The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Do I really wanna do this?

I just restored a 1953 Schwinn recently, and it went so well that now I'm considering restoring something with 4 wheels. Specifically, there's a '64 Chevy pickup for sale down the road, and others on Craig's List. This is a big purchase and commitment, so I'm hoping you guys can advise me on whether or not to jump in. A few questions:

1) Most of the trucks I've seen have been 4-speed manual V8's. I've seen a couple automatic V8's. Maybe a 6-cylinder here and there. I don't care about horsepower, speed, or torque. I mainly want a decent looking truck to kick around in, and it would be nice if the gas mileage was as good as possible. So it seems like a 6-cylinder would be best. I don't know how to drive a straight, but I could learn. What's your advice on that topic? Should I get a V8 or a 6? Are parts for a V8 more readily available? Or is it about the same, and totally up to my personal preference? What about automatic vs. straight? Any benefit to either, other than I already know how to drive an automatic?

2) Speaking of parts, how hard is it to find parts? I saw some reproduction bumpers and things online, and I saw some new brake parts for sale. But what about engine parts and other mechanical things? Can you get those parts at Autozone, or do you have to go through ebay or something like that for used parts? As in question 1, is it easier to find V8 parts than 6-cylinder parts, or vice versa?

3) Are these trucks any good for day-to-day driving, or do they lag so far behind newer vehicles in comfort that they sit in the driveway untouched days at a time?

4) How much do I have to worry about rust, especially on the frame and floorboards? Since I'm not a welder, should I avoid trucks with heavily rusty parts?

5) Slightly tongue-in-cheek here, but there's no power-steering and power-brakes in these beasts, right?

Thanks for you help, everyone! I really appreciate your advice!

Thanks.
Steve.