Anyone building a Dodge Dakota

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Wawa Skittletits

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I'd love to see one built up. In college I had a modded manual 95 short bed 2wd with the 5.2 and man could that thing destroy tires. That thing was an impractical blast haha.
 
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T.Shack

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Dakotas are great for the low budget build as long as your ready to fabricate anything and everything. I have plans for mine its just slow going.
Totally understand that I was goofing around looking for after market parts no intakes nor Camshaft sets listed.:weary: Not much in the body nor suspension either. Good thing I am kind of handy with a wire feed & tig welders.
 

Motohead1

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Totally understand that I was goofing around looking for after market parts no intakes nor Camshaft sets listed.:weary: Not much in the body nor suspension either. Good thing I am kind of handy with a wire feed & tig welders.
Yea I pulled the cam shaft out of the 4.7 and put in a diesel. Best mod yet! ;)
 
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Enthusiast III

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back in 1999 I had a 98 4wd extended cab sport with the 318 in it. I LOVED that truck, I had 32's on it, rear cap for carrying stuff, Waag front guard, and tail light guards, 2 sets of lights, a shelf it with vhf and cb installed. In the rear, I had a come along winch etc. I had 2 " of lift in the rear with the torsions cranked in the front to give it some extra height as well. It was the perfect size truck. I would love to find another JUST like it but they are rare now!
 

RRitchey

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I was a while back until a tree missed me by feet and turned it in to a taco truck..The light on top was centered, just a bad picture angle.. Not that it matters much now. The tree destroyed the bed, canopy and top light, the frame is still good. I have a cab and frame now, still runs like a champ. I haven't made up my mind what to do with it, considering fabricating a built in camper, similar to a small/midsized Earthroamer.1022130821.jpgIMG_4525.JPGIMG_4527.JPG
 

Josh56

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I am currently daily driving a 98 dodge durango and working on building that into my overland vehicle. Its not a Dakota but same body style really. I know its old, outdated, hard to find aftermarket support for but my plan is to build my own stuff. Welder should work wonders.
 
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zanethan

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I built one back in ‘09, a ’98 sport. Loved that thing. Manual everything. However, it was having issues 10 years ago I can’t imagine what it would take to keep one on the road today.
 

Josh56

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I built one back in ‘09, a ’98 sport. Loved that thing. Manual everything. However, it was having issues 10 years ago I can’t imagine what it would take to keep one on the road today.
Mine has over 210k on the ticker. Just did a water pump. Carry a spare ignition coil and a few other things that just like to quit. Beside minor issues of age it just keeps going. It get driven everyday. When it sat for a month it had more issues then when I drive it. Love the thing.
 

Motohead1

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Ok 2nd gen Dakota peaple I need some new head lights. Do I just grab some high dollar bulbs and a factory junk yard stock housing to replace my drivers side that busted? Or is there a complete housing LED setup that dosent suck?
 

JCWages

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thesilkiest

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If my FJ Cruiser ever hs some sort of catastrophic failure and I decide to do everything new on the cheap, the 2002 to 2004 Quad Cab Dakota is at the top of my list. Lotsa parts to repair the stock components and I wouldn't be so hesitant to take my wrenching to the next level. I would be hesitant if I had a Gladiator or TRD Pro. At the time of this post, Dodge Dakotas are going for:
  • $5k ish U.S.
  • 2004
  • Quad Cab
  • 130,000kms or 80,000 miles
Leaves alotta cake to buy goodies.
I would not get one though if I didn't enjoy a little wrenching on the weekends.
 
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Motohead1

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If my FJ Cruiser ever hs some sort of catastrophic failure and I decide to do everything new on the cheap, the 2002 to 2004 Quad Cab Dakota is at the top of my list. Lotsa parts to repair the stock components and I wouldn't be so hesitant to take my wrenching to the next level. I would be hesitant if I had a Gladiator or TRD Pro. At the time of this post, Dodge Dakotas are going for:
  • $5k ish U.S.
  • 2004
  • Quad Cab
  • 130,000kms or 80,000 miles
Leaves alotta cake to buy goodies.
I would not get one though if I didn't enjoy a little wrenching on the weekends.
Yea thats the atitude to have with these Dakotas. they are super cheap. but they will need some love. I love fabing but I love saving money even more. Last month marked the 4 year mark on my engine swap and in just fuel savings alone in 4 years paid for the diesel swap. So I will kill most of that savings with a SAS swap now. ;)
 

RRitchey

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I may be building another one soon. My father whom is getting up in age, just called and offered to give me his 2004 Dakota Ext cab 4wd with matching canopy 22,000 original miles. Hard to say no, even though I have a driveway full of vehicles and keeping something stock is really difficult for me. I could pull a lot of the parts off my "taco" truck and swap them over. I suppose I need another project truck, I need to make more space in the driveway, might get rid of 1 of my Jeeps, it hasn't been licensed since 2010.