Sorry for the delayed response, I'm still on my probation period so waiting for my posts to be approved slows me down a bit. I think I had one get lost somewhere too. No matter, I'll do my best to address everyone without quoting everyone.
I read most of the replies to my wife while we try to figure out what to do. This is intended to be her farm truck. Something for her to drive to the Co-Op to get feed in and the like. This was her favorite response.
It's running, most of the parts are available repro, and you got it for free. Hell yes I'd save it!
I paid $600 for my panel truck that did not run at all, and I'm still saving it anyway.
So at this moment, we are going to continue forward. I'm still getting an understanding of what exact panels I'll need but if I'm looking at the right ones, I'm ballparking $2000 in sheet metal. I figure
at least that for welding it in. So we're getting up there. It's been said several times that this project will only require a lot of money and determination. Well I don't have a lot of money, but you eat a elephant a bite at a time, and I'm really want to see this truck back to use.
I want a flatbed on it. I don't think the camper was built on an original flatbed, but I do know the truck was cut and the camper built by the owner. He has since passed but his daughter was telling us about helping him build the camper on it. He welded two pipe frames to the standards and used that as his frame. It was actually pretty neat. The floor to the flatbed it's built on is still very solid and usable so I might be able to modify it if we get the cab rebuilt. The way it is now the bed buts all the way up to cut cab.
It's a valuable parts truck. Not for restore. It's a front clip and doors sitting there. Those motors are a dime a dozen also. Take off all of front clip: fenders, hood, doors, grille, bumper valances, radiator, etc. and heater, column, dash stuff. Take them home and sell them. Maybe take motor and trans if you have a way to transport. It's toast, but parts can be "saved". Haul off the rest to the crusher. You do have about $1500+ in parts. The bad news is that all parts have to be sold local. Too big to ship. If you are in a low density area, that could take a while. There are quite a few folks who will travel to get good rust free sheet metal and chrome like you have. You can leave all the front clip together and take off as one piece if that is easier.
It may sound harsh, but I'm saving you from a Mission Impossible.
After buying another cab, seat, gas tank, bed, tailgate, possible rear end and suspension, possible frame, you haven't "saved a family truck" and will have spent more than buying a complete project.
I appreciate your honesty. I agree that if I end up replacing the whole truck, what would be the point? That's why I want to save the cab. There are still a lot of unknowns on this truck. This was a running truck when it was parked in a chicken house. My hopes are that most everything is still intact and I at least know radiator had coolant, the engine sounds good and the truck tries to pull itself when you let off the clutch. Everything else is still up in the air. At least I can't say you didn't warn me.
The Airstream camper idea would look absolutely awesome. Unfortunately it wouldn't fit the bill for my hopes for the truck, but that would be something to see.
One could also build/fabricate his own back wall for the cab out of wood, metal, whatever; and put a flat bed on it. Or if the floor of the original camper body is still intact, use that. The OP didn't state whether he wanted to "restore" it or just get it drivable, since it was a family truck. Get creative--have fun with it!
This has crossed my mind as well. I don't even want to paint it, but if the cab gets repaired I won't have a choice. My goal is definitely drivable, I want to be able to use it. Making it pretty can come later.
We are pretty sure it said "John Doe and family", best the family can remember. This thing traveled all over, as far up as Maryland. Parting it out will be a last resort. I will part it out so that those parts my live on before I let them sit there and rot though.
If I didn't address you I apologize. I think I hit most of the questions asked. I will do better when I make it off probation.
Tornadoes might be rolling through so it's not looking good for getting tires on it today.
