If you had an infinite amount of money to invest in your first generation Dakota, what would you do to it?? Please keep it within the realm of possibility with current technology that is available.







I'll actually start, since I've asked the question. I've got a 1995 3.9 2WD Auto. First, I'd repair all of the body damage and paint the truck in a kickass CADPAT camouflage pattern, and add a kickass brush guard. I'd have all of the chrome accents black chromed or sprayed a non-glare black. Definitely get the truck lifted just a little bit and have larger rims (17s or 18's) and some meat installed but only street tires, since the truck will likely never go offroad.

Engine wise, I'd probably not perform a swap. I actually am quite fond of the 3.9 and would probably have it rebuilt and have a supercharger installed to bring the horsepower up some. Tranny would get swapped as the one in it is junked out and slips a bit- I'd opt for upgrade here. Exhaust wise... Custom headers, true dual all the way back, legal high flow cats and kickass Corsa mufflers. 3.5 inches all the way back.

Alright, shift's over at work.

 

3rd gen owner here, but I of course love all Dodge trucks

If money was no issue.......a situation I've dreamed of many times...

Short version - Regular Cab, long bed 1st or 2nd gen. Cummins 4BTA power, "Murdered Out" (as much matte black as possible), with a strong manual trans and 4WD system.

Long Version -

Body-off-frame resto: Media-blast and fully box frame. Blast axle and salvageable front end parts, followed with matte black powder coat for entire chassis.

Body resto, matte black paint job.

Full running gear rebuild with solid axle front swap, Dana 60's would be nice. Enough lift to clear 33's.

*Built* Cummins 4BT with aftercooler and propane injection. Dialed up to the 350+ ft-lb neighborhood, with a single stack on the passenger side. Must be able to roll coal when Priuses are present. Rebuilt NV4500 with heavy duty clutch, at least 33" MT's on on the corners. NP-205 or similar T-case, Front and rear E-Lockers. High strength drive shafts and u-joints.

Full interior treatment; gauge kit - boost, EGT, propane tank PSI, etc. Vinyl upholstery, rhino-lined or rubber flooring. All black. Stereo system totaling less than $300. Sirus Radio, CB radio, GPS unit. Illegal window tint.

Brush guard, roof rack with lights. TCase, oil pan, front and rear diff, and gas tank skid plates. Front and rear tow receivers with receiver winch. Onboard air system for tires and train horns. Dual batteries. 1000 watt inverter. Toolbox. 7 pin tow harness with brake controller. Tow mirrors. Back Rack with dual fiberglass CB whips and rear facing floodlights.

I guess that's it for now

 

Hmm well I'll break mine down into sections

beast under the hood:
either
Blown 408 stroker, then ill find a way to make long tube headers work w/ glasspack sidepipes *i also saw a hemi head conversion for magnum/la blocks... maybe try to fix six pack atop supercharger*

New Gen. 7.0l Stroked hemi, Saleen sms296 supercharger or 6 pack efi atop a weiand w/ a shaker hood (provided its not too tall), probably dual exhaust w/ flowmaster 40's dumping back at the axel

Or a 5.9l 6bt cummins. turbo and stacks of course

Drivetrain:
for the mag or the hemi id want a nv4500 w/ viper hurst shifter, and maybe mount it a little further back (remote shifter like... id leave the tranny where it is)

in the cummins id want nv4500 stock shifter (its a diesel... like the truck feel)

not sure what i'd want for t-case... but id like to get away from the chain drive

Axel/lift

SAS ftw! dana 60's all around... probably coilovers all around and a 4 link in the back. id like at least 4" of lift run a meaty tire but nothing too big. Not sure about rims... i wonder what cragar mags would look like on 33s lol

im also thinking custom fabbed steel bumpers... front w/ brush guard and winch... rear w/ hitch receiver. wouldnt mind an air compressor either. I'd like a roll bar, and probably 5 billion lights all over.

as far as paint... i think b7 blue w/ flat black hood. t/a stripes wouldnt be too bad either.

hmm skid plates all around... cb... sony head unit w/ bluetooth, new speakers all around, 10" sub and moderate amp in the console. I don't need gps... but it sure is pretty... and distracting.

i think id do mine full resto as well. maybe powder coat the frame and major under-truck components. spray bed liner. not sure about upholstery or floors... enough to be presentable but stay clean in the wi. snow and mud.

oh yeah and lockers... i bet i forgot something

oh yeah and some sort of mounting place in the bed for a miller generator/mig combo (they might even have a tig option...)

 

I like that style! If money is no object, I'll feed a blown Hemi gallons of airplane high-test all day.

There's always the NV5600 six speed manual for when you get that Cummins up in the 700 club for torque

Clearly I have diesel envy; someday a 4BTA jeep or smokey 12V for this guy...some day

 

for my 88 short bed single cab I would go a complete body off frame restoration, replace every suspension component there is and do a 2/3 drop, then a 440/727/8.75 swap with the 440 built to about 600 horses so it would be in about the 11 second range. then of course the most expensive flat black paint job money could buy.

 

for me it would deffinatly be a 408 stroker, with an 80 mm turbo hanging from it, huges transmission, 9 inch rear, full cage inside, tubular control arms, air ride the whole way around, ladder bars, it would have to have wheelie bars to save the bumper . som custom fab stuff for the inside like a new set of gauges, seats, nice stero, but nothing too silly(too much weight for the track, lol). viper brakes and wheels. and there would be enough tuning and stuff done to it to make it a DD. not just drag, it would pull more g's than a corvette in the twisties too! now i have to go me a lottery ticket!!!

 

LOL some of you guys stole my Ideas.

If money is no object I Would trow in a blown 526 race hemi. I know I would get 2miles per gallon but money is no object. A strong tranny dana 60s. 37in tires. Still need it street driveable. LOL I guess thats fanticy.

Now for reals I would do a 408 stroker, Super charger. I will not get Nitrus I conceder that cheating. a hughes tranny, viper brakes, A SAS with dana 60s and both with lockers maybe 35in tires Its still streetable and actully can put something in the bed without a ladder. I would throw in some heavy duty bumpers with a great bull guard up front. Front and rear 12,000lbs winches with air compressors. Lots of body work like build in extra storage below the bed and under the seats. A safe built in under the seats. AND CANT FORGET THE GAS CARD WITH NO LIMIT. That one is a must when the gas prices go back up. Lots more but dont want to make it to long.

Maybe Santa will see my request! Ive been a good boy!!

 

OO!

I like that idea

 

If money was no problem Id think I do a Banks diesel turbo cummins 5.9 swap. Beef up my rear end and brakes. Do a straight axle swaps and slap some 35's on there.

But that banks diesel swap may be a little big for the 1st gen I know they did on the 2nd gens and had to cut into the firewall and move the dash back.

So my next option would be 440 swap with electric water pump, long tube headers with side exhaust stacks, maybe a turbo rather not though

heres the link for the banks diesel dak its so freakin awesome
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9eB4ilu_xQ

 

It definitely shows that there's no replacement for displacement!