Hello Doc,
Good to see a new person on here. I agree with Iowa on this one. These trucks are so simple that most of the work could be done yourself. Fixing a tranny leak and redoing the brakes is not hard. a $100 set of tools would be about all that you need. As far as the front end I think that is a "King Pin" front end and you can get a new set pressed in by a good mechanic / machine shop.
As far as mechanics go the only advice I can offer is to shop carefully. There are plenty of competent mechanics but they can be hard to find. It is best to talk to a lot of them and find the right one. You could also try a custom shop if you are wanting to "modernize" they may be better suited than a guy who does brake jobs and the like. Good luck, and don't get discouraged.
