That pretty much describes my experience....I had a pal with an auto shop so I was able to rebuild the engine-—my first and only rebuild——which was fun and very instructive. I took way too much advantage of their knowledge and tools. But I also had insuff funds to even get it mechanically sound. I liked driving it while I had it, but we’re talking 1974 and me a lot younger and and living in a much more rural locale. Those trucks are pretty much indestructible, but that also means, with your 1953 brakes in the rain you run into a suburban Mercedes and you obliterate it. (difference in 60 year old brain vs 30 y/o brain) Anyway, I sold it and the engine blew up on the new owner about a month later. Guess my engine work wasn’t quite journeyman class.
Yep, no sacrificial bumpers or crumple zones on those guys. I probably would have been in a little over my head if I had had to do a total rebuild on mine. Would have been a great learning experience though — very simple 216 inline six with a single barrel carb and exactly one belt as I recall...