just wondering if i have something here worth fixing up as i go, or did i just pick up someones junk box

 

LOL, that's a relative question. Did you pick it up because you love these old beasts? (in which case, the "fixing it as I go" is not a question but a labor of love.) Mine had a ton of issues when I first bought her. The body work is still not started so she's pretty ugly, but I love her & drive her every day. I've rebuilt the motor, fixed the wiring issues, the brakes, replaced the tranny, replaced the seat, the steering column and put mirrors on her. Added a camper so I can go prospecting & the dog & I can occasionally run away from the rest of humanity to regain our sanity.

 

truck was def purchased for the love of the truck and the look. i needed a truck to carry material to my sisters when i did her bathroom. but i was looking at trucks in generall. originally looking for newer trucks. never intended on a 66. but when i saw it. actually my wife saw it from the distance and said, thats it. we are buying that one. i agreed. i know theres alot of body work that needs to be done. but almost everything works. lights, blinkers, wipers, heat. only thing that aint working is temp guage... which, ironically, truck overheated right after purchase. broken rad. but that was fixed. now i think i need a big fan to keep er cool. i do love it, just dont have tons to spend. figure little buy little. as long as she runs, ill drive er. got a guy who said hell do body work as needed, when i have the cash. im gonna spend a couple bucks and give it a tune up. not a mechanic, but figure i can learn.

 

Well since there is a heart drawn on the air cleaner it must be a labor of love. Tell your wife that was "cute" for us.

All that stuff you showed pictures of is pretty easy to fix. Mostly it will be patching in new panels or replacing it with new. The rust bubbles around the roof rain rails is normal. Chances are that you need to get in there and do a little sanding to get to bare metal and protect it with good primer and paint. Anything to seal the area in comparrison to now. The rain rails themselves can be cut off if you don't live in an area that rains alot. Otherwise it is a matter of sealing them as well. The main reason you have all the rust bubbles is the cab, rails, and roof all spot weld together and the seam is filled in with body sealant. At 40 plus years old there are cracks in the seal that allow water to enter and rust everything.

I welded in new metal around the roof as needed and it wasn't too bad. It just took a little bit of patience on my part. Once I get the cab off the frame I plan on stripping all the seam sealer out and welding it closed then grinding it flush. Hopefully that will cut down on the rust.

 

Lots of work for sure, but seems like it might be ok in the long haul. The heart is on there as a ID tag Mark (Heartbeat of America powered) no I dunno for sure but thats not a 352 that much I'm sure of. One thing is for sure sure... if it's paid for and goes/stops hey!! be happy!

 

It's a love affair! First thing, take care of that rust so it doesn't get any worse!!!! Maybe your body-man has some suggestions, but at the very least I would wire brush the rust and use some quality rust converter, like Ospho on it and a primer.

That cab mount looks typical - the front cab mounts, radiator support, and cab corners are typical rust out spots, along with the lower back of the front fender, lower door frame, and the floorboards.

This forum has a free personal gallery for pics, please use it - some users don't have high-speed. It's in your UserCP (upper left menu of this page).

What is that last picture of?!? I can't quite make it out....my eyes just won't seem to focus on it?

 

That's a 9 3/8" rear end you've got there. More than likely 31 spline.

 

NJ tags? You need to hook up with the Mid Atlantic Slick 60s folks.
Slick60s.org
Here's what I would suggest: forget about making that one perfect. It's going to cost too much. Either do a 'rolling restoration' and just patch it as you go, or consider replacing the rotted parts (such as the cab) with a solid one. You can find cabs at Carlisle or through Flashback F100s. I think the going rate is $600-$1000. You can easily spend that kind of money at a body shop trying to fix what you have. I'm guessing the floorboards probably don't look much better than the cab mounts. The roof perimeter is very tricky to repair.
Don't know what you paid, but before you invest a lot of cash and effort into that truck you may want to consider buying a 'nice' one. Much cheaper in the long run. If you're in NJ you probably won't find one close by. I had to import mine from NC to PA but it was worth the trip to get a solid truck.

 

thats kinda what i was thinking. some days i look at the truck and dream of how good it would look if it was solid. rust and rottless; but then i look closer and see the parts that need work and $$$$$$$ guess ill have to take it day by day. might have the body guy do the upper part of cab. need to keeep water out. floors was redone prior to purchase, but if the water keeps dripping on the inside, they too will need fixin.

 

eek gad... my eyes they are burning.... call 911 I have lost my mind. I didn't even notice the boat anchor in the engine bay. No wonder there was all that oil under the engine. Don't you know CHEVROLET stands for Cracked Heads Every Valve Rattles Oil Leaks Every Time? This just proves it LOL.

Ok apart from the painfully obvious, I still think there is a chance the truck can be brought back. It's just a matter of preserving what you have left. Who cares if it has a big Ford car rear diff. It works and probably has a 2.75-3.0 ratio. The hard part will be pacing yourself to stay ahead of the winters. I drove around with 9 inch hole above the wind shield before growing up in New York, it is not nice in the winter or rain.

 

what would it cost me to pull the anchor and put in ford? my rear is from a car?? shows i dont know much

 

The only bad thing about having the car rear end will be getting different ratio's. All the parts are still available through your local parts house. There is a tad of info on it in this link. Kevinstang's Ford Nine Inch Differential Page +

As for the chevy engine that is totally up to you if you want to change it. Personally I wouldn't throw money at it unless there is something wrong with it. If you are dead set of swapping the engine back to Ford look for a donor from a later year. Nothing past 79 if I remember right. That way you can also upgrade to PS and power disc brakes at the same time. Heck a donor will also give you a transmission and a dana 60 or a 9" to swap back in as well. All the while still being able to drive your current set up. There is also the option of swapping your sheet metal over to the newer frame. I know John and several others have the info on years. Or better yet search the forum. It will take time to figure it all out. Just remember to research everything before you drop a dime. Don't need to waste $$$ when you don't need to.

As for a price it all depends on several things that varies to your geographical area, time you have to do things, space available, and the wifes "honey do" list. Make a list of all the things you wonder about and get them answered by calling around to local shops or even ask here. Don't get spooked yet. This will be a labor of love that will take time. If you happen to have a large pile of $$$ sitting around you can expedite the process by having someone else do the work.

 

Repairing those rotted spots wouldn't be too bad; I say go for it if you know what you're doing and are motivated to do it. Don't just let it sit and rust away in your yard. If you aren't going to work on the truck, sell it before it's too late.

 

It does'nt look that bad. I have had and done worse. Of course as matt said you could always sell it. Better yet you could sell it and go buy a new one. Or even better you could take the money you would spend on a new one and fix what you have. It will be unique, not something you will see a bunch of when you are driving down the street. One thing for sure you get alot of looks no matter what state or stage of repair it is in. Not to mention the total strangers that will walk up and want to talk about it. You are not likely to get that with a new one or something of the late model variety. Keep the faith.

Bill T.

 

Hey Mark, why do you say it's a car diff? Depends on what the tag says (if it's got one).