This is driving me crazy. None of the Dakotas that I have seen have this and I think that it may be interfering with my door closing. Might anyone know what this bronze colored, bullet shaped thing is above my door striker?

 

This is speculation on my part, but I do have a convertible Dak and I'm familiar with the brass pin you're referring to. I think it's purpose is to reduce the possibility of rattles between the rear wall of the cab and the door; notice that the pin is supposed to land in the rubber doughnut in the door. It provides an additional point of contact in addition to the striker mechanism, just in the fore/aft direction vice the in/out direction of the striker. Since the convertible's don't have the hardtop to stiffen the cab structure and hold the rear cab wall solidly in place, the added secure point helps keep it all solidly together. That wall behind the seat doesn't have much to anchor it in place without a hardtop.

How's the gap at the latch side of your door? If it's too wide, the cab wall may have been pushed rearward due to damage, weakening from rust (including rusted floor), or something pushing/pulling the rollbar rearward. You haven't been towing hang gliders from your roll bar have you : ) ?

 

I also have a vert and that pin is also in mine.

 

I have the same brass pin on my 89 convertible. Hubert