The 73-87 Chevy halftons are bulletproof, and one of GM's worst mistakes. You still see them on the road everywhere, they are still popular, reliable trucks. And, it's almost the only truck you see that was built in the 70s from any brand. Sure, they are out there but unless you come across an enthusiast show for a different make you will see a dozen old Chevy/GMC full size trucks for any one other make from that era. It was a mistake for GM because every one of those trucks still on the road represents a lost sale of a newer truck.
One thing to watch on these trucks is the frame at the steering box, they are prone to breaking the frame at this point. LMC trucks sells a frame repair/reinforce kit for this problem. Another thing is cab corner rust, they are bad about the rear corners rusting out. Once again, LMC has repair panels.
Mileage is around 13-15MPG on these trucks, even the only fuel injected year, 1987. To get one of these trucks into the mid 20s to low 30s, install a 99+ 4.8L engine with a 5 speed manual, rear end ratio of 3.42 with a 28 to 30 inch tall tire, electric fans, long tube (not shorties!!!) headers, and 2 inch true duals with crossover. The 4.8L in a 99+ reg cab stepside and auto can see 25MPG unloaded with normal driving from the factory, using some of the techniques here might get 35MPG out of it. Other parts I'd install are a fiberglass hood and fenders, and a full size Blazer rear bumper. When looking at Chevy truck weights, for the base reg cab truck with the smallest offered engine the 73-80 truck dry weighs in at 3600lbs, 81-87 3400lbs (lighter frame and fenders), 88-89 3800lbs and 99+ 4000lbs.
The 4.8L engine complete is available (at least to me) at salvage yards for around 2000 dollars, with accessories and bracketry, computer and wiring harness. No idea on the trans. Hoods go for about 400 bucks, ceramic headers another 400 bucks.
Another option would be to get an inline 6 cyl truck, the 250cid inline 6 got pretty decent mileage with a carb. On one of these engines I would rebuild the engine, and have the intake manifold drilled for injectors, and take the computer system from any 4.3L GM truck to operate it. Install the fuel system, hook it up, use the factory throttle body (may have to modify the intake for the TB, or install an adapter) and you'll have a fuel injected inline 6. The inline 6 is a lot more durable than the V8 with a bearing between each connecting rod throw, so it's a lot stronger. About the only way you can blow one up is to run the oil dry, and even that will take a while to kill it.
If you do the new engine, you can also get an aftermarket computer system to operate it. Some of them allow the use of wideband O2 sensors which will allow you to program the truck to run super lean in cruise mode, and richen back up if you have to get into it.
Hope all this helps, GM trucks are kinda my thing
a new policy....I intend to ignore the nescient...a waste of time and energy. 
if you break somehtign or wreck it just got to any junkyard and they will haev the parts (relatively cheap cuz the places i go to want to get rid of s-10 parts cuz they have too many
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