I'm not really sure. Hopefully its just the box because that is obviously a gonner anyway. im thinkin a simple low budget wooden flatbed would work good for me. Its sitting in a field at my grandfathers about an hour away from where i live now. I will hopefully get a chance to go up there again this weekend and take a closer look.

 

the last known use of the truck was to push sprint cars at the dirt track. Most people would look at that and see scrap metal....I see a free trail rig in the rough

 

give it a little "polish" and you got yourself a great trail rig. and a wooden flatbed wouldnt be bad.

 

o. That will all just buff out.
lol.

Free is always good. Id say like everyone else. Just do the work it needs and wheel it. If it falls apart while wheeling, pull it out, take it home, fix it or part it. Thats why you always go with someone. lol.

 

Amen. I've learned that lesson the hard way before.

 

well if you can weld you got yourself a trail beater, hahaha

so my buddy just picked up 63" chevy leafs at a junkyards for 12.5 + tax Yea

If it was mine and IMO I would ditch the bed, cut the frame off right up to the rear shackles, take the OEM lights and zip tie it to frame rail, make a tool box mount up in there for trail spares and tools DONE maybe build some exo for it but not really.

Fix the common frame damage spot behind cab with steel plate DONE

get the beast to run dump the gas plug on the tank clean out the carb bowls, run fresh gas in it, new plugs, new rotor, new cap, fresh oil, fresh coolant, OH yea replace the brake fluid cause it has water in it now, dump diff fluid out and replace, dump tranny and tranfer fluid out and replace, check power steering fluid, and pump all the zurks full of grease., check all drive line u-joints for play, retork all steering componets and drive line bolts DONE

Throw a the junk yard lift on it with chevys under the rear & throw the your rears up front. Use a rear and a front brake line to make on long brake line on all 3 brake line spots. measure for shocks and buy some cheap stiff as heck shocks extend front drive line with sqaure reciever hitch tubing, degree shim the rear pinion, Z-bar for the drag link DONE Flex acheived

make breathers for the diffs with common plumbing fittings and flexable hose. DONE

cut front fenders and beat or cut pinch weld DONE

Stuff aggresive tires like an LTB, maybe 33's+ DONE any bigger your gonna need to regear.

take out rear diff and weld it (or spool it) traction acheived DONE

TOW it out to the wheeling spot with a buddy and have some fun

then you wil know your limitations for your terrian if any and proceed the build from there

but this is what I would do and I am crazy

 

that was exactly the info i was lookin for. THanks man. So looking at the pics of the frame...Do you think its salvagable??? I have not done much welding but i do have access to one (my old man has one) looks like its time to learn.

 

salavagable as a trail rig HELL YEA

yup time to bust out the old mans welder get some scrap metal and start throwing down some beads, get a buddy or your dad who knows what they are doing to show you the ropes then its practice practice practice and then you golden.

Oh yea I forgot to mention build home made armor rock sliders to protect the rocker panel and a beefy steel front bumper, I used a 3x3 square tube in between my rear frame rails to make a nice rear bumper but i bought in the rest of armor, I am getting close to the 7g mark i am sure you can make a truck more capable than mine for a 1/4 of price tag

you lucky dog