Can't Decide

[elks]

Well I am just now getting ready to clear my last 2 "projects" from the shop. This is allowing me to make room for grandpas 72 long bed 2wd. It is in some bad shape rust wise. It currently has a blown engine. I am trying to decide:

1. Get a motor and just get it on the street in 2 months: cost minimal

2. Build a 383 stroker and get it on the street in about 6 months: Pretty good chunk of change

3. Take it down to a a bare frame and slowly rebuild it: Cost- high enough to fear my wife, Time: Long enough my 3 yr old daughter could graduate high school.

I am really leaning towards getting it on the road and fixing little things over a long time and eventually make it sweat.

What is your vote? Here a few pics:

Also what can I do about this rust? I can not afford to fix it right now, but want to stop its spread. Should I just chop out the fatigued and coat with POR15?
The only real rust is drivers side rocker and around the storage bos in teh bed.

[AustinScott]

well words from my dad.... you need to drive it for a year before you can decide the fate of her....


I say get it running and drive the shiet out of her... in the end... you will be happier in all the looks/ conversations you get & you will also get a better understanding of what truly you want to do with her...

AS for rust... the panel is replaceable.. the time spent behind the wheel is not... enjoy it while you can...this is what makes these trucks so special in the first place, its the time spent driving them... go drive it!!!! and enjoy it for awhile.... then dig into her....

This advise... from my dad... has been the best & well respected advice to date... I fell in Love with my truck all over again & truly got to the foundation of why I bought this truck in the first place.... we love these trucks...... and would love to see them fully restored.... But!! the true fact is that we love to Drive them and the feeling we get from behind the wheel..

So just get her running and Enjoy Her.... this will be the best thing you could for her and you!!!

I VOTE.. PUT HER ON THE ROAD!!!!!!!! & ENJOY HER!!!!

[vectorit]

If you have the resources...

KEEP the original motor, and save for a rebuild later.
Get a good runner 350, drop that in to get her mobile again.
Cut out the rust in sections as single mini projects in order to abate the rust as best you can.
Overhaul the brakes.
Overhaul the suspension stock.
Clean up the interior, clean up the bench and make it comfy.
Get some good tires.
SAVE everything! (Nuts, bolts, brackets, and anything funny looking) Chances are you will need it later after you figure out what it's for.

Drive the ol' girl around and have fun, and go to truck shows and talk to people with similar trucks. Pick their brain about how they went about restoring their truck, then drive yours home thinking how you would like yours to be...

Hang out here on the board, ask questions no matter how silly you think they may be.

your truck looks great as is to me, and I'd just fix those rocker panels to get rid of the rust holes. Go easy on the primer/touch up paint, by just primering and painting the new part just welded in. I like it when trucks like this go through a rolling restoration without making it look scruffy.

Share with all of us pictures! It's like saying open bar to your buddies...

[GruntMoanCough]

Nice lookin' truck you got there!

[67ChevyRedneck]

Screw the 383. I like power, but I never understood putting high HP gas pigs in a brick. I'm sure it's fun, but I also have fun cruising with my stockish 350 (it just has an edelbrock carb.) I also enjoyed it as a 250 I6 truck. Part of me wishes I had just added a 5 speed instead of the 350/700R.

Vectorit made a great post

[Shyguy]

Yep, I vote for making it road worthy and enjoy driving it a while.

I have one with a I-6 and one with a 454, I enjoy driving the I-6 truck more even if the body is pretty rough. I guess because my son and I put it together last summer.

Danny