[AllenV]

Dave55Sedan, you raise a lot of important issues. These are the things that are contributing to the to-do list. Let me try to work my way thru your list.
Brake drums: I bought 4 new from mid-fifty, along with new slave and master cylinders.
Frame crack: I am wondering why the frame is bent that way. There is no current evidence of something contacting that area. I’ll have to decide what to do about straightening after I have it exposed, the battery box off, those rivets removed. At the moment I am reluctant to put enough heat in there to pound it straight for fear of warping that frame section. But, heating before I weld the crack may be forgiving of distortion. It LOOKS like that bend is benign in that there is plenty of gap between the frame and cab.
The motor: yes, those are plug anti-foulers. If the motor needs a rebuild, I’ll do it. The oil pressure looks okay. I’ll have to monitor oil consumption for a bit. That said, it runs strong and I am sure it needs a valve adjustment. It drips copious amounts of oil and is covered in muck below. I think the rear main seal is shot and maybe the pan gasket. When the cab is off I plan to clean it thoroughly. I’ll pull the transmission and inspect/replace the rear seal. What is the general experience with these seals? Can it be removed/replaced with the crankshaft in-situ? Ideally, I would delay the motor rebuild while I complete another car project that has been pushed aside by this one. So popping in a new main seal, pan gasket, clutch and engine mounts while the cab is off is my preferred scheme at the moment. The fuel pump is an old aftermarket electric unit. I put the fuel pressure gauge on as I don’t trust the pump and I wanted to be sure it is a 4-5 psi unit. What do you mean by “ no need for a regulator either”? What have you spotted that I didn’t recognize?
Windshield wipers: I have no idea. I think they are electric. I don’t know if they work. I’ll have to investigate and get back to you. Sounds like your preference is for electric.
12V conversion: YES it is 12V. It has a Delco-style single-wire alternator and internal regulator. I’ll go hunting for the temperature sender. It has occurred to me that he MOTOR has always been 12V so the sensor would be a bit newer.
’55 cluster: as you can see, I have plenty to do. Putting the cluster back in working order can wait.