[76C10Stepside]

This project has been shelved for awhile now due to health problems and other priorities. Am hoping to get back into it some time between now and the Fall.

So far, I've removed the bed wood and hardware, cut the rails that pass over the drop shackles, installed drop shackles and new rear shocks, and bought new stainless bed strips, rear bumper and Trex decking to replace the old wood boards. The Trex is 1-inch thick, so will stick up half-inch at the tailgate (may bevel that end, not sure yet). I plan to add new metal to the cut rails (make a box) to make them go around the shackles and reattach them to the bed. Still need to buy new, longer hardware for the thicker "wood".

I've since read about a pivoting type of shackle that smooths out the bumps when driving with no load. That sounds great, wondering if there is some way to combine the original shackles with the drop shackles (maybe cut the drops shorter?) to make my own?

With the drop shackles, the rear is still very HIGH at the fender openings. I don't have any good photos of the truck from before installing to compare before/after height. The bed certainly has dropped. The tops of the shackles now come to a little above where the bottom of the bed wood was, so will have to cut away some of the bottom of the Trex in these areas. Also need to figure make heat shields to keep the dual exhaust from melting the Trex, which is mostly plastic.

The frame rails, etcetera, have surface rust only, nothing serious.
Am debating whether to take the time and trouble to strip and paint the frame rails OR just clean them and paint with Rust Bullet (works on rust and clean metal) OR do nothing. Note that poor health, lack of money and other factors dictate that this project be a minimal "restoration" at best. I may have to sell it soon due to pending divorce. I want to at least do DIY spray-on bedliner before replacing the bed. If possible, will do a cheap DIY paint job like blitz black.

Open to any and all ideas and suggestions on this project. Please see attached photos to see what I am working with. Thanks!