Starlight Coupes, Commando's, and a motorcycle accident with a 4 door 52 Champion (the one that looked the same going in reverse; and they stopped making cars when I was ~4). Oh, and then there were the Packard versions.... That looks like a fun rat rod truck. Some Lakes hub caps (spun aluminum disks) and clip on mirrors (on the top door frame). In 54, a windshield with out being split was purty high style for a truck. And a smoothed up bed when step sides were all there was. Lower it a bit and and some Zoom side pipes (with cut outs of course). An Avanti would be cool. Or a later Hawk two door. Supercharged please...or was that turbo-supercharged back then? That was what we now have shortened to turbocharged.
And you have an overdrive (I think there was an electric as well as simple mechanical version). Watch for old Motor or Chilton's books on into the 60's. They usually cover enough of this stuff to bring you up to date (generic stuff is good in this case). When it is time, look up Devcon and similar manufacturers for molding compounds (you may be able to make more than you think). I once had a 65 Rambler that had the electro-mechanical overdrive. After getting disgusted with it and trading it to a buddy, I found a book that described how it worked. All I needed to do was repair the wiring. There was a solenoid that was part of it engaging with a switch on the throttle rod off of the carb. Easy enough when you knew how it worked. The car wouldn't go backwards as I recall (part of the solenoid not engaging it correctly). When it worked (which for a $125 car in 1986) it worked great (and it worked for the 6 months or so I needed it). You put in 2nd or 3rd (3 on the tree -- love that set up) then engaged the overdrive. When you let up on the throttle, it would shift itself into overdrive. A lot like the kickdown in an older automatic (when you let off of the throttle it up shifts).
Anyhow, looks like fun to me. All the money in restoration is making it look new. Which I am sure you are seeing in your K5 (and then in your Chevelle). But 'near' original, or even rodded, lot's cheaper.
I love the heater valve, the glove box (that's steel boys) and the instrument cluster (all seen in the engine bay). Makes my 71 Dodge 1/2 ton look integrated (and the cardboard glove box look cheap).
Enjoy!
