I have been following this thread and kept my mouth shut only because others had said what I was thinking and didn't want to pile on. Well it all worked out, you arrived at the correct solution in many minds. Congrats to that.
Moparguy said something that everyone that reads this thread in the future should take away from it:

"Buy another truck from a non rusty part of the country. It’s easy to dismiss trucks a 1,000 miles (plus away). But the reality is you hook up a trailer, you and a bud hit the road. A Good roadtrip and 2 or three days later you’re back home with a clean project truck and zero to very little rust. You save an unbeliveable amount of time and money with a roadtrip investment."

There is the answer in about as good Kings English as it can be said. I live in the western part of Washington State and in 2012 I started looking for a AD truck. Really everything in my price range (I wanted to buy basket case to trucks needing complete restoration) was rusty(cancer) or too expensive. Had about a year of fruitless looking then started looking in eastern Oregon and California on craiglists. Found one in Bend Oregon that was pretty straight that only needed the driverside floor panel replaced because of a leaky windshield and a rubber mat. Loaded it up on the trailer spent my 5 grand (condition-condition-completeness)and brought home a new beginning. That was in 2013, now looking to do the same thing on a 1964-66. Started looking in the central valley of Cali and high desert of Oregon.

Cheers and congrats on finding the right way through it. Like Bartamos says let the past be the past, look forward and enjoy.

Steve

Last edited by sstock; 11/13/2018 3:48 PM.
1953 Chevrolet 3100
261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done
In the DITY Gallery
Video of the 261 running

1964 GMC 1000
305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration