Hey i just bought my 98 Dakota SLT V8 5-Speed a couple weeks ago.
It has 150000km/95000mi and for the most part is in really great shape.

Heres some pics:





Some bad spots:





I have already pulled most of the box dent out myself:

 

I will paint it next spring when the weather gets warmer...
I plan to stick with the same stock colour.

I am currently debadging it and have plans for a body lift, 32" tires, cragar soft 8's, and a new exhaust system.
Tires, cragars and lift wont be until spring.

I does however need a new exhasut *really* bad as the cat is busted and makes a bad sound. My other reason is it is simply not loud enough =)

I would like to run dual exits out the back for a single flow 40 muffler off a y pipe
Any suggestions?
Also does anyone have a flow 40 with a single exit? i may go that route if it is that much cheaper.

Also how would these compare to a true dual system price wise.

 

Honestly a body shop should be able to fix the back quarter panel for $150 or so. I had a very similar dent on my truck from a deer running into me and it only cost that to have fixed.

A body lifted with cragars and 32s or 33s would look real good.
Body lifts are cheap, but you can get one for free just by cranking the TB's and throwing some 2" blocks in the rear.

You should replace your cat with a hi-flow one and then get a flowmaster or some other muffler and go either single out or dual out. Single out is cheaper and will offer the same performance of a dual out. All a dual offers is the looks.

 

I'm thinking I'll go without a cat as the o2 sensor behind it don't affect air/fuel mix.

As for the dent there was an actual puncture of the steel so I'll just weld the pices together and grind it down. I have the means to do it myself so a bodyshop is unnessecary.

As for the torsion bars would new keys be the way to go? Would I need to get new shocks as well?

I thought cranking them to 2" was a bad idea.

Could I run 32s with only a 2inch lift in the front?
I'd really have a level truck so I'm not interested in blocking the back

 

according to some, u can put 32's on it stock but to me thats a bad idea. i have a flowmaster 40 series with the stock cat and its gotta good rumble to it its a single in dual out got it for 55 bux so i got that.

 

Yeah you can put 32s on it w/ a tb crank. But it would look pretty funny if the front was higher than the back, even if only by an inch, which is why blocks are used.

 

cranking the torsion bars is the same thing as new keys someone bought the keys and realized that so thats something that has been tested haha nice lookin truck how do you like your satellite radio up on the dash like that does it get in your way or anything and how easy is it to change and stuff? i have mine mounted by the climate controls and it makes the ***** kinda hard to turn but i've gotten used to it.

 

also the hurst shifter is a very nice upgrade, it really cleans up and shortens the sloppy long shifts of the stock shifter and gives you a nice firm feel plus it has stop bolts on it so you can slam gears harder and not have to worry about messin anything up haha

 

Yeah def a truck w/ good bones so to speak. How do you like the 318 mated to the 5 speed?

 

Sat radio is just perfect where its at but I'm also 6'3" and have a remote for it

I did want to have it higher in the front lol I just wanted to level it out

I really like the 318 and 5 speed. Plenty of power.

I'm guessing you have the hurst, is it the shifter and linkage? How much and where did you find it?