I actually bought this rig quite a while back, but my mother passed away before I could get it home, then other things came up... Finally got it hauled home yesterday so I could take inventory and get a plan drafted. I plan on taking it down to the frame, replacing the non-operable 390 with a late-90s 300 I have already bought for it, putting a custom flatbed on it and making it my 'new' daily work rig. The 300 is planned to be turbocharged and it will run on propane; no gas tank will even be installed. For working around the ranch and an occasional trip to town, it should do me fine. If I can find a Brownie box, I'll keep the NP 435. If not, I may go with a ZF 5 speed for the overdrive.

As it sits now:


I plan on repainting it dark metallic blue and silver, mainly because I've got a full blue interior laying around. Silver where the red is now, blue where the white is.



Interior needs cleaning...LOL





DANA 70, right?



I'm not sure what's wrong with the 390, but I was told it 'quit running'. I'm not worried about that now. I figure after I finish the build, I'll pull it apart and see what wrong in there.



It came with A/C, but most of it's gone now. I've got the parts that need replaced.



Power brakes and power steering. I'll probably get Red Head to do their magic.



It's going to be slow going as money is a bit tight these days. I'll start a build thread when the actual work starts.

 

great project! Its so much fun just getting started
Are you carb'ing the late model 300 or putting it in with the fuel injection?
Warning the intake manifold hits the factory a/c evaporator box if you go fuel injected as i did with my 74.
Enjoy your new project look forward to progress pics

 

I was wondering if that big honker would clear the A/C box. I'm planning on stripping all the electronics off the engine. The only thing I plan on is probably running a DS II ignition. I was going to use the EFI manifold but replace the throttle body with an Impco 425 mixer. Guess I'll have to put my non-EFI intake on it. Thanks for the heads up!