What is the best way to deal with this rusty frame?
#43
#46
This is kind of frustrating. I have been absolutely pummeling Craigslist and eBay for trucks, and I've found trucks just like mine (more than I would have expected). However, on most of them I can see that the rust is just as bad or worse than mine. The few that look promising or either sold or the seller never gets back to me. I've looked through Craigslist in the entire northeast (CT, MA, NH, VT, ME, RI, NJ, NY...) I really do like this truck, but perhaps I should be looking for a new truck. If I were to buy a new one, I'd probably look for either a 2nd gen Dakota or a Ram 1500. The Ram is probably bigger than I need though.
Maybe I just need to be patient. Ah decisions decisions...
Maybe I just need to be patient. Ah decisions decisions...
Last edited by tbugden; 08-08-2013 at 09:28 PM.
#48
What I would suggest (I've suggested it before) is to widen your search to include the mid South--which would be Virginia, N.& S. Carolina, Tennesee, Kentucky, Georgia, and maybe even Arkansas.
And nobody has said that you have to look only for a Gen1, if the deal is right, get a decent Gen2.
#49
I did a frame replacement on my dakota. I live near bridegeport and drove up to mass with a car trailer and bought a badly body damaged dakota for $600. The frame was good though. I used a rotisserie to lift the cab and bed off. and lifted the engine and trans out. Do not go to a salvage yard, they will charge way too much and now I have an extra truck for parts. Be
#50
I think it's just going to cost too much to get a frame/truck from the south. I do really like this truck, but if my options were slimmed down to southern trucks, I think I would part this truck out and buy something different local. Rams and Gen 2 Dakotas are for sale in great abundance. As far as the Gen 2 dakotas go, I thought the front half of the frame completely changed over the 1st gens, but perhaps I am mistaken.