I'm in the middle of restoring/upgrading a 1955 Chevy 1/2 ton NAPCO. It is a long journey you are taking on, but one that I think is worth it. My suggestions:
1. Get a digital camera and take pictures constantly. I dump mine into iPhoto so I can go back and look at all the images. It as saved my [censored] a bunch of times.
2. I live in Florida and if you clean a bolt and don't paint it, it will rust. I removed nuts and bolts, cleaned them with a wire wheel and shot them with a can of primer. Don't spray too much, cause it will be a [censored] to tighten bolts when the threads are full of paint.
3. Ziplock bags! Label everything, save everything, even if the part is so far gone you know you will replace it.
4. Tough out the dirty, rusty, greasy phase, cause when you get to assembly, its an awesome feeling.
5. Break down the project into manageable phases, i.e. Disassembly, Frame Painting, Rust Repair, Engine, etc. I have one phase under my belt and am almost done with assembling the chassis. I'm in my 3rd year. Of course, I have two kids and a family to pay attention to.
Good luck!
Michael
