Hey Mark,
It sounds like your painter is making great progress. Sounds like you will be red before I am (I have all my panels blocked out and am ready for wet sand too). But I am slow as cold molasses. Looking forward to update pictures.
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I purchased a stainless steel hardware kit for the body, but I am keeping all of the original hardware and sandblasting them. The original bolts are so nice with the pressed on washers. My stainless kit doesn't have the pressed on washers. So I am 50/50 on which ones I am going to use. Question? Are the original bolts the same color as the body or black? Would you guys paint or powder coat the bolts red (same as the body) or black?
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I believe the factory bolts for the most part were black phosphate coated and the door/hinge bolts were painted same color as the truck. At least mine were on all my 67-72 trucks. I experimented with some home bluing like they use on gun barrels. It didn't work too good but it did put a protective layer on the threads. I will oil the threads lightly when I do reassembly.
I ended up re-blasting the heads and washers from the top (the bluing caused light rust to form). I think it's a low strength acid.
Then I epoxy primered and painted them with Hot rod black paint. I am going to paint the hinge bolts when I start shooting the inside panels and my inside cab. I know the heads may get a little wear when I reassemble everything but I will deal with that when the time comes.
As far as the stainless bolts go. I wouldn't recommend them on high strength applications like the doors and hinges. I'm sure they would be strong enough but those fine threads and stainless, that might be asking for a stripped and gawled bolt. I used all stainless carriage bolts on my bed and stainless button heads on the bed header panel. They look good and many of them will be exposed to the elements.
Good luck