Snowdog,
If you want to try to determine if your truck had a V8, the VIN can help you (you proably know this), a V in front of the VIN indicates a V8 truck.
However, it looks like there is no way to tell if it was a 265 or a 283 because that code was on the cylinder block (you probably know this).
If it was mine, I would restore it (and try to get a '57 truck 265 or 283 - the first of "small block" GM V-8s). But, do what ever you want - it is your truck.
Tim
