Punch List

The truck is really too nice to be modded and such.  It is an excellent candidate for restoration.  Although a full restoration is probably beyond my skills, my general goal for the truck is to replace parts like-for-like rather than try to upgrade everything.

A list of items that I want to do to the truck:

Project Hopper

Item	Priority	Difficulty	Cost	Notes
Seat belts	1	1	2	Really need to get seat belts if I am going to be driving much or taking the kids anywhere.
Steering	1	1	1	The steering box itself seems to be loose on the mounts.  Hopefully, tightening that will take up a lot of the play.  Otherwise I may need to replace a u-joint.
Lugs	1	2	1	One stud missing on each of the rear wheels.  Not hard to replace, but I would have to remove the drums. So I may wait and tackle the brakes at the same time. I don't think this one is too dangerous.
Air cleaner	1	1	1	The air cleaner housing was in the bed.  Just need to get a filter.
Flywheel/ starter	1	1	1	Starter will not catch (just grinds) about every third try.  I am hoping that the problem can be solved with a new starter or starter gear.  If I have to replace the flywheel or ring gear, that means dropping the transmission and transfer case. Not fun.
Rust	2	3	?	The body has remarkably little rust.  I want to keep it that way. I want to sand and prime the small spots it does have to halt the spread. I haven't decided if I want to do it myself or have it done.
Carb	1	3	2	The carburetor has got to be adjusted to make it run right.  It might even have to be rebuilt. Definitely out of my league.
Dome light	3	1	1	Needs a cover lens.
Keys	2	1	1	Need some spare keys. The old one is pretty warn, so if I can't get copies to work I would have to put new lock sets on the truck.
Gauges	3	2	2	I would like to get all the original gauges working, but who knows what that is going to take.
Instrument light	3	2	1	Can't see any gauges at night.  Should be a simple job, but who knows.
Dash cover	3	1	?	The dash pad is in perfect condition.  I want to get a protector that will keep it that way.
Tail gate	3	1	1	I can get it open with a pair of vice-grips, which is pretty typical for a truck of this age. I'm hoping to repair it without needing any new parts, but that may be too optimistic.
Headliner	2	2	2	I'm really not sure how difficult this is. The previous owner mentioned he might have a headliner, so I may contact him. I pulled the headliner from a donor truck, but it tore in the process. I may make one, using the torn one as a pattern.
Winch	2.5	3	3	The winch... a sad story. The truck has/had a really cool period-correct PTO winch installed. Someone along the line cut it out without disassembling anything. I am hoping it can be re-installed, but I am not confident that it will be easy or cheap.
Tow package	3	2	3	The truck has a bumper hitch that is period-correct. But this is one area I am willing to upgrade to a more modern system.
Glove box	3	1	1	Need a liner.
Brakes	1	3	3	There is a lot going on here, so I am not sure where to start.  I know it needs some new lines in a couple places. I can't imagine that the rear drums won't need a complete rebuild.  Hopefully the front will do with new pads.
Mud flaps	2	1	2	The tires are wider than the body and throw mud all over the side.  Also, the front wheel wells need liners.
Weather stripping	3	1	2	Typical for age. More expensive than I thought it would be, though.
Cover	2	1	2	Since I don't think the truck will be going in the garage, I want to keep it out of the weather as much as possible.

Key:
Priority
1 - High. Many of these are safety or usability issues.
2 - Medium.  Not immediate needs, but still important.
3 - Low.  "Like to have" items.

Difficulty
1 - Easy. Can do by myself in an hour or so.
2 - Medium. Can probably do myself, but may take a day or more.
3 - Hard. Probably will need help or have to take the truck out of commission for a week or more.

Cost
1 - Low.  Less than $50.
2 - Medium.  Between $50 and $200.
3 - High. More than $200.



Completed items:

1. Fuel filter
   Purchased and installed the fuel filter on the way home from the purchase.  Old filter was leaking onto the manifold.
2. Shift knob
   One of the first things the wife noticed was that there was no shift knob.  I installed an original-looking universal knob from Autozone.
3. Mirrors
   Rear- and side-view mirrors on older cars often will not hold their position when adjusted. At first, I thought I might have that problem with the truck, but after a little manipulation they seem to be fine.
4. Glove box
   Door wouldn't open at first, but a little WD40 did the trick. I want to get some spray grease for it.
5. Plugs and wires
   First real job.  Engine runs smoother, but carb work is still needed.
6. Air cleaner
   The part Autozone had on file for the truck did not fit. Had to go back for another one.  Still not a perfect fit, but it works.  Who knows what size is supposed to go on here.  The cleaner housing may not be original.
7. Seat belts
   The seat belts from the donor truck I found are installed and working!
8. Headliner
   Made a new one out of wallboard.
9. Starter
   Replaced starter, no more issues.  Ring gear looks good.
10. Gauges & Instrument lights
    Pulled a new instrument panel from an '85 Ford van.  Works great!
11. Steering
    Tightening the gear box took most of the play out.