I am stuck. I want a very straight, clean, fast truck, with the option of throwing a supercharger or n20 on it, later on. hope my questions are clear.

[FormerMember]

Depends on your skill set.

I hate body work and I suck at it. So I would go for a mint body and replace all mechanical components.

As for the rest, I am pretty mechanically inclined, so I can add my own stuff. I also want to customize my truck, so I went for a no-options one.

Depends on what you're going for.

[krue]

For the most part you should buy a truck in the best shape you can afford. And as mentioned above, if you have to compromise, then play to your strengths.

Biggest thing is don't get in a hurry, take your time and shop around.

[Longhorn Man]

Paint and body is THE most expensive aspect of a classic...at least in my part of the country. I think the rust buckets in AZ just need a cab corner and a rocker to be mint, so you'll way ahead in the game from the get go.

[redneckdds]

probably have others do a majority of the work... you think I am lookin at a mint?

[muddpile]

I bought a rust bucket with a new tranny, and rebuilt engine/rear end. Why, you ask? Because I'm not that mechanically talented, but I can sand and paint pretty well, and welding doesn't seem that hard. If you are hiring EVERYTHING done, however, a truck could bankrupt you. It would probably be in your best interest to buy a nice one, just my opinion as some parts can be pretty pricey, not to mention labour.

[HeavyD]

I strongly encourage you get the best body you can find, as that is the most expensive part by far. Considering where you live, finding a nice clean example to start with shouldn't be too hard. Any drivetrain can be added to these trucks, but it is a little easier if the desired combo is already installed..just means less parts to search for. I have found options (with the exception of A/C) easy to get and add, so that is not a problem unless you need to have some weird one like a record player/tissue dispenser/electric toothbrush. Tilts, buckets, tachs, etc..are always for sale on the board, so building a truck the way you like it will just require some dedicated scanning of the parts for sale section.

[VinceY]

Originally Posted by redneckdds

probably have others do a majority of the work... you think I am lookin at a mint?

Do you want to drive it now or in 2 years?
If you can wait for a couple years then fix it up exactly as you want, although paying others to do most of the work will most likely run you more than buying something that is close to what you want.
If you want to drive it now, there is always someone out there who has done all the work and spent a bunch that has to sell for less than they have into the truck.
You live in a great area for good solid trucks whether they are finished or need finishing.

[ChevLoRay]

Like the others said, get the best body you can for the money you have. The mechanicals are easily interchangeable and usually upgraded while in your ownership.

Where you live, makes a difference in what you have available. In Gilbert, AZ, you should be able to find a decent body. Back in '70, I bought a '38 GMC, in Tucson. The body was solid.....no rust whatsoever. The engine was history (a Pontiac flathead six). The tires were weathered, to say the least, but all were up, or so I thought. Turns out the tires were almost petrified. Only one of them had any air in it. The rear had 8-ply tires and they were absolutely solid.....with no air in them. All of this info is just fluff, though.

So, how much money do you want to spend, or how much do you have available? If you think you know how much you will have to spend to buy, fix and upgrade your new toy, may I suggest that you consider quadruppling the amount you have in mind? It seems that doing that, will let you know how much to tell, or not tell, your bride....if you have one. If not, you'll know that it ain't gonna be a cheap as you first thought.

I have heard that old cars (and trucks) are like "holes in the air, into which we continually pour money". Boy, I didn't know how true that was. But, it's addictive and we welcome all those who are afflicted!!

[junkyarddog1956]

Wish you wasn't so far away ... the truck in my avatar is for sale ...ready to be reassembled ... Joe

[Bill72BB]

A lot of what your asking is personnal preference ,based on your skills.
I suck at body work and paint , so I would go with the best body I could aford ( as most have mentioned )
I would also try to get as many options as possible ( PS,PB Tilt,Ac,Disk brakes) . You will find that it is time consuming and expensive to add them later .
I would also look for a Small Block as parts are plentiful and inexpensive .
on a final note BEWARE hanging around here will give you the bug to make a daily driver rust bucket a truck you have to park 1/4 mile from everyone else so not to get any door dings .
Before and After 4 years here .

[paintpyro]

hmmmm, Shiny!

[bad68bowtie]

Payin other people gets real expensive real fast, bein only 17 I work with limited knowledge, experience, tools and space and I never intended on spendin as much as I have on my truck as quickly as I have, luckily for me my parents take most of the financial burden. You can spend a good deal of money buyin parts alone, but factor labor into that and your costs will go through the roof. A lot of it does depend on how nice you want it to be, how often you'll drive it and all of the other things that have already been said here. I'd agree with playin to your strengths and skills, definitely look at a lot of trucks and wait for the right one to come along.

[DangerBoy]

You could always go my way and buy a dented up bucket of bolts with a crap engine and learn a ton doing engine/tranny/rear end/body/ and any other work concievable on it.