You don't "need" to change the steering, add ifs, and disk brakes to do a V8 swap, though most folks do that. Rebuilt to stock specs, or perhaps mildly upgraded with bolt on improvements such as gas shocks, sway bars, and a steering stabilizer, these trucks handle and stop much better than most give them credit for.
This is true if you leave a lot of space between you and the vehicle in front of you and keep your speed under 65. Some guys are tempted to make a race truck on the cheap. Bad medicine.
