I like your plan, I had a 65 stepside a few years ago pretty much a rusto-sleeper, bought it off a guy I worked with once the truck was from coal country in West Virginia so she had quite a bit of rust. There were even spots you could see through the floor pan, but it had a sweet 283 in it that was should I say finessed a bit, I have always been fond of that body stlye anyway keep it going!!