My view on trucks; I worked hard to find my rust free '79. I knew I could keep it rust free, and that mechanically, it was always easier to fix than it was to replace steel and have body work done. I'd even rather put a new crate engine into a solid body than have a great running truck full of rust. Fortunately, my truck ran great too, just needed lots of gaskets. My truck has 31" tires, and 3.2 gears so gas mileage is not awful, 4WD and all. It is a factory 360-4, so if get into the pedal it will suck gas, so I try to stay off it.

As far as parts, I always try and stay a step ahead by replacing what I know is old prior to it failing (e.g. the alternator, coil, belts, etc.). I only use quality parts or have a local reputable shop rebuild. Doing it prior to failure, such as I did with alternator eliminates down time. I also watch ebay for NOS parts that are a good buy, and try and stock them myself.