man's best friend
33x12.5s is really plenty big. A Skyjacker 2" full spring lift will be more than enough. The dana 60 upgrade for the rear is good idea as the 9 1/4 is more than likely rusted out under the shock plates and you can twist these axle tubes off like a beer can when they get rusted.
The structural body work you are going to have to do will be intense. If the rockers are as bad as you say, the body might start to fold when you jack it off the frame. There is a rear panel that ties the bedsides together. I had to rebuild mine as they are no longer availible and it was some complex work. How good are you at bodywork?
There's not a whole lot you can do about the brakes other than adding new new front rotors, good pads from "Hawk", add rear disks to the Dana 60 and some braided steel brake lines to replace the rubber stuff.
A 360 built right will give you plenty of torque, espacially with a stroker kit and mild ported magnum heads. You would still have the option of putting EFI on it from a later 360 with a upgraded computer too. Granted a 440 would be better but you'll need to check your emissions laws there. If they don't check you, go for it. Otherwise they may fail you for putting a early engine in a later body and an EFI conversion would be really pricey.
Actually, Ramcharger, I'll let you in a secret...(shhh, don't tell anyone...) My body experience is 15 years. Worked for local dealerships doing frame work on the rack and my dad and I owned our own restoration shop for seven years turning out things like one I just finished up: a '57 Chevy Bel Air Conv, appraised at $100,000. So nothing on the body bothers me. Actually, my truck, for all the rocker work, is rock solid underneath. All the mounts and crossmembers are in gorgeous shape. And I have two good used rockers, inner and outers, to be welded in before the truck would even begin to come off the frame. As a matter of fact
, all the sheetmetal work would be done before that happened to make it more structurally sound and to make the project go that much quicker to get the body back on.
The 440 appeals to me for two reasons: I have three of them. I have two 360s at the moment and both of them are in use. I even have a 413 if I wanted to do just a drop in. Emissions doesn't bother me: I'm a licensed New York State Safety and Emissions Inspector. And emissions testing in upstate NY is a soft emissions test: are the cats
present? They don't have to have guts in 'em, and since it's not an OBDII system I don't have to worry about cat monitors. As a matter of fact, after 25 years, there is no emissions inspection on a car period, just safety. So in another five years...
I got out of body work as a living about five years ago and started turning a wrench. My body simply couldn't take the beating anymore. I'm 37 years old and need two new knees and major surgery on my left elbow because of repetive motion. Using the impact is less harmful to my elbow than an airboard or DA. And I can do most of the work I've been doing standing up with a car on a lift. I'm also Ford (BOO! HISS!) certified in electrical test out, drivability, engine performance, etc. Even though I'm not in a shop right now, I've got plenty of friends who are...so getting the sticker is absolutely no biggy.
I like your idea of stainless braided. Didn't think of that and with a lot of salt on the roads here, that's a good idea that'll I've have to follow up on. Rear disk on the Dana is another that I've thought about, especially for towing purposes: less prone to brake fade.
What about any other thoughts and suggestions? The 3/4 springs are going forward and if I go to the floating ends along with 'em then there would be a full brake upgrade, but I'm thinking that's overkill. An eight lug pattern would open me up to "E" rated tires, but since the truck would be towing more than it hauled I don't think that's necessary. And I'm thinking that with the extra stack of spring and better curvature then I won't have to spend the money on a lift at all, the springs will bring it up.