Hi Silver Girl;
As the others have done I extend a "Welcome to the zoo"! I'm sure as you work on your dream truck you'll hear plenty more opinions on the best course of action from the other Stovebolters;please feel free to remind us occasionally whose truck we're trying to re-design for you.We kinda get locked in on what WE think is the best way to do things sometimes. And,for the record,I'm voting for sticking with the 216 for a while if it turns out to be a good runner. If you need to wing it down the road faster than the stock truck can take,the overdrive 5 speed and a modern rear axle would be in order,along with possibly a front axle rebuild and a front disc brake conversion-all fairly easy to do,there are kits available that make most of it nearly bolt together work. And as has been mentioned before,a 2 carb intake and header set will build enough more power to make your truck a real pleasure to drive on the highway.I'm quite sure once you drive that ol' six cylinder for a while you won't want to consider a V-8. Just remember,you have some of the most knowlegeable Chevy truck enthusiasts in the world at your convenience right here on the 'Bolt. Ask a LOT of questions and tap into that knowlege! (They also have a pretty extensive parts trading network too!) Enjoy the journey!
Speed
