So here's the deal. Me and the woman were talking and decided that we are going to be looking for a newer Dakota. Something in the lines of a 4 door instead of our LE model.

I found out today that my son. Whom he lives with his mother(ex wife). Has been doing very well in school and came home with a 97% for the entire years average grade. He was accepted into Police Explorer's and has been wanting to be a Police officer since he was little and is stepping into the right direction to become one.

Keep in mind that he has a year left before he can get his driver's permit. Which he knows that even though he passes the state DL test. That he must pass my test 1st. Sorry guys but 13 years as an OTR driver, I don't need my son getting killed driving.

As you can see in my sig, that the truck is in good shape. Minus the bed rack.

Could you all give me some cool idea's as to what you would do to the truck. We want to fix it up and make it cool for a teenager. I've already made the decision to give the truck a 2" body lift. So I beat you all to that idea.

 

I wouldn't worry about making it "cool" so to speak, but more along the lines of safe and won't have to put that much money into it for basic maintenance. The lift in my eyes is a roll over waiting to happen with a new driver.

Now remember this is coming a from a parent now. I would just make sure that the truck had new tires, brakes, all fluids ready to go, tune up, etc. Then when you hand him the keys to the truck, take him to Autozone or whatever is around you, and have him pick out floor mats, seat covers, steering wheel cover, any other BS accessories that may make the truck a little cooler... LOL!!!

What I did with my stepsons first car that he got after a year with his DL and driving our vehicles, was I went out and got a mid 90's Saturn 4 door. I think it was the SL1 or something like that. The car looked good but ran bad. It started and I drove it the 14 miles home with no AC and watching the temp as the radiator had a leak.

Anyway, I handed him the keys to the car. Told him what was wrong with it and said WE ARE GOING TO FIX IT TOGETHER and that I was picking up the tab obviously for the parts. He didn't know much about cars or mechanics for that matter. I wanted to take the opportunity to teach him something, bond with him, and at the same time hope that if his sweat and work was in the car, he would have taken care of it. We spent 6 weeks getting that car running in primo shape and he did take care of it and got another car after he graduated high school.

Basically, IMO, just make sure that it is safe for a first time driver.

 

i agree make it safe i had those parents that made me buy and fix every thing my self and now i have a 90 dakota with 278k and good paint and a flame job. personaly i would make him help you with the maint. upgrades will come later when he shows you he can be mature enough with it(not saying he wont every kid is differant). having to put your own sweat and blood into somthing will make you take care of it more this coming from a 22 year old.

 

I agree 100% with the "make it safe" points and the "work on it together" points, but since those were already covered, I'll give my opinion on making it "cool".

Obviously, everybodys tastes are different, but for me, exhaust and a nice stereo! Doesn't have to be anything over the top... translated: annoying to all your neighbors, but if the truck sounds good inside and out, any teenage guy should want it!

 

It already has a Pioneer stereo in it and I will be putting a nice exhaust system on it. <---thats for me. :-) But yes I agree on making him learn about how to keep the truck up and do maintenance on it. None the less the expense of gas to run the truck needlessly.

 

just do what my dad did. put new brakes on it, oil change, then let him run it into the ground and teach him how to fix it...i've been driving for 2 years almost 3 and i've seen a lot of ditches(only the ones i chose to see) 1 accident, and more than my fair share of speeding tickets... but once it starts to need more repairs he'll change his driving habits *snaps finger* like that...

 

i bought my truck out of a junk yard and my uncle, grandpa, and i did all the work and i never had a better time, even though half the time i wanted to hit somthin. i didnt know that much about cars. and out of this experience, im making it a career

 

As a teenager, here's my idea: sell it to him. That's what my parents did to me with my first Dakota, and I appreciated that truck so much more than I would have had it been given to me.

 

From an acctual 16 year old:
Make him help you work on it. My dad gave me my Dakota, which was beautiful and rust free, but needed drivetrain and interior, so that's what we have been doing for a while. I respected the truck the first time i saw it with the wicked graphics package, and I would respect it anyways, since I've loved cars my whole life. But spending the extra time with my father, putting blood, sweat, and tears (falling off a cooler onto a floor jack, busting my head on concrete repainting the roof) into the truck and learning how to redo brakes (changing fluids and filters is basic to me) makes me respect the truck more. Working on it is making me learn the mechanical limits to my truck too, like realizing i can't be too crazy because the torque of our 400HP 360 that was swapped into it can shred the stock 9 1/4 rear end (with factory 3.90 gears) and that if i get too stoopid going rediculously fast that the air going under the truck can make it unstable at high speeds. Its all just been a great big learning experience and I'm bonded with my truck, like it's part of me now, due to the investment of all the time and money.

 

You don't have a 9.25" rear end if your rear end is stock! They never came in this generation. You have either a 7.25" or 8.25". If you actually did have the 9.25", it could very easily handle the torque of that engine. The 9.25" is a very strong axle.

Lol... how fast do you consider stupid fast? I've gone 100 mph in my jacked up 4x4 and not once did it feel unstable. But if you have a decent rake on your truck (front lower than back), it will actually help to hold the truck down the faster you go.