Duke,
It's not so much on hold, but in "slooooow mode".

I've got 85% of the interior done.
I've still got to prep and install the seatbelt/roof support bar, paint the seat brackets + install the seats, and install the steering column.

The engine and trans are in sitting in the engine bay but not fully mounted.

With christmas season coming I was focusing on the interior since that would clean out a lot of the boxes of parts, thereby getting some of my basement rec room back LOL.

Since then I've been working long hours fixing other people's vehicles at my buddies shop, with not much motivation to even look at a wrench at home.

Slow season at the shop has arrived, so I hope to take time off and dive fully back into the project. Spring is getting closer.

 

Thanks for the update!

 

Well.... the project is moving ahead again.

I bought a sailboat and spent the summer working on it.
It made it into the water for 1 hour in the late fall ;P

Getting the boat home was a 2600 mile trip that included my 96 Ram's transmission failing in a tiny town, selling the ram on the spot, and towing the boat with a U-haul truck home.
Oh.. did i mention that I had to replace a spindle on the boat trailer on the way home too?

As my buddy called it "Planes Trains and Automobiles without the polka band"


I've got to get my car ready to sell (bought a newer, nicer, much faster, one), but I've put that on hold for a week and jumped back into the Dakota rebuild.

I had run into a problem where the rear transmission wouldn't line up with the bolts holes for the cross member.

Swapped out the mounts and now everything lines up and the engine/trans is in.

I hope to have the engine running by Sunday.
I'll still need to install the driveshafts, exhaust, box, finish a bunch of interior tasks, etc. after that.... but it's been over 8 years since the truck has made noise and I can't wait to hit that milestone.

Photos coming as usual.

 

A couple of questions:

- Did you redo all the bushings for the body? If so, which kit and did you like them? Looking at the PMC Red kit.

- Did you redo the front suspension? Did you find any all in one kits for all then ends/bushings, or source them individually?

 

Yes to both.

All bushings (front suspension, rear springs, and cab mounts are Energy Suspension brand.
Moog ball joints
Moog/Monroe Shocks

Lower control arm bushings were not available for the 4x4 so I shortened ones that fit otherwise. I made a "how-to" a while ago about it.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...-bushings.html


If your your truck is 2WD, I suspect that a complete kit may be available, but I don't know for sure. Everything I've read in regards to difficulty of finding parts, was about not finding lower control arm bushing for the 4x4, which I solved as shown in my thread above)


Do I like them ?

They looked well made.
Truck obviously isn't on the road yet so no idea how they will perform.
Some other forum members installed theirs at the same time, but their trucks were on the road, so they may have some opinions now that they've had them a while.

I got mine from:

Suspension Restoration Parts Co.
3405 Montclair Cir.
Modesto, CA 95350+534
Website: www.suspension.com
Phone: (209) 578-5101

The owner knew his stuff, and was very helpful. He recommended I use never-seize instead of the supplied lube, because, in his experience, it did a better job in reducing or removing the squeak that urethane bushings are known for.

 

RobertMc, good to see your back on the Dakota! Hope that engine fires up for you, I know that feeling, finally getting to a milestone like that after so much work. I started my engine last year, but couldn't drive it; no brakes. I finally finished replacing rear axle seals, front and rear brakes, parking brakes, master cylinder and booster, and the requisite bleeding, now I'm close to a test drive- can't wait.

 

Amen to that. Snow is melting here so they pressure is on, to get this done.
When is your test drive date ?

Unfortunately, I ran into a new temporary road block.
My friend needs me to run his automotive shop for 6 weeks.
With the 12 hour work days I won't have much spare time to get those last few things completed.

I've got a bunch of things done, but before engine start I still need to:
-Clean/plug in the last few connectors
-check vacuum lines (mostly test for leaks, but the vacuum lines for the transfer case/axle need to be checked to make sure they are hooked up correctly)
-install steering column
-install headers and y pipe.
-connect battery
-turn key to see it lives
-immediately turn off engine before before it even gets warm, since it won't have a rad. (waiting on rad hoses since no one here has the molded ones in stock)

Then it's headlights, rad + hoses, fan, seats, box, rest of exhaust, bumpers, skid plate, ac lines, and and and etc.

Considering how often my friends and family keep asking about the truck, I think I may need to put "engine start day" on Skype as a pay-per-view event.

 

Skype event - love it. I get a kick out of reading your posts because it sounds exactly like my project progress, I dream about finishing but mostly I'm navigating around all my real responsibilities, looking for a chance to work on the Dak now and then.

 

How did you get the abs and metering unit so clean? Thought about soaking mine in mineral spirits but was afraid of damaging seals or internals.

 

Would love to see an update from RobertMc on this super-nice project. You out there buddy?