newbie, where to start

[yellowgmc]

i have a new ( well new to me) 72 gmc longbox 2 wheel drive truck. no idea what model. the laundry list is needs new rear brake lines ( last guy tore one line out and decided to cut them both off at the drums), exhaust ( all i'll say is glasspacks), lower cab sheetmetal ( wife won't ride in it till she can't see the ground from inside), suspension ( kinda scary to turn , i turn the wheel and it takes a second to take all the slack out of the steering system, then the wheels turn, then the truck leans to the outside due no swaybars, then it turns. that and it's too high), front sheetmetal ( all i'll say is bondo) and it has no box ( again bondo and i could see thru it), and the tranny is stuck in 3rd gear. brakes and the tranny need to be done cause i want to drive it next summer even if there's duct tape over the marker light holes. how hard is it to tear the entire suspension out and replace every replacable part? i can try to do it myself and screw it up and then bring it in to be fixed but i'd rather do everything myself if i can. thanks . again sorry for the long rambling post