'69 GMC C10 - where do I start?

[cmhouser]

Hey guys, I just bought a 1969 GMC C10 that has a good running 350 and manual 4 speed transmission. The body has a few dents and dings and there is some rust around the lower portion of the cab beneath the door fram and other than that some surface rust all around but not bad at all.

My question is - I want to do a full body resto (not frame up) and swap eventually for a fuel injected engine and new tranny. Where do I start? I complete novice and newb when it comes to any restoration (especially bodywork). I would like to drop it a bit (not really sam it but close), paint the body and cab a glossy black and put in a new engine and auto tranny. Having said this (again) I don't know where to even start out. Which would be the best to start out with. Does anyone know roughly what it's going to cost to sandblast the outside parts? I'd like to rent a blaster and do it myslef - is it that hard? I'd like to keep a running vehicle while I work on it but not totally necessary.

Any help is appreciated.

[Steve Hafner]

I would suggest to read all of the "Project" threads you can. See what happened to other people after they got started. ( I learned a lot from doing that ) Reading my project: "Project: Might-as-well" ( it's on the first page now ) will give you a good idea of what I'm talking about !!! It started out to be what YOU are talking about - taking care of first things first. But as you will find out too, there are so many might-as-wells. Good luck on your "adventure" ( and that just what it's going to be )