79 stepper

[crosby]

Hi guys, it's been a while. I found a 79 Chevy stepside with a boatload of new parts, been sitting a while, and it does have a tired 305 in it. Although it's muddy, the frame and body look great. Supposedly, it was restored six years ago, and the owner died during the bodywork. It was finished and sat outside for years until the PO picked it up. Then his kid ran it into a tree (at low speed?) and wasted the nose. There are junkyard fenders on the front, as is the hood and rad support. I got him down to $2800, hoping to at least scrape some of the frame down and verify that it's as solid as he says. I would need a nose at some point, and I really want to be sure it keeps the 79 look. It's got a GMC grill now, but I think they're interchangeable aren't they? It's also got a 4 speed, I assume an SM 465, it does have the granny low, a 205 xfer and the 305 is leaking out the rear main seal, making the clutch pretty touchy. I found only a small pinhole in the cab floor by the front cab mount, which seems odd when the rest of it looks so great. Any advice? I would like to paint it bright red and do a nice maroon interior with a body color dash (metal part), newer seat, etc. Thanks for your input guys.