Thanks, I agree with Bobby, I'm rich if he gets that for it !

 

I live in the rust belt and my truck spent its short but apparently intense working career in the UP of Michigan. My truck, as a result, was rusty--much more so than the truck body we are talking about here. Heck, I bought some supposedly rust free doors from Oklahoma that were probably worse than the doors on the truck body in the ad. In my case, I believe I may have been money ahead spending $3500 for a complete truck body with just surface rust. Rust repair--we're talking holes--missing metal--has been expensive, at least in my experience.

 

I grew up in Cincinnati and probably got started in the body repair business as a result of having to deal with all the body cancer on the cars I had. When I went into the service I was in Memphis for awhile and was utterly amazed at how nice the cars were there...no salt on the roads. I guess the point of all this is...if you know that there are places in this country where rust-free sheet metal can be found, why mess with rust repair? These are not one of a kind classics, Ford made millions of them and they are available in good condition without much looking. If I had to choose between 100s of hours of cutting and welding or a road trip West to buy nice sheet metal I know what I would choose. Besides, road trips are a hoot.

 

right road trips are GREAT look what one of mine looked like http://images.craigslist.org/00k0k_6...Y2_600x450.jpg

 

You are so right Charlie--A road trip out west would have been fun and money well spent. I discovered too that buying parts sight unseen over the phone is not such a good idea either.

Getting into truck restoration has been a learning experience, but overall I have no serious regrets. When its done, my truck will be all metal and all original--well mostly. I did end up using one door, the lower valance, and both running boards from my Oklahoma deal. I can take some satisfaction in knowing that my truck is still essentially the same truck that my Dad brought home and that as a teenager I learned to drive.