OK- - - - -let's tackle one issue at a time, sort of like picking out one bird on a covey rise of quail instead of trying to shoot the whole bunch at once! The "drag" when starting- - - - -see if the engine will spin freely if you step on the starter pedal without turning the ignition on. If it only drags while actually trying to start, you're dealing with an ignition timing issue. If the slow cranking is there all the time, ignition on or off, then we need to troubleshoot the starter circuit- - - - -particularly the ground side of the equation. Are you running an original 6 volt electrical system, or has the truck been converted to 12V? There's nothing wrong with 6 volts, but clean, tight connections, BIG cables everywhere, and routine maintenance of those connections is a must.
Once you deal with the slow cranking situation, then it will be time to start diagnosing noises. I've made good use of a broomstick or a hardwood dowel rod as a field-expedient stethoscope for about the past 60 years. Once you get a close location for the noise, start narrowing down the possibilities in those areas.
Where in "southeast Missouri" are you? I've got a business appointment in Jonesboro Arkansas coming up around the middle of next week.
Jerry
