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Year-round street driver? Not a lifted and fully articulated rock crawler type?

If it were me I'd put it on an S-10 4x4 frame and run a 454 with a TH400 and NP205. But I'd probably build it based on a '54 GMC instead of a '52.

I say that because the S-10 frame and the '54 GMC cab are in my shop right now. The drivetrain parts are in a parts truck parked beside my shop.

While the project is on hold today for other reasons, this is one of my active projects.

Mine will probably not be a daily driver, but instead will be the alternate I use when the weather isn't real friendly. My current daily is low enough (Corvette) that when the roads are wet my windshield is hard to keep clear. This truck will be used if I'm tried of straining to see and on those rare days we see snow around here.

It will also be used to pull a trailer when I don't need a bigger truck to do the job. My primary trailer puller is too big and long some of the time and while this one would not make sense with a heavy load or long distance, it would certainly move the trailer around my yard with more ease than my bigger truck.

From the little you said about how you'll use the truck I see yours as primarily street driven with four-wheel-drive for inclement weather, not for wild off-roading. If off-roading was a big part of your plans I'd suggest putting straight axle type axles under it and using the original frame.