Some advice

[Lacranora]

So I have been lurking around a bit and used this place as a bench mark on if I was going to buy a truck I was looking at. I am more the MacGyver of auto repair then anything else. I know how to turn a wrench, but I often forget which way.

Anyway I picked up a 1973 Cheyenne camper special. Old gas gulping 454 and more head scratching issues then I figured I would run into.








So the issue is this, what do I want to do with it. I bought it a week ago and have spent the last week going back and forth asking myself do I want to restore it back to how it was when it was new (or at least close) or do I want to just straight customize it. Both are honestly above my skill level, and well I'm not a kid anymore so time (working on it) will be a hour or two here and there. I've helped restore cars before, and I've helped customize them, both have their own place and honestly I could go either way.

I know out of the box I need to get the brakes done, and seat belts. (yes it has no seat belts, which go along great with the all the way to the floor and pray it stops brakes) Would like to refresh the engine a bit, and the exhausts need to be replace and I want the ladder rack out of there. Past that its fun to drive and a lot quicker then I imagined it would be.

It is a odd question and one that most people will respond with do what ever you want its yours, but like I said, I am smack dab on the fence....and if I do not pick a side soon I think my wife is going to make me start sleeping in the truck. lol.

Anyway, any ideas out there would be most welcome.

[Irish_Alley]

how much money you want to spend on it

[zieg85]

Me first, me first... Nice clean 73, great year to start with... White, perfect color that is forgiving.  Gas guzzler, yes, but proper gearing and a top notch tune paired with sane driving habits should yield 12-13 mpg minimum, I get 15-16 driving like I have an egg between the go pedal and my boot with my 85 C20 454 4 speed...  I would make it safe, attack the rust on the hood and fix a little at a time.  Put it back stock, get the late model center caps that go on the rims, proper conversion lug nut set and call it a day.

[big bear]

i agree...great looking truck man.  start by making it safe ect, then attack little at a time.

[Captkaos]

Being a long bed 1 Ton if you are restoring it don't expect to get much out of it.

[Lacranora]

A interesting thing has happen over the last few months.



That's my daughter and oldest boy....my girl is 14 and slowly slipping away as she grows up,and my son is interested in anything i am. I love spending time with my kids, and it is one of the reasons i bought the truck.

[Captkaos]

Priceless.

[big bear]

awesome

[Lacranora]

We pulled the ladder rack off and I scrapped off all the stickers and what not that was on it. Its like a whole new truck. My daughter learned how to siphon gas, she said she hated it, lol. Tomorrow I guess we will tackle the rust on the hood and try to see what we are going to end up doing with it.

[nucknoel89]

Honestly I say go custom with it.  If you keep it stock/original then there are thousands like it, and to me that's boring.  If you do it custom then it's unique and exciting.  Just my two cents.  Good luck with it no matter what you choose!

[Lt.Del]

i agree with nucknoel....there are so many of these trucks.  Restoring as new will not bring much more money that just a nice custom job. It's your's, make it your own. 

[Bitzer!]

I slightly disagree with SgtDel (!!)

If you custom it may only be to your taste hence unable to sell if wanted.

I've gone down the route of stock with a couple of twists rather than out and out custom.

Also I have the advantage of being one of a handful of these trucks in the UK 

Most importantly, make it safe then secondly, encourage the family to help. My 3yr old loves "daddy's truck"

good luck

Andy

[ehjorten]

For these trucks I seem to pretty much like them looking stock.  I don't know why, maybe because my first 3rd gen, the '77 is such a good example of a nice, solid stocker!  Now with that said, being a mechanical engineer, I like to update the performance of the vehicle while keeping it looking stock.  This includes but is not limited to, upgrading the brakes, installing fuel injection, LS motor although I haven't done that yet, some friends have, modern overdrive transmission, improved 'legal' headlamps, etc., etc.  Moving into the interior; putting in a moder stereo with iPod interface and blue-tooth, maybe some heated seats or lumbar support, sound deadening to make it more quiet inside, add some relays so the stereo stays on when you turn off the ignition and until you open the door, aftermarket rear-view mirror with outside temperature gauge and compass, delay wipers, cruise control etc., etc.

Having driven trucks like my lowered '68 C10 with stiff springs, 4.10:1 gears, 4-speed tranny and absolutely no noise damping in the interior and having done that at 60 MPH, topped-out on the highway for several hours at a stretch, I have grown to appreciate how rested I feel in a more docile ride.  Now don't get me wrong, I don't really like most modern cars because they are too docile and too quiet that I have a hard time staying awake in them.  I like my trucks to ride a little rough down the road.  It is a truck for chr**t sake!  I also laugh my off when people ride in my trucks and they get tossed around!

Well...that is probably enough of my rambling.  The greatest part is that your kids are out there helping you work on that truck!  Do what you want, but also let them help decide.  It will give them a piece of ownership in it.

[big bear]

very true ....no matter what, enjoy !!

[1980c10]

That truck would be good looking as a stocker but do modify it for comfort and drivability. An overdrive transmission would be a great modification from there work on getting the suspension to ride right. Also make the interior comfortable with modern conveniences. Other than that get the kids involved and find out what they would like to see and do-this may keep them interested.