Greg, after you fix the few issues on your truck that you mentioned, there is absolutely no reason you shouldn't be able to drive it to the Nationals. No need to buy another truck.
I've been driving Ol' Roy for the last 4 years as a regular truck in rotation with my other vehicles (all antiques - I own no modern cars). I've put 11,000 miles on it in that time. It is a 216, 3spd, 4.11:1 rearend.
I drive it 60 on the freeway. It has never been restored, just repaired. These vehicles are perfectly usable as-is. Yours is probably in better condition than mine. You also have a 12v electrical system, Bendix brakes instead of Huck brakes and a 235 or 261 instead of a 216. Your upgrades are already installed!
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
