So where should I start?
I also don't want to remove anything that will keep me from trying to get the engine running as i plan to spend a weekend day with a friend at the truck to see if we can get it going shortly.
Where to begin????
Tj
The answer to your question may be at the end of my post. Or it might be advice from another Bolter who has more experience. Anyway, here are my thoughts.
There are many things to consider before you begin. I was cautioned with this good advice . ."Don't pull it all apart at once". The reasons are many, but mainly because the project will become overwhelming as you see all the work ahead.
Try to figure out the answers to these questions.
1. What do I want for the final result? Daily Driver? Show truck? Weekend toy? etc.
2. What is my budget? Be realistic!
3. What are my skills and what can I reasonably learn during the process?
4. What is my target date for completion? Or maybe it will always be a driver with work in progress?
What I did may not be right for you, but I'll share it anyway. I was a little cash poor after I bought my 65 1/2 ton. Sooooo . . . I decided to remove the bed and start with that. That allowed me to do something to the truck without making it undrivable or unmovable. It was still a complete truck, just without a bed. It was time well spent as I saved some money too. See the link to my BLOG at the bottom of this post.
My engine doesn't run right now. And like you, I will eventually want the engine to run, but even if I get it running tomorrow, I couldn't drive it until I thoroughly inspected the brakes . . you see where I'm going with this.
You can pull the bed off in an afternoon, take it home in pieces and work on it for a month or more. It won't cost much and you haven't made the truck into a pile of parts that will not move until someone has time to reassemble them.
After that, I'd get the brakes done, then get the engine running so you can move it around under its own power, then decide where to park it while you restore the cab and engine compartment. There is plenty of help here on the forum to keep you going forward. Take your time.
