questionsfor my first project

[roxxor92]

starting my first truck project in about a month or two, just looking for some advice on where to start, planning on building a chevy or gmc reg cab short box to my liking mostly restored with some custom. i live in northern michigan so trucks without some rust are hard to find, so im wondering #1 am i better off to just find the best body i can locate near here and weld/put new parts on to repair the rust, or am i better off driving all the down south and getting a rust free starting body? also wondering the pros/cons of 73-87 and 88-98. i like both but 73-87 seems to be the preferred years. and any other advice would be greatly appriciated, i am 21 and looking for a new hobby besides drinkin/drugs, and im gonna build somthing that puts all these cheap cars with spinners to shame. i also am not rich and paying for it all myself so its going to be a slow long term project. i make okay money but not a ton so any tips that will save me some money getting started would also be .
you guys will be seeing and hearing lots more from me, i like to do my homework before i start my project

[old Rusty C10]

Ive always driven my trucks so I decided to make mine the most useful I could first.. I got it where I had the rotted nose replaced then doors then I took the trans out and rebuilt it then ordered a crate motor to replace the oil consuming 305 then I went into major paint and body and interior

[wraprail]

Originally Posted by roxxor92

starting my first truck project in about a month or two, just looking for some advice on where to start, planning on building a chevy or gmc reg cab short box to my liking mostly restored with some custom. i live in northern michigan so trucks without some rust are hard to find, so im wondering #1 am i better off to just find the best body i can locate near here and weld/put new parts on to repair the rust, or am i better off driving all the down south and getting a rust free starting body? also wondering the pros/cons of 73-87 and 88-98. i like both but 73-87 seems to be the preferred years. and any other advice would be greatly appriciated, i am 21 and looking for a new hobby besides drinkin/drugs, and im gonna build somthing that puts all these cheap cars with spinners to shame. i also am not rich and paying for it all myself so its going to be a slow long term project. i make okay money but not a ton so any tips that will save me some money getting started would also be .
you guys will be seeing and hearing lots more from me, i like to do my homework before i start my project

This being your first post let me be the first to say

[roxxor92]

thanks, and yeah i will probably go about it that way aswell. its going to be a daily or semi daily driver, road truck. if i buy a body thats not running my first priority will probably be making it driveable first. then taking care of rust.

[motornut]

Hi,
and welcome to your new addiction lol
thought about 4X2 or 4X4?
summer only?
more stock or custom stuff in the end result?
may want to look for a "rusty/trusty"
(ad reads runs good, needs body work)to start/learn with
may get some good options/interior cheaper,get a better shell later

[roxxor92]

Originally Posted by motornut

Hi,
and welcome to your new addiction lol
thought about 4X2 or 4X4?
summer only?
more stock or custom stuff in the end result?
may want to look for a "rusty/trusty"
(ad reads runs good, needs body work)to start/learn with
may get some good options/interior cheaper,get a better shell later

most likely 4x4 since its northern mi and its gonna be my driver, i would love to do a 4x2 summer truck but i just cant see me affording two vehichles right now lol.

thats another question i had. i know how hard salt is on any vehichle, im gonna try to store the truck as much as i can when its prime salty roads. but if i do want to drive it in the winter is there some way to protective coat the whole underside/rockers? i will probably lift it as opposed to drop it. dunno if that helps out or not. and as far as how much custom most of it will probably be newer stuff, id like to keep the older general "look" tho. same body, same grill, same interior/panels. all chrome metal probably. bumpers im not sure yet.