when i first got it







and sitting on some 31x11.5 tires mounted on 02 2wd offset Dak wheels up front. still waiting on the backs. only $20 for all 4 tires and wheels. tires pretty bald though but its a start.









stock 2wd compared to the 4x4 with bigger tires and torsion bars cranked up front



right now the tires just barely hit the back corner of the cab, but with some 2" torsion keys it should fit the tires perfectly.

i traded a nitro rc car, and a fourwheeler for this truck. was told that it needed a door latch for drivers door (bungy strapped shut), a starter, and a freeze plug put the rest of the way in as one was swapped out and is barely in to keep dirt out while truck was sitting.

i removed the latch lubed it up, got it to close again and latch, opens from the inside, just not the outside yet. took starter and got it tested and it tested fine. i have battery voltage at my battery wire, and when i hold key forward i have battery voltage at the ignition wire. talked to my buddy who got me into the dakotas and he said the same thing happend to his old one. so i need to turn key forward and jump starter and if that works wire in a push button. as for the the freeze plug tried but cant get it, so i will remove it and buy one that i can tighten with a wrench made of rubber and metal plates. so hopefully soon she will be up and around.

 

Cool looks like a good project. What are the plans just to fix it up? Or get crazy with it?

The outside handle problem is probably a broken plastic retainer clip, just pull the panel and take a look.
Maybe your ignition switch is bad.
Those rubber freeze plugs work, but they can dry out over time. Also one plug went bad, chances are the others will fail soon too.

 

the others dont look bad from what i can see from the outside. i figure a heathy dose of mud should keep it moist for a good amount though but ill keep an eye on it in case it starts leeking to. the panel is already off though, when i first got it to stay latched it opened 2 or 3 times from the outside. the clips are not broken though. the handle is really stiff on the outside so im hoping it just needs lubed up some.

might just give her a push button but the ignition switch moves around all funky so maybe a new one if not to expensive down the road. a push button for now probably though.

as far as plans i would love to do a strait axle swap eventually and beef up the rear to, but for now i will settle for some 31's and 2" torsion keys up front.

not gonna lie, been eying up your truck, looks pretty nice man. would love to see some video of what that thing can go through if you have any.

 

Cool. Thanks.
For videos check out my YouTube page, the link is on my signature. There are some good videos.

 

watched some last night, not all though. but the whole purpose of my truck will be to have some fun in the mud and drive down the road. thats it, not trying to rock crawl or anything like that.

 

so.. um yeah, i took the battery and had it charged up today, threw it in the truck..... turned the key forward and jumped the starter posts together. and guess what?............................................. .................................................. ............. .................................................. .................................................. ................ she fired right up without any hesitation what so ever and went into a perfect pur of an idle just out of curiosity, where on the gauge should the oil pressure be for a 318? because on mine there is the low bar, the high bar, and then the two inside of each of those that is connected with the arch, and mine is just inside that low part of the arch, but my 3.9L dak never goes below half pressure........... so gotta get the freeze plug delt with, put some coolant in, get my other 2 31's, find/fix any oil and tranny leaks and im good to go play in the mud!

 

2wd? Are you using a lift kit or is it just the torsion keys?

 

2wd? what are you talking about? im talking about my 92 standard cab 4x4 318 dak. which i will just be using 2" torsion keys and thats it. maybe a 1" block if it lifts the front up higher than the back.

 

Oh, you said this so I thought you said it was 2wd. I was using my phone so I didn't really read it all.

 

no, no, no, the wheels are 2wd offset