Restoring a truck to daily drive?????

[Slowtruk]

Guys...I'm in a bit of a bind in my mind.

I've got my 85 silverado C20, which is in great shape and I DD it everyday. People always love the truck and want to buy it. I enjoy driving it for that reason among others. I'm the kind of guy that would rather have 10 "good" condition trucks than 1 "immaculate" restoration.

With that in mind, I've come to a crossroads. I bought this 65 short wide to restore, not a perfect resto but carshow quality nonetheless. To be driven on sunny days, not to be left in the mall parking lot or at the gravel contractors gate at the refinery I work at. BUT!!!!!

I keep seeing these threads where guys find a truck in a barn, air up the tires and tune it up and drive it. They have moderately good paint and patina....not a lot of cancer. I want that kind of truck. But my 65 was in too bad of shape, not as far as much cancer than the usual lower doors and rockers but it had been repainted, chipping paint, tons of bondo under the paint, then primered...it just wasnt pretty. Had no motor or trans or driveshaft.

original plan was to strip it, have the frame and chassis parts sandblasted, painted black, and all new bushings and steering parts added. Power steering and braking added. That part is still part of the plan whether I go full resto or not. The, have the entire body blasted, worked over with replacement panels and painted the color of my choice. new glass, BBW conversion, all the necessary insulation and carpet in the cab, new seat, etc. New wood floor...I'm already having a 700r4 rebuilt for it and am ordering a crate 350 for it soon...the whole 9 yards. Something you wouldnt want to drive in the rain.

But now I want to drive it to work or to the mall or anywhere, as long as its sunny. I dont want to be limited to just the weekend cruise.

Can I still do all of this work and daily it? I like to think I could but when it got the first scratch Id be pissed.

On one hand, thats a lot of work and money to put into something and drive it everyday and potentially harm it, but its also a lot of work and money to let it sit in the garage all the time.

ANyone else out there who daily drives a restored truck, any year? Id like to hear from you. SHould I just find another truck to throw a motor in and drive instead?

Sorry for the novel, heres my 65 before I tore it down, its about to be blasted soon


after a wash-from the back it looks like a nice candidate for a kinda used and abused cool looking DD, but on the front a lot of primer and primer over bondo under the doors and stuff. Plus Im not crazy about the army green.






Heres some trucks I pulled from new threads where guys found them and just drive em! kinda what I want.



again sorry for the novel dang it got long