Any body panel (hood, doors, fenders, quarter panels, core support, even the bed) are all the same from 92 to 96, no matter if it is a v-6 or v-8.

 

Everything 87-96 works except hood and the core suport forward. Bed cab doors fenders etc, all the same 87-96.

 

Ok now I’m really confused I have a 91 v6 hood and now core support and I’m putting it on my 96 v8 Dakota will it work or not because now I’ve got conflicting post

 

Yes. 91-96 have the same front end. (Different engine though, same hard parts) Though 87-96 fenders and doors all all the same.

 

I don't see any conflicts.

Yes, it should fit fine.

Caveat: You may have to drill a couple of mounting holes, is all, for the stuff that bolts to the core support. And ... that's it. And that's because the part #s changed from 1991 to 1996; but I4, V6, and V8 got the same core supports each year.

RwP

 

this post was what made me confused but I was gonna start banging my head against this truck if I already bought the part(s) and wasn’t gonna fit but if RalphP says it gonna fit then I’ll blame him if it doesn’t (Hint hint wink wink Jk bro) but thanks again guys I’ll be posting more pics of how everything is going
DB

 

What he meant when he said core support forward, was referring to the core support, and all the pieces in front of it (grill, marker lights, headlights), but, a simpler explanation is that, to tell if the hood and core support match your year of truck, look at the headlights. 87-90 had square glass lights, and 91 to 96 had the plastic lights with halogen bulbs, so, if the headlights match yours, the hood and core support are the same.

 

Ahem.

The "plastic lights with halogen bulbs" was an option from 1992 to 1995 (maybe 1996!)

It was a very COMMON option; it may have been like my 1988 Dakota, which year "95% of trucks made came with the optional V6".

But there were 91-95 at least with glass 4666 bulbs.

RwP

 

No the simpler explanation is loom at the bumper and grill. Is it flat or round? Glass headlights don't mean anything.

 

I wonder if that wasn't maybe a regional or location thing, because ive seen a lot of the 91-96 trucks in the north east and on the east coast, and i've never seen one with the square glass headlights, not even at the shows, unless they were done as a swap, not that i get why anyone would want to swap the 87-90 grill and lights in a 91-95, but, to each his own i guess. According to several sources, including Wikipedia, the sealed beam glass lights were phased out in 92 altogether. Moparonlineparts.com doesnt even show an option for the sealed beam lights for 92 and up Dakotas.