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My "build" was spread out over about four years. I dragged it home, went through the mechanicals, and started driving it in about 9 months. I took it off the road to replace the clutch about 10 months later and spent 31 months "restoring" it with a bunch of help from a pro body man.

For many years I worked at a GM dealership that let me buy parts at cost. You have no idea how much that saved.

The body man at the dealership quit and no one was hired to replace him, giving me full access to the body shop for a couple of years.

Eventually I moved from the dealership to a body shop up the street because the owner wanted to start doing mechanical repairs and was willing to sell me supplies at cost.

One of the body men there took pity on me and allowed me to trade parts for his future truck in order to secure guidance and then labor to help finish and paint my '57.

In '90s dollars I figure I have less than $10k into the truck. I was very frugal with spending and I only replaced what had to be replaced. I kept the suspension stock. I re-used the brake shoes and shocks that were in the truck when I bought it since they were still good. I didn't change axle seals or even front wheel seals. I made most of my own patch panels with the exception of the floors and cab corners. There were still plenty of parts trucks around MT that had good parts. so I bought a rust free bed from a '63 for $200. I bought a rust and dent free RH door for $75. I bought a radiator for $40. I bought an original turn signal switch for $25. I think those opportunities would be tough to find today.