I finished my '50 3100 disassembled to the last nut and bolt resto this summer. 3.5 years in the making working weekends and some nights after work. I had spent the previous 27 years fixing as needed. I do know that many a folk tear down a truck and never find the time or dedication to finish it. Only you can answer this question for yourself. For me, taking it to the frame and starting from there worked and I know that everything is new or rebuilt all at once. The feeling is awesome when it is done.
I started with the frame, springs, brakes, axles, then on to drivetrain and electrical, while at the same time doing rust repair and body work. Cab sat on the frame for most time after frame done and can be flipped on to its back on the frame for working on underneath. Paint and final body work was done last after several test fittings of body parts. The biggest chunk of time spent in my experience was simply cleaning and derusting parts.
(I will say doing this way something funny can happen, (and I have noticed this with other folks as well) is that the frame tends to be the nicest work on the truck. It is never really seen, but it is cleaned and painted when interest and energy is high. As time goes on, haste to get it done becomes more important and the last thing, final paint, the most noticible, may suffer. But boy if they are willing to roll underneath, take a look at that frame.)
I do know myself, had I gone the route of fixing while driving, I would have done a lot more driving than fixing and my truck would not be in the shape it is now. You can check it out at:
http://community.webshots.com/album/560337246OsfbnC (Haven't yet got a shot to the gallery.)
If you do do a teardown, you cannot take too many photographs. I also used many ziplocks baggies marked with a sharpie for what's in them and then placed those in plastic bins marked by where they came from, eg interior, firewall, bed, etc.
What ever you do, good luck and do not lose heart.
Steve O
