Yep, still stock from manifold to cat. I should do a video of it, but they never quite capture it right. I was considering doing headers and deleting the cat, but I think I'm going to save that for when I do an engine rebuild. I haven't done one yet, but it's a high priority bucket list thing for me. Might slap a mildly built 360 into this or another first gen. This one is a little rougher than I'd like to really put effort into it, but it's a fun project for now.

 

Pulled the cap and bedliner, found some unfortunate speed holes on the wheel wells.




This is not a show truck, but I don't want to have to clean 40lbs of mud out from under the bedliner all the time, so I better patch them up.







I'm not the best welder, but I can make metal stick together. Still have to finish the sides, but the bulk of it is done. Ought to keep the mud from piling up under the liner at least.

 

Should spray the underside with some variety of bed-liner, or POR-15, or similar product, to seal the seams.

 

I've already coated everything with fluid film to prevent more rust. The frame is solid on this and most of the body is good, just under the fender flares and inside the rear wheel wells. Even the rockers are good on this one. I will be painting and seam sealing on the wheel side to keep moisture from getting through.

 

Dupli Color has a bed coating that comes in quarts, don't bother with the spray can version. I used it and it works well. You'd be doing yourself a favor to paint the underside of the patch's with it. Also there is some stuff called Ospho. It is a rust converter. Also works very well and is paintable once it dries.

 

Fluid film is a temporary solution, it won't prevent stuff from getting packed in between the layers of metal...... That is what is going to cause additional rust. (don't ask me how I know this...... )

 

Oh yes, I know that one all too well. This one is my fifth or sixth Dodge truck, I'm noticing patterns lol

I have a lift in my shop and I'm trying to be religious with the fluid film as a preventative measure. My 05 Cummins is clean and between fluid film and this Dakota as my winter beater, I'm hoping to keep it that way. I'll be seam sealing the underside of these welds to keep muck from getting up in there. I'm still not done welding yet though, need to get the sides patched up.

 

Finished up the patches in the bed and used ac delco seam sealer on all the edges. Patched up holes on the underside of the fenders as well. Hopefully that will keep junk from getting up under the bed liner and inside the body. Far from perfect body work, but I think it'll function well enough with the plastic liner back in.








I also picked up another 96 V8 4x4 that I'm going to build on, so maybe I'll just morph this one thread into two trucks






I'm pretty excited to have found this other one. The green/gray two tone is my favorite color scheme on these trucks. It's much cleaner than the black truck as it didn't have fender flares on it. Interior is also very clean. 169k miles, $1000. Snagged a hot deal on it too!

 

Ugh, it's always something. Think I blew the head gasket in the black Dak. It had been running fine since I got it, just ran into the house to grab something, left it run, about 10 minutes later I come out and smell the burning antifreeze. Run over and steam is pouring out the hood. Shut it down as it had pissed antifreeze all over the drive and had overheated. Not sure how long it idled after losing it, but max 10 minutes. Steam seemed to be coming out around the top of the motor, near the head covers. Water pump didn't seem to be leaking, hoses looked okay still, steam from the top made me think it's the head gasket. Guess I'll start tearing into that next to see what the deal is. Bah, frustrating.

 

Probably the bypass hose under the AC unit.