Hi all, I'm new here and kinda new to trucks. I have my dads old '85 Chevy K 20, and I'd like to get it on the road so I can have a daily driver, it does run, but is rusted very badly. Where should I start in rebuilding this truck? Most people tell me to pull the drive train and stick it in truck with a good body, but my dad bought the truck from where he use to work, but was forced to quit due to bad back problems, and since he use to love working there (and he drove that truck every day before he bought a older chevy caprice) its a memory to him and me too, So thats why I dont wanna scrap it. Structurally, All I see bad is 1 cross member. Frame is not rotted, but it used to be a plow truck on a heavily salted college campus, so it has alot of body rot. Good news: I have all the documents on it, every part ever installed when they sold it to my dad back in 1990 or so, I also have a fisher plow, I think its a 7 and 1/2 foot, works great. The truck also has a semi recent tranny, (about 5000 miles ago), and a Heavy duty 350 from the factory in '85, (anybody know much about these? they dont seem too common)?, My biggest thing is where to start looking and repairing, maybe you guys could ask me the conditions of parts and what to check etc, I know what I'm doing for the most part, But I come from dirtbikes, atv's and snowmobiles mechanicly, so this is new to me. If anybody can assist me, I'd appreciate it! Thanks!
Heres a pic

Too many toys, not enough time or money!

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Hey there
As someone suggested you might be better off getting a donor rig and swapping the drive train over.
You can usualy pick up a rig that has no engine or tranny for around $500.
Then sell the front and rear axles and you will break even on the whole deal.
I have a sickness that makes me buy old rigs in fields and then try to restore them.
In the end I just scrap them out.
By the time you buy new fenders and bed sides, a hood, rockers .... the list can go on and on.
And get realy exspensive fast.
My K5 is realy rusted out and basicly needs a whole new body.
That is if I want to restore it.
But I was lookin at it and decided that the best route to go is a 4" lift and just cut out the rot around the wheel wells and stuff 37" tires under it.
But I would say that isn't an option for you.
LMC has a good selection of replacement panels and such.
And they are reasonably priced.
Go to http://www.lmctruck.com/ and they will send you free catalogs.
It sounds like ya have a good rig to start a project with.
Have fun and good luck.
See ya