Lots to do, but where to start?

[Elpresidente]

Ok, so it's time to do some (more) serious restoration work on the 82 C10. on the list to be done:
-Remove the box
-Bead blast & paint the frame
-New heavy-half springs in the rear
-Regear to 3.73
-New box sides, reinstall the box
-Replace both rockers
-New front bushings/ball joints
-Find a way to make the truck sit 1" higher up front...(new coils?)

So my question in your experienced opinions is what's the best order to do all this in? it's a lot to do. Also I was going to paint something on the inside of the new box sides so they won't rust, something really durable that can handle daily use on & off pavement. Suggestions?

[81_Chevy]

IMO:

-Remove box
-Re-gear
-Heavy-half springs
-New front bushings/ ball joints
-Replace rockers
-Replace bedsides
-Bead blast and paint
-Reinstall box/ add undercoating

Fix mechanical first then cosmetic.

[Engineer]

I would do the mechanical stuff first, then the body work after.

[thirsty]

-New front bushings/ball joints. Make it ride and handle right and you will save money on tires and be safer.
-Find a way to make the truck sit 1" higher up front...(new coils?). Look for defects and do this as an upgrade later if no defects are found.
-Replace both rockers. Keep the cab from becoming the death of your truck.
-Bead blast & paint the frame. If rust is a serious issue get it done to preserve the frame. If not wait until you do box work.
-New box sides, reinstall the box. Look into another box. It might save you money and a lot of time.
-New heavy-half springs in the rear. Do this while the box is off.
-Regear to 3.73. Do this while the box is off also.

[Elpresidente]

-New box sides, reinstall the box. Look into another box. It might save you money and a lot of time.

I should probably add, I already bought a pair of new bedsides second hand from a guy who never got the chance to use them. That was $500, where a good box up here would run me $1000+ even if it was shipped from the southern states.

[Engineer]

Wow, I just bought a complete, clean rust free bed less tailgate for $150.00.

[Elpresidente]

Wow, I just bought a complete, clean rust free bed less tailgate for $150.00.

Rub it in. haha, but really up here people think that stuff like that is worth a fortune when it's really cheaper to just patch it up. Last summer someone was trying to sell a box off a '79 heavy-half for $1200, AND I could clearly see it needed bodywork behind the wheel well. Ridiculous! I only wish it was cheaper to ship something that big from Arizona or somewhere, winter beats the crap out of a vehicle.

[Engineer]

I'm sure you can stumble onto a rust free long bed if you held out long enough.

Those army M-1008s that everybody was junking out a few years ago were mostly sought out by the rock crawlers, and mudders for the axles. The really low mileage bodies, and diesel engines were for the most part discarded.

[Elpresidente]

I'm sure you can stumble onto a rust free long bed if you held out long enough.

Those army M-1008s that everybody was junking out a few years ago were mostly sought out by the rock crawlers, and mudders for the axles. The really low mileage bodies, and diesel engines were for the most part discarded.

Actually if I got my hands on one of those, i'd probably chop it to a short box and make it my full time off-road truck. There's not a lot of true M-1008's here in Canada, just clones.