Hello everyone,

I have some dire need from experienced mechanics with restoring my 1996 Dodge Dakota Sport. I'm performing a frame off restoration, but not entirely sure where to start as I am doing a restomod. I know that with the money, anything is possible. I don't care about spending the money, I just need an avenue to go down with the best and preferably cheapest results. Money not an issue, but still not want to overspend.

Currently, my tuck is the standard pickup with the 238 Magnum V6, backed by a 5 speed manual and RWD drivetrain. I'm keeping the motor and transmission, maybe even going to a six speed manual to mimic my Trans Am, but I want to definitely change out the drivetrain. I either want the vehicle to stay RWD with the option of switching it to AWD for the snow, or just swap the entire frame to have it a standard 4x4. I would prefer keeping it RWD with the option to switch to AWD as I enjoy my smoke shows with it. I can't imagine this being a common idea.

What I need to know is, what are my options as far as frames and transfer cases. As well as any transmission ideas if I do switch to a six speed. What types of donor vehicles can I look at to accomplish my goal? What are possible hiccups that I'll run into?

Things to keep in mine:
I'm also adding a minor lift - better snow clearance
Switching to 4 wheel disc brake - rear has drums now
Swapping suspension - its currently too soft to where I almost bottom out on PA potholes

 

Pick up a 4x4 Dakota, preferably a 1996 with the 5 speed manual and the V6; redo that one instead.

The frame is completely different from the middle of it forward between 2WD/4WD.

Your other choice is to swap to a SAS (Solid Axle Suspension); that's ... gonna cost you. The donor is a much more affordable item.

Have you checked your shocks? When my KYBs hit about 100,000 miles, they were bottoming out on the loblollys on I-49 between Shreveport LA and Texarkana. New KYBs, that stopped. Shocks old enough will have it bottom out without much urging.

If you swap to a 5 lug pattern, the same vintage Grand Cherokee rear disc rotors, backing plates, and calipers will bolt up (I'd redo the axle bearings and seals while the axles were out to swap the backing plates). You can still do that, but redrill the rotors to match your 6 lugs. But since the 5 lug is the same lug pattern as a lot of Mustangs (albeit requiring a larger center hole than the Mustang), that's probably preferable to get a larger source of wheels.

Don't forget, the difference between 4WD and AWD is in the transfer case; the drive shafts etc. are the same between them.

RwP

 

The 6 speed stick is the limiting factor in the 4wd conversion. You need to see if you can find anything with that combination.

I agree with above, if you want 4wd start with one. At least the frame.

Restomod and staying rwd is not hard. It all comes down to your fabrication abilities. Any full frame vehicle chassis could be modified to fit, even make it unibody. Can you fabricate parts? Bare minimum you need to be able to weld. The Dakota does not have much in the way of parts. You will need to do modifications. This won't be a bolt together swap.

Make sure you research well, wrong parts at the start will quickly make it a disaster and more expensive than it needs to be. I spend more time thinking and researching than doing. Every decision has a consequence, they snow ball if you go the wrong route.

 

I don't want another truck, simply because this is a family truck. It was a custom ordered truck and has been owned and passed down to where I am using it. Instead of buying a another one or a new plastic junker, I'm building something I want and that will get me anywhere. The truck body looks like hell from spending a year and a half at the shore, but the frame is rust free aside from two pinholes, the motor runs strong, and the transmission shifts great.

I know the frame is different, I guess what I meant to ask was what years of trucks can I look at that would be a direct bolt up? It's not easy finding a gen 1 Dakota that's the same year with 4WD, even at the local junk yards. What options of other vehicles or years do I have to look for as a donor?

If I did a solid axle suspension, would that require cutting up any of the frame? Would that give me about a 1-2 inch lift as well just to make it sit a little higher? Would the embedded differentials offer the ability to be AWD not just 4WD?

Honestly, I don't think anything has been done to the shocks. Family members say that it rides the same as it did from the manufacturer, so maybe it was naturally just softer. FYI it does have over 250,000 miles on it which could be the problem.

Is it just the Grand Cherokee, or does the Wrangler of that year bolt up as well? I would drill the rotors as I'm not thinking about going to larger wheels. I like the look of the stock rims so I want to keep it a six. I am going to get the stock rims chrome plated, along with the bumpers, side mirrors, and grill to pop off the original blue paint.

Are all AWD and 4WD transfer cases electronic? I would like one that I can manually shift between all and rear wheel drive, while still have auto locking hubs so I don't have to go out into the snow.

If I were to switch over to a six speed manual, what transmissions would you recommend? Would I have to change out the bell housing or cut the firewall to fit the larger transmission?

The inside of the cab is suppose to be old school, manual tans, manual transfer, manual windows, manual seat.

I appreciate the answers and help.

 

I don't have the space to do the work myself. I'm actually am having a shop do the work for me. I have till October till they can get it in, but I'm attempting to iron out the finer details and the path I want to go now so I can have it prepped and ready to go.

Do you have any ideas of donors or options for the six speed?

 

I don't know if there is a factory 6 speed manual 4wd. I found a link to a new one, I bet its expensive, I know the rwd tremec is $3000 for just the transmission, still need the rest of it. Factory rwd don't fit the trucks as the shifter is really far back, at least can't do bench seat.

Having a shop do the work is going to get expensive in a hurry.

https://www.motorator.com/blog/gener...ed-conversion/

 

Do your shocks FIRST. They're dead by 230,000 miles, not to mention the years.

I like my KYBs; I'm about to put mine back on, the Ranchos are too soft for the roads around here.

(Thought they had quit; but no shock does well if the bottom shock mounting bolt falls out and it's no longer connected ... )

RwP

 

How much do you wanna spend? You could stuff any 4x4 frame under there, if you spend enough........ A dakota of the correct year will be the easiest, and cheapest swap, but, even then, it isn't gonna be cheap. A lot of the newer 4x4's that size are unibody.... so, no frame at all.

 

The six speed transmission would just be a bonus to the build if I decide to go all out. Plus, I'm deleting the bench seat anyway and making two bucket seats with a center console, so the shifter isn't much of an issue.

I'm looking to spend around 30-40k for the build, but more if necessary. So if there's leftover funds for a six speed, then I want to make it happen, if not, not the end of the world.

A vehicle that is unibody, doesn't that mean the frame is integrated into the body of the vehicle? Is that better than a solid axle suspension? I feel like the solid axle suspension kit will replace the need of a new frame. While making everything super simple. Or is that not the way to go?

I found a couple trucks last night that could be donors, but I'm not looking to spend 3k on a donor. Especially when I only need the frame and the rocker panels.

 

Uni-body doesn't have a separate frame, per-se. At least, not something you can unbolt, and transfer to another vehicle. The 'frame' is integrated into the body itself. Some use sub-frames for things like engine/trans mounting, (along with the rest of the driveline....) or, in some cases, the rear axle assembly. Still, it isn't really something you can cut and splice to something else.

Solid axle suspension would indeed be the easiest route to take, if you can find a 4x4 frame for a reasonable amount of money.