Marc,
If it were my money, and I was already questioning the integrity of his answers (I could dump 40K on a restoration of my 1ton if I bought every wrench, socket, impact, jack, special tool, welder, etc. from the snap on man and paid someone else to use them) I'd keep looking. I think he's fishing for a sucker to bite. Good condition stock trucks are out there, but you have to look, and be ready to move when you find one. I found my 1 ton, DRW stakebed on a farm in Kansas for $650. fresh gas, points, condenser, and plugs and it ran like a top! It had some dents, but it was a farm truck. But no major problems. I drove it for a year before I began the restoration and it was always dependable, fired right off, and except for a few misc items that were broke or not functioning due to is 60+ years as a farm truck, solid as a rock! probably should have just fixed those and hit the road, but I needed a hobby. Tell my wife it keeps me out of the bars! Watch craigslist in the midwest area, they are still out there.
