Inherited this old gal.

[dlbleak]

Nice! I’d do a mechanical resto on it, detail the heck out of it top and bottom and love it. A complete restoration takes the soul of the truck away IMO. This little ding happened when…this scratch happened when…etc

 

[TheDoubleD]

As others said, mechanical restoration. May look into having it clear coated, preserving the finish.. Such a cool truck.

 

[Shinneryfarmer]

Love them old trucks. Built back when they were actually TRUCKS! Not aluminum beer can grocery getters, I have did complete restores on 2 of them old trucks and have to agree with the above post. I would mechanically restore it and put a clear on it. With a complete restore you have a great truck but with the one that had the most sentimental value to me I felt it lost alot of that. It was my Uncle's truck that was like a Dad to me, when he passed away his grandson was 6 yrs old. Grandpa was his world.

When that young man graduated college I gave him the keys.

 

[swampratt]

@PanhandleGlocker That truck is a survivor and I would not mess with the paint or bodywork.
I would power wash the crap out of the engine compartment and undercarriage.
Check for worn things like ball joints and tie rods and replace if they need it.

I would remove the junk in the bed and make it usable to haul stuff.
Little rust and holes in the bed will hurt nothing. Unless you haul sand or dirt then plop a tarp down before loading.

Do the conversion to gas and drive it and let it show it's life scars.

Yea a shiny cookie cutter truck is nice eye candy but you will want to kill someone if they steal it or T bone it or dink it with a car door in the parking lot.
At least that is the way I get when a shiny no dent car of mine gets dinked.

Shiny no dink cars are out for me.
I get more lookers in my rusty Dodge truck than any shiny thing I ever had.

One guy called the color Root Beer.

I like that instead of rust.

 

[El Pablo]

I’d resto mod the mechanicals, keep the well earned patina. I love that thing. In your shoes, I’d trade the truck in a heart beat for even a few more days with either of my grandpas. In lue of that, I’d want it mechanically sound but keep it looking like my memories.

 

[steelfingers]

Love it. Please restore it and show pics. Those were outstanding trucks. My brother had one and I could never talk him into selling it tom me.....and then he wrecked it. Now he wanted to sell what was left of it...ha

 

[retrieverman]

yeah you may be right.

I’m sentimental about things like that. You may not be, and it would be a cool truck to restore.

 

[Chief Sapulpa]

I'd convert the engine back to gasoline, restore it mechanically and the interior and keep the well used look on the exterior.

 

[Shadowrider]

You guys are slacking!

 

[1shott]

@PanhandleGlocker That truck is a survivor and I would not mess with the paint or bodywork.
I would power wash the crap out of the engine compartment and undercarriage.
Check for worn things like ball joints and tie rods and replace if they need it.

I would remove the junk in the bed and make it usable to haul stuff.
Little rust and holes in the bed will hurt nothing. Unless you haul sand or dirt then plop a tarp down before loading.

Do the conversion to gas and drive it and let it show it's life scars.

Yea a shiny cookie cutter truck is nice eye candy but you will want to kill someone if they steal it or T bone it or dink it with a car door in the parking lot.
At least that is the way I get when a shiny no dent car of mine gets dinked.

Shiny no dink cars are out for me.
I get more lookers in my rusty Dodge truck than any shiny thing I ever had.

One guy called the color Root Beer.

I like that instead of rust.

This right here.

If the bed has some rust, take it and have a LineX spray in liner applied.

Leave the paint as is, just clean it, same with the engine, ditch the propane, replace the valve cover gaskets, deep clean the engine bay, drive it and enjoy.