Hello everyone. Finally decided to join a Dakota forum. I've owned my 96 for just over two years now. When I bought it used off a car lot, it was some old mans trucks and I'm technically the 2nd owner.

When I first brought it home it was all stock. Nothing at all done to it.

Since then I've:

Replaced the rusted tailgate
Replaced the rusted bumper twice. First one was cheap but rust free and dented. Second one is a nos aftermarket OEM replacement but doesn't have the ram logo
Added a headache rack
Full cross over tool box
Replaced the from bumper with one that has the foglight valance
Body colored grille inserts
Aftermarket wheels
Flow master 40 to be replaced with magna flow duals in the future
Aftermarket tail lights. Yes, aftermarket tail lights.
Clear corner and marker lights
Led fog lights and reverse light bar on the headache rack
Led strip on the headache rack like the fire and ice tailgate strips
Vent visors
Tinted the windows 5%
Cranked front tbars
HD coil overs on the rear
Removed rubber molding
Replaced drivers door with rust free unit

And last but not least, aar fiberglass hood.


Everything has been boughted used and savaged off of craiglist on the cheap. This week I'm getting a full brush guard and nerf bars for it also off craigslist. I have a cab visor and headers yet to put on it. The visor isn't your run of the mill Lund either. Its got a reverse scoop in the middle.

Well that's enough rambling for now. I'll be poking around time to time. Any questions feel free to ask.

I'll be happy to post a bunch of pics if someone is interested. I still need to replace the front fenders and passenger rocker then it'll be basically done and then will get painted. Hopefully in the next couple years.

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome, Toby! Glad to see you around here!

RwP

 

Welcome! I'd like to see pictures! With the rust you're talking about are you sure the frame is okay? Particularly from the back of the cab back. Rockers on my '93 are absolutely solid as a rock but the frame rotted and broke. But I did have the rusty doors and fenders too. Just fyi on the two most common and serious rust spots so you can avoid rot if it hasn't happened yet. 1; the tiny drainage paths for the upper control arm mounts get clogged with sand very easily and the mounts rot and break off the frame over time; 2, the same thing happens with the forward leaf spring hangers. there's other rust points but those are two very crucial spots. Good luck with your truck and yeah post pictures if you can!

 

Ralph Phillips that has the early first gen? Long time no talk man. How you been?

 

Yes sir. Everything underneath is solid as could be. First thing I checked when I bought it.

 

Here she is on the lot first thing I told them after I said its mine is to throw away that god forsaken bed cover.


Day after Christmas leaving work I caught a deer. Luckily I have full coverage on my little beast and there was next to no damage. However the insurance company cut me a nice little check. More on that in a minute. Heres the damage:







The bumper would have been fine had the spot not already been soft. So once I got the check I decided I'm not replacing the bumper till I find the sport valance.

So I knew about this truck on craigslist that had a rusted frame that had been for sale for a while and texted him up. Asked him how much he wanted for his bumper. He said he wasn't parting it out. I told him "you don't understand, I want that bumper. Name your price and I'll come get it." He told me let him thinknfor a day and he'd get back with men he texted me and asked how much I'd be willing to give. I told him if he Sends me pics of it already removed where I can pay and leave in 5 minutes, I'll happy give $175 for it. (Wasn't my actual money, it was the insurance check. Why'd I care what I pay for it lol)
This was the truck


Opps. Forgot some stuff in between. The summer I got the truck (2014) my family and I took a trip to Virginia beach in a Malibu rental. I figured on the way I'll see if I can find some stuff for the dak. I ended up finding a ruff brush guard for $40 and a rear bumper for $20 or so.
Here's what that ended up looking like:


Not the best but saved my front from the deer lol.

Here it is after the new bumper on. Left the brush gaurd off because it didn't look the best. Especially since the front looks a lot better now. The grill inserts had been in for quite sometime. Got those for $20 shipped from a guy ralph and I know. Also got the clear corners for it while I was at it



So anyways still had a nice chunk of change left and decided its time for aftermarket wheels. Found some about 2.5 hours from me for $130! And a 24" light bar from the same guy for $50. The light bar went on my headache rack facing backwards for "reverse" lights.



This next pic shows the bumper I got from Virginia beach, as well as the only aftermarket taillights for a 89-96 Dakota. If you don't know, they wasnt even marketed for a Dakota but instead a ram charger. Got em for a steal for $40 shipped from the same guy I got the inserts from.





This pic shows the bumper that's on there now I picked up last fall for $40. Nos someone bought from a warehouse buy out. Its not dodge but its pretty.



Here a pic of the headache rack. Picked it up last fall for $100 1.5 hours away. Cut out a little piece in the center to throw out pop cans and what not. Then a few months later I got the led strips to out on it. They tie into the trailer plug and do stop, turn, 4 ways, and running lights. I put a splitter in and have a second trailer plug so I don't have to unplug the headache rack lights for a trailer.



And now for the piece de resistance. As well as the most recend addition to my truck. Found an aar fiberglass cowl induction hood on craiglist. 1.5 hours away. If you guys don't know, these are the best hoods you can buy for these trucks. They're made in Florida and run $614+tax+shipping. I got it for $250 + gas. What a steal!!!





So with the cowl hood I decided to paint the grill inserts to match the body.


And now for the final look


This week I'm getting a full proper brush guard and nerf bars for it. Next year its getting a body lift and 31's. The end of this month I'm putting on my headers. And sometime before next fall its getting true dual magnaflow exhaust 3" front to back.

Then to finish it, it'll get repainted once I'm done adding everything to it.


Well, that's my trucks story. Like I said, everything I've added has been bought used on the cheap. I'm really surprised all the stuff I've manage to find. Especially when I first got this everyone said "oh, you can't find anything for these trucks anywhere. Well, in 2 years I've drastically changed the poom of my Dakota. And have just about everything you can put on a truck.


Thoughts?

 

Yep, dat's me!

Pretty good - truck's about to roll over 338,000 miles (!!!)

Still no A/C - it's a RalphP curse, I don't seem to be able to keep working A/C in my vehicles *grins*

Also considering and a'plannin' a TBI Magnum 3.9 (yes, I know what that sounds like - OK, I'm a bit weird!) to replace the old tired LA when it finally poops the bed.

RwP

 

Not half bad! Good lookin truck and some good deals you got there! I gotta find me a front bumper myself. Thanks for the pictures, I always like to see what other people are doing to 1st gens. Those wheels offset really fits the fenders well!

 

Hopefully next week I'll have the pics with brush guard and nerf bars on. thanks buddy