I wouldn't say you are wasting your time, just gonna be some work. $300 sounds like a pretty good deal, and you can salvage pretty much everything you need from your 4x4. I like the look of the older trucks too, so it's not a bad idea. There was also the possibility that budbuilt was making frames, but I don't know what happened with that. Sounds like a fun project.

83 4x4, 3" Lift, 33" Buckshot Mudders