thanks for all the feedback. I'm just waiting for the mail man now to begin my project! I'm leaning towards a flat deck truck, 2 toned pearl paint from Createx.
I noticed a few pictures showing the hood opens like a standard truck, with large hinges in the center of the hood. There's a big block 427 planned for the engine bay, borrowed from the Corvette roadster. The tire choice is still uncertain...either Alcoa wheels, or torque thrust wheels from Pegasus.