Jim,
HAVE NO FEAR MY FRIEND! My luv was my first project ever. It is the only car i will work on. I am an electrical contractor. Never worked on a car before.
I cut the firewall back slightly, put in a bigger radiator( ive been through three total), built two different motors for it, and tore the current one down three times to build it up better each time. i plan on stroking it next summer (383), did a tub job, coil overs, narrowed the frame, rewired the car with painless kit, tilted the bed to make the tire romoval easier... and there is way more I plan to do.........
As all these guys say... its really not that hard. Start talking the lingo with everyone! get familiar with cam specs and engine combos. read chevy high performance and such. if you were in the seattle area, I know where a stepside 77 luv is. behind some old guys house.
go for it!