1967' project help

[67'ShortMonster]

Hi there,

Here's the story.
Age 15, started my 1967 chevy truck project by hauling dad's old 67 4x4 out of the weeds... and changing the engine to a 350 cuz the old straight 6 was seized solid. Once it was running... the thing became the most espensive adventure of my life. Never have driven the truck on the road. It sits at my aunt and uncles now, half finished... 11" lift springs... 14 bolt rear diff... sold the front dana 60 I had in it to fix my jeep.
The truck sits now up on blocks... no engine, no tranny... no front diff, The fenders are reproduction crap, that have the 68 + marker openings, and don't line up with the grill nicely at all... the rear short fleetside box has yet to be touched... steel floor, also has side markers. The floor was cut out by a guy doing body work on the side at home, and he re-build the cab for me. No rust I had said at the time... but it would be nice if the doors fit, which they barely do, they would probably if i hammered the rockers to death, and folded the bottoms of the doors in.

What i am looking for is a little direction on what i should do with this thing... the half assed paint job that was done on it, flakes off it you scratch it with your finger.... The welding that was done on the cab has air bubbles in it... basically the truck turned into a expensive disaster.
I have decided that yes, i was dumb at the time, and did it the wrong way... I will never get the 15,000 worth of crappy paint, time bills and parts i threw at the truck... to have nothing really worth anything now. I took a loss on the project the first time around, never to re-coupe from it.
But what do I do now...? I still have the truck (well, all the orinigal stuff anyways), and still dream of driving it one day.
I have access to a 2wd coil SWB frame. The front rail on the passanger side is pushed in. I am thinking that at 24 years old now, I would rather have a real nice looking show truck i can drive around once in a while on the weekend, then a mud bogging tire biter finder. Especially as it probably won't get finished until I am 30 anyways.

WHERE DO I START GUYS... ? I would like the truck to be on air bags, and have a nice looking show stance, kinda of what SLAMMED67's truck looks like. What do I start with though... the frame... the body, the cab... the running gear... an engine. I imagine this truck will take a few years to finish. I am really good mechanically, but have no body work experience... other than painting frames and mechanical parts. I have never used a wire feed welder, and stick welding is limited to scabbing stuff back together.
Am I even capable of using a 110 volt wire feed welder to do a excellent body job on this truck...? I wouldn't think body work would take a big welder and lots of heat, but i don't know much about it either, except that unless i want to pay through the teeth and babysit the guy doing the work... I will only be satisfied if i do it myself.
Looking for some ideas, some direction... maybe hope. heh heh...

Thanks guys, let me know what you think...

[bigvinnie]

Find a solid project truck and use the one you got as a parts rig, you'll be miles ahead and won't have to fix your mistakes... chalk it up to lessons learned.

[imdarren]

Sorry I didnt read all of your post. But here is the deal.
Learn from me and others on this board.
Get your hands on a truck that already drives!
You can fix it as you go.
You can't keep your intrest in a project that long if you can't drive it now and then. I have a 67 that is tore into a million peices. BUT! I have 2 other 72 trucks that I drive all the time to satisfy my "fix", and keep up my interest.
If you dont have the resources (financially etc.) to buy a diffrent truck, then do whatever it takes just to make your project drivable. Then you can make it look good later.
The main thing is you need to be able to drive your truck soon to keep interest in it! Period.

just my .02

Darren