[special-K]

By basket case you mean you bought a dismantled hulk of a vehicle that came with all the parts loose or in boxes? That takes up a lot of space, so is there room for another basket case? My exact plan for if I retire or at last not work all the time has always been to have the stuff I need to keep busy messing with these and older trucks. Driving them as primary use, repairing as needed and driving on some, restoring others, helping others with theirs, etc. Due to a divorce I have had to sell ff a lot of that dream and am now down to two and some parts. I still hope to gather more, but it looks more and more doubtful with crapped out trucks costing what a good driver should be and the good parts being snatched and resold at ridiculous prices.

I would suggest, if you are nearing retirement, is buy all you know you need for what you already have before looking to buy anything else. What you know you need and what you will discover you need are two different things. There will be more once you get into it.