Seems like everything wants to stop me from getting this truck done!!!! Family emergencys, painter having unexpected company... all that stuff!

Oh well all is good, progress is being made, door sills were painted 2 nights ago, roof and back of the cab last night, box either tonight or tommorow night, and cab on friday/saturday. In the meantime ive started to assemble all the things i can in preperation to go back on the truck such as the grill, front bumper and valence, and other little things. Heres some pics from before any paint/final bodywork/sealer. SOrry for the wait!

Got rid of all the rock chips:
Dakota45.jpg

Welded in the holes where the v8 emblems were:
Dakota46.jpg

Found some more rust (corner of the window, i delt with it and also purchased some new mouldings that go overtop of it off an 04 dak at a wreckers):
Dakota47.jpg

Bodywork on right rear box (no not all bondo dont worry haha, thickest is just over 1/8th inch):
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On left rear box:
Dakota50.jpg

Tailgate:
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Rear Bumper frame (removed from the chrome shell, i will build my bumper off this):
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Grill, bumper, flares, all being painted!:


Front piece back together:
Dakota58.jpg

HOPEFULLY, things progress as planned, im fired up to see the finished product myself. Too bad that summers nearly over though..

 

I want to do some of the same to my 98 DAK even though she still looks great now.

What I want is to redo the underside of my DAK pull the back off clean it and paint it up real nice then pull the engine out clean that up and paint that up real nice.

Install a nice rebuilt engine in it and I will be very happy.

 

98Dakz, thats a clean looking truck you have, best of luck with it, for some reason when I see those rims... I start thinking... Base model, but a massive engine, sleeper look = total badass truck. Reminds me of a hemi dart. Wait a sec, drop a hemi in that thing

THERES PAINT ON MY TRUCK! Well, part of it anyways. Dropped by this afternoon to put my door sills back together, and a couple other minor things. Heres some pics.

Sills:
Dakota59.jpg

Roof and back of cab:
Dakota60.jpg

Its looking great so far. Saturday I have some final sanding and masking to do, paint the cab saturday night, drive home sunday and install grill/bumper/front flares/interior/clean everything/install wheels and tires/clean again, while box is being painted. Install the box on monday. Then clean again and hopefully have a rear bumper sometime next week!

 

Couple more pics from masking today.... Cab is being painted right now as im typing.

Better pic of back of cab:
Dakota61.jpg

Masked!:
Dakota62.jpg

Dakota63.jpg

fired up beyond belief haha

 

DONE THE PAINT!!! Enjoy it everybody, it turned out great and is just like how I thought it out from the start. It almost looks black!

Dakota64.jpg

Afew things yet to go, but 99% completed now. Brought it home, cleaned,degreased and washed the interior 3 times, just in another shop getting a new lug nut/rear brakes put on the back, busted one off yesterday poutting the wheels on. I figured screw it ive worked hard to get this done im going to pay somebody to do it.

 

Wow. Just read the whole thread and you have come along way! Nice looking truck and good work

 

Wow that's so amazing work right there! Looks awesome

 

Thanks for the compliments!

After driving around today i got a ton of good feedback on the paint and truck in general, sure is a good feeling. BUT, now that my flares are on, my 285's rub because of the 4" backspace procomp wheels. Also i dont know why but my torsion bars are allready cranked - ive never touched them - and the truck still has quite a rake to it. Seems strange to me. So it looks like torsion keys are needed now.... needless to say my wallet hates me

 

your truck looks badass is a very nice job im impresed im thinking if i win the lottery hope i win is put it a solid fron axle lift it put a more powerful engine and drop it 37s but i need to win the lotto for transform the worktruck in a funtruck but your truck is killer...

 

Thanks you, beleive it or not i do not have all too much money in the truck, you will save a ton if you do things yourself.

Btw, managed to cut the flares so they dont rub anymore. Should do for the time being...

Update: Wow, ive had the truck for only 2 days and already theres been a minor hit and run on it from someplace I had it parked. Didnt notice until last evening. About a 1.5" diameter dent with a 1" long by 3/8" wide scar right through the paint. Bottom of passenger door. Looks like its a steel bumper corner or something else that did it because its an akward location. Needless to say...not happy. Will post pics tonight/tommorow..

Right now ive started taking liscence plate #s and pics of whos parked beside me...if theres no open corner of a lot to park it in