You might want to read the following thread just to get a perspective on things, and realize you’re not alone in dealing with similar problems.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=397541I would suggest you address the “project viability” issue first, before deciding where to start or in what order to begin repairs. The bodywork doesn’t need to be completed first, but a truly honest evaluation of the amount of money and work needed to bring it to a level you’ll be satisfied with in the end, should decide alone whether the truck you have is worth keeping.
I’ve built all my own cars/trucks over the years so I’m a champion of doing it yourself, but I’ve also seen many enthusiastic owners have their projects go down the road as a pile of parts, when the never ending flow of money and work ultimately interfered with family life, and failed to produce a completed vehicle.
Many owners are happy with “patina” rods now. If you can live with the level of defects in your truck as it is (or a little better if you can do some of the repairs yourself), fixing up the chassis and driving it for fun might be the answer. But if you really want it to be “nice” someday, now is the best time to analyze things realistically. Rust repair is expensive, and so is replacing body panels. By the time all the replaceable panels are purchased, more money may have been spent than what it would have cost to buy a better truck. And that doesn’t include things than cannot be replaced by bolting on new parts. Having a body shop replace things like rusty windshield headers, rocker panels, cab corners, floors, etc can cost a fortune, and for good reason. It takes many hours of effort at the going shop labor rate, and this is assuming you can find a reliable body man that will commit to timely repairs. And once all the parts are purchased and repaired, the owner still must have the talent, experience and enthusiasm to get it all back together successfully.
The best method I’ve found for estimated project expense is to write up a list of all the work, repairs, and parts, then put a price to each entry. Try to include both the things it needs, along with the things you want. Add it all up, then double that figure, and that will be pretty close to the actual cost. It just turns out that way, there being so many small trinkets that up to as much money as the big ticket items.
This isn’t meant to be discouraging. I just have a lifetime of experience building cars, and in my youth I didn’t start this way. I found something I liked, bought it, tore it all apart and started spending money. Many times I was greatly disappointed half way through a project I realized I could have bought something I wanted even more for less money than what I already had invested, and I could have avoided many months of hard work. By making an informed decision now you’ll be happier in the end, and will feel you are in charge of the project instead of at its mercy.
If you decide this is the truck you want to keep, it’s better to do small projects than the whole vehicle at once. A running vehicle is always more likely to survive the restoration process that a pile of clutter clogging up the garage, especially if it is your first. If at all possible, break down upgrades or projects into increments that can be accomplished in a weekend. This way the truck gets back together by Monday (or perhaps the following weekend). You have instant gratification you’ve accomplished something, and the vehicle remains self propelled.
If you do decide to do a frame off, buy a digital camera and takes more pictures than you think you’ll ever need. They will come in handy when you can’t remember how to put something back together, and are a sense of pride when you go to brag about the before and after comparisons. Buy the large economy boxes of different size Ziplock bags and bag everything. Use a felt marker on each bag identifying the contents, and try to store them in some arrangement that mimics where they go on the truck. Keep the bolts and fasteners with the parts they go on if possible, even if you have to tie wrap the bag to the part. Anything too big to put in a bag, write directly on the part with a felt market what it is and where it goes. This includes things like wiper linkage, door latch mechanisms, window winders, etc. And take more pictures!
As for the drivetrain, a 283 is a fantastic engine. I’d never get rid of one if it’s worth keeping. If you want reasonable engine speed on the freeway, either the rear end gears or the transmission needs to go. If you put an overdrive 5 speed like the T5 in, you won’t need to change the rear end, since a .70 overdrive will improve the final drive from 3:90 to around 2.73. The T5 is no where near as strong as a granny low 4 speed, but a T5 can live for a long time behind a 283 if it isn’t beaten. Decades ago I put a 283 in a 54 Chevy 2 door sedan, against the original 3 speed torque tube transmission and rear end. It lasted for several years until the spider gears in the rear end broke. I just knew it was a weak link and treated it accordingly. If you want to haul excessively heavy loads, you’re probably better off keeping the transmission you have and going to a higher (lower numerically) rear end ratio.
Passenger car 4 speeds will also bolt in and provide flexibility and can be a blast to drive. The Saginaw is probably the cheapest. Any Borg Warner/Richmond T10 or Super T10 will fit, as will early or late Muncies. The early versions share the same output yoke with the 3 speed manual, Powerglide and Turbo 350. The late versions use the larger Turbo 400 yoke.
Good luck on whatever direction you decide to take.
