[71meangreenc10]

I have been wrenching on these for almost 30 years. I do help out my C10 brothers and sisters when asked. I try to give them the best advice from my experiences with these trucks. Restoring vs Regenerate is what I see. I have done a frame off nut and bolt restoration and I have got daily drivers back on the road. The biggest issue most folks face when taking on a project is BUDGET. What I mean is people will have this great vision and do not have the finances to support it. It is the Steak request on a Bologna budget mentality. Some folks have no idea and if they cant do it themselves Labor Rates will smoke that budget. Budget is the first thing I talk to folks about and gets me so irritated when they agree, then come back and start to nickle and dime everything.... This alone is a reason I start to walk away more from folks.

I can address some of your points and there are others that can add or subtract from my points.

1. Door seals. Big pain in the rear. I have yet get a new set of push on seals that did not require lots of time to make them work on a running truck. You are correct on the glue seals.

2. Good points, just have the ability to organize and store your parts if you do pre-buy. Nothing worse than buying something again cause you couldn't find it in that rats nest of parts in your shed.

3. I would tell people to forecast as much as you can. It is really hard today with all the drama we face in supply chain fun. Nothing worse than waiting months after something to get finished cause it has your movement stuck in its tracks.

4. Sheet metal work is painful no matter what. Fitment issues with doors is the number one reason I don't want them. My buddy just spent a ton of $$$ for some reproduction burb doors and he is a very good metal guy. His burb body was very straight and those new doors were just awful. Luckily for him I had a door and it fixed his issue with very little adjustment needed along with a new skin on the passenger door. The latest batch of cab corners are very fun to install along with the rockers. One thing I will say is that the thickness of the panels is getting better.

5. This goes back to my initial point, lack of planning for a budget is going get you sooner or later. Depending on family or friends can only make your relationships get strained one way or another.

Too many folks watch so much TV or view youtube and get the idea that anything is possible. Then they destroy more or put more people at risk with their lack of competence of automotive repair. I have a few examples of horrible shortcuts that were done on a few of my trucks and looks to be the norm now cause folks only see that $$$ they could make on that flip.

I would post more of what I am doing now, but just aint fun trying to resize a hundred pics.

Thoughts?

Smitty