[chevyrestoguy]

Dan-
The more I look at that truck the more I like it. You've got a solid, driving runner and I'm jealous. The vehicles that I have had the most fun with were the ones that were runners, but needed a little TLC. It seems like every little thing you do makes a huge difference. It makes it fun.

When I said "flush", I meant just a simple drain/filter/re-fill. I would suggest a new set of valve cover gaskets before you do the engine paint work. For de-greasing, I have had great luck with Purple Power, which is super cheap and sold at Walmart. I use it at 100% strength for heavy de-greasing. As far as a coating for the headers there are many options, but you have to ensure that the headers are clean (preferably sandblasted). I like the look of a gray/silver header, but have had great luck with an exhaust paint (black) that Honda sells at their motorcycle shops. You have to weight the cost of sandblasting versus the cost of a new set. Take a good look at the current headers you have. They might be cheapies, so spending a lot of time and money on them might be a bad deal. The beauty of a small block Chevy is that parts are easy to find, and even though there are many different applications of headers, 80% of them look identical. You might find a brand new set on Craigslist for cheap.

The rust repair inside the cab is a great place to learn how to use the MIG. As far as the dash, you can buy a repair panel and weld in new sections, but that means you will have to re-paint the dash. Maybe you can check the hardware section at Lowes or Home Depot for escutchions that you can use that will cover the holes temporarily. Maybe a large beveled washer coupled with a thin aluminum faceplate? You never know until you look.