OldSub's feelings on the subject is exactly why my trucks are "rat restos" with paintbrush paintjobs.
It only takes one dipschmit to blow thru a red light, or overestimate the 4x4 traction of their latest north american land barge to turn your hundreds of restoration hours into a mess.
I could spend countless hours sanding and painting and body filling.. polish every screw and bolt head, and make my trucks look BETTER than they did when they rolled out of the factory, but then i'd be absolutely TERRIFIED to do anything with them.
My father in law has two old fords..a model A and a model T.. they are absolutely immaculate, and both sit in a temperature controlled garage up on stands with the rims removed. Niether one has moved in years.
Let's face it.. cars and trucks are driven OUTSIDE.. they get wet, birds poop on them, shopping carts smack into them, rain falls on them, they get dirty.
I had my 1/2 ton painted about a week and I had a hog panel scratch the side of it.. had I paid for a $3,000 paintjob, i'd probably have had a [censored] hemmorage right there in the lawn and fallen over dead.
That ain't no way to live, man.
Make the truck safe, slap a cheapie paintjob on it, (or leave it in primer) and DRIVE and ENJOY the truck.
All old trucks look cool and turn heads, regardless if they're 100% resto, hot rod, or farm fresh beat up working trucks.
