http://www.high-impact.net/transmission_and_gear/rangeroverdrive.htmHere's a link to a Ranger overdrive transmission. It bolts between your transmission and engine. IIRC you need to move the trans (and shifter ) back about 7 inches. Driveshaft needs to be shortened as well. The unit is about 15-1600 bucks. No re-engineering of the entire truck is necessary. Your 283 is a good engine and ----you already own it! T-5 is a good option , but you also need to move the shifter and you need the correct trans from an S-10.
You are on the right track, Do the mechanicals first. Brakes are A-1 number 1. Then you can tune up the engine and add the overdrive. But you really ought to get the truck up and running before you change it all. You haven't even driven it yet( from what we can gather) and yet you are dissatisfied with it already. Why is this? Too many magazines and "well-intentioned" buddies is my theory. I suggest getting the truck safe and drivable and go from there. You can buy new front fenders from LMC for a couple hundred apiece. New rockers as well.
A rolling restoration is preferable to a bunch of pieces (crap to your wife) hanging around waiting for your budget to fix. I've been there and bought the T-shirt. If I had it to do all over again, I'd do it very differently on the first truck.
