Thoughts on keeping truck original or not

[i82much]

my seven year old wants to paint my 72 K10 rainbow colors with dinosaurs and sharks. So there’s an idea for you.

[HeavyD]

I like my stuff to be mostly original, especially on the exterior, but I liked the additions you have done. For my never ending project I wanted a stock 350 until I drove my brothers 70 GMC with one..screw that..my miled out beater 98 Accord has 2x the power.

In that big truck of yours a 383 makes total sense, and taching it out on the highway at 75mph prob isn't fun with a Th350 either. 55 or 60 mph would be ok, but anyone who travels from city to city..who does 60 anymore?

Seeing a totally stock truck IS cool, can't argue there, but if one wants to use it a lot I understand the mods.

For your truck I would fix the rusted area and replace the trim, the 2 tones look great. Can always try and get some decent used stuff if you don't want to pony up for new..so many people yank the trim off assembling a set can't be that hard.

Just my 2cents but your truck runs and drives and mine hasn't moved in the 16 years I have owned it..so what do I know

[Gigem]

I've thought about this quite a lot. I think I like my old stuff pretty much like it was "back in the day". By that I mean in the years when they were just regular vehicles being driven.

I am not a "nut and bolt" restoration purist. Mad respect for those that are, but way outside of my skill and pay grade.

If I had a "numbers matching" engine I probably would rebuild it before going crate. But the motor in my truck was already a replacement and was bad, so crate it was.

I don't hate LS swaps. Just didn't want to do it on this truck.

What I really don't get it people who buy these old trucks and put digital dashes in them, one piece door windows and the bed from a much later model truck. Never understood it, but it's your truck. You do you!

No wrong answers. Unlike the Corvette and Chevelle forums I've been involved with in the past. Those guys definitely would tell you that restomod was wrong!

[toms68cst]

I can only say what I would do if that were my truck. I'd put it back to stock height and install some painted steel wheels with big chunky bias-ply snow tires. I'd then fix things back to original as much as reasonably possible with good used parts. If I won the lottery or a safe full of cash landed on my head, I'd do a stock full-on restoration. It looks like a great solid candidate.

That said, Do what floats your boat and makes it useable and enjoyable to drive!

[ChevyRacefan]

I find it funny, that so many say return it to stock.
If G.M. built a truck like a 67-72 truck as far as mpg, safety, ride, and features or lack there of, road noise, wind noise, build qualty.
You would never buy it.
It sounds great, return it to stock, till you are driving that granny low 3 speed manual with 411 gearing, upper body work out manual stearing, and leg day clutch and manual brake. Oh and those all drum brakes , standing on the pedal. Crappy stereo, questionable heat and maybe a/c. a seat with no support.
Maybe fun to drive once or twice, but to drive it allot, nope. To goto a show and look at. but If you are into driving your truck. Not so much. There is a reason they don't build stripper trucks and have not in decades, no one would buy them. Fleets did, but you don't go looking for enjoyment when driving a work vehicle. But retail sales they never moved off the lots. But many want the same basic thing in there old/classic vehicle.
I think, and this is my opinion, you don't have to agree, but ,I think the reason so many just finished rebuilt or "restored" vehicles end up , up for sale is, it sounds great, till it is done and you start using it, and well, it is a chore to drive and sucks the enjoyment out of it.
So it goes up for sale. Again my opinion.
If you would not buy a new truck that rode and drove like a stage coach , don't build one. You won't like it.

[Davidf]

Originally Posted by ChevyRacefan

I find it funny, that so many say return it to stock.
If G.M. built a truck like a 67-72 truck as far as mpg, safety, ride, and features or lack there of, road noise, wind noise, build qualty.
You would never buy it.
It sounds great, return it to stock, till you are driving that granny low 3 speed manual with 411 gearing, upper body work out manual stearing, and leg day clutch and manual brake. Oh and those all drum brakes , standing on the pedal. Crappy stereo, questionable heat and maybe a/c. a seat with no support.
Maybe fun to drive once or twice, but to drive it allot, nope. To goto a show and look at. but If you are into driving your truck. Not so much. There is a reason they don't build stripper trucks and have not in decades, no one would buy them. Fleets did, but you don't go looking for enjoyment when driving a work vehicle. But retail sales they never moved off the lots. But many want the same basic thing in there old/classic vehicle.
I think, and this is my opinion, you don't have to agree, but ,I think the reason so many just finished rebuilt or "restored" vehicles end up , up for sale is, it sounds great, till it is done and you start using it, and well, it is a chore to drive and sucks the enjoyment out of it.
So it goes up for sale. Again my opinion.
If you would not buy a new truck that rode and drove like a stage coach , don't build one. You won't like it.

This is why you should always start with the truck you WANT to drive. I would never buy nor want a "base" truck. So, I found and purchased a '71 with A/C. So, with power disk brakes, A/C, and power steering it is super easy to live with daily if I so choose. There is a reason many call the 67-72 the first of the daily driver classics. I opted to change my truck just a little: 3-point seat belts, aluminum radiator, A/C condenser cooling fans, headlight relay harness, houndstooth seat upholstery, modern head unit/speakers, 700R4, and "Rhino" lined bed. Everything else is pretty much as Chevy built it.

This weekend it will be back on the road after rust repair, repaint, and new interior. It has taken me 14 months to do all this work...super excited to get it back on the road. And, already planning the next major task which will be an LS swap to make it even more daily driver friendly. Just waiting for the current replacement engine to crap the bed.

[ChevyRacefan]

Originally Posted by Davidf

This is why you should always start with the truck you WANT to drive. I would never buy nor want a "base" truck. So, I found and purchased a '71 with A/C. So, with power disk brakes, A/C, and power steering it is super easy to live with daily if I so choose. There is a reason many call the 67-72 the first of the daily driver classics. I opted to change my truck just a little: 3-point seat belts, aluminum radiator, A/C condenser cooling fans, headlight relay harness, houndstooth seat upholstery, modern head unit/speakers, and "Rhino" lined bed. Everything else is pretty much as Chevy built it.

This weekend it will be back on the road after rust repair, repaint, and new interior. It has taken me 14 months to do all this work...super excited to get it back on the road. And, already planning the next major task which will be an LS swap to make it even more daily driver friendly. Just waiting for the current replacement engine to crap the bed.

I like the look of the older stuff, But the stock stereo not so much, the lack of highway speeds, not so much, The bench seat support, not so much.
I will change things so I enjoy driving it, it will get used tons more this way.
Everyone is different and for the guys that putt putt down to a show after unloading off a trailer a mile down the road and sit in a lawn chair. bone stock might be what they like.
I drove mine a year to see what needed to be changed before I just blew it apart. Mine has a/c front disc (manual) p/s, v8. Automatic.
needs o/d if I am to keep the 411 gears, needs better ducting for the heater and a/c to work better, Needs A better stereo. needs more power.
Would like it a little lower, less body roll, less rear brake bias for harder stops without locking up the rears, bucket seats or a better bench, maybe even power windows. just because reaching over to roll down the pass side is not easy while buckled in.