Before and after
 

I've seen this in the first and third generation forums, but not here. And I searched, I swear. :D

For those who have put a bunch of work into their trucks, let's see what they looked like before you fixed them up. Tell us about your mods and post a few pics. Here, I'll start.

The day I got it:

Attachment 45060

Attachment 45061


After getting it running and painted:

Attachment 45062

After installing Tuff Country lift and 33" tires:

Attachment 45063

Currently (after SAS):

Attachment 45064

Attachment 45065


Mods:
Dana 44 front axle with Spartan locker, GM 9.5" 14-bolt rear axle with Yukon Dura-Grip limited-slip, 4.10 gears, Edelbrock headers with Flowmaster muffler, cold air intake, custom nerf bars, Corbeau seats, Tuffy center console, and probably a bunch of other stuff I've forgotten.

Let's see everybody's second generations!

Well I cant say mine changed appearance looks that much.

The day I brought her home in 2008.

98 4x4 auto 5.2 73,005 miles
Attachment 45052

Attachment 45053

20% tint,leveled,32in bfg's,plasti dip'ed wheels,sct tuner,hid headlights and fogs,Aftermarket light housings, exhuast dumped at cat,granatelli cai.
Attachment 45054

Then I traded my dakota for a cummins! Best upgrade of all! or does that not count?? lol
Here was the final picture of her. 96,010 miles sitting dead with no 3rd gear left:icon_mad:
Attachment 45055

Well here's my Dak's story.

Nov 2011 - The day I drove her home. Smallest tires I think you can possibly fit on a Dakota.
Attachment 45032

Nov 2011 - My beloved Grand Prix that she replaced.
Attachment 45033

Dec 2011 -New 31x10.5R15 Tires in the bed.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/attachm...ine=1360364008

May 2012 - Tinted windows, tonneau cover, sub & speakers.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...20322-1658.jpg
Attachment 45034

June 2012 - Picked up some mags and painted them black.
Attachment 45035

Aug 2012 - Present: Body Lift Installed, tinted tails. Additonal info below.
Attachment 45036

Great looking trucks, both of you. :icon_imnotworthy:

Sometimes, it's hard to remember how much you've done until you look at the old pictures.

That's why I'm keeping all my mods hidden by factory metal >:)

Thanks Tom, but I think the amount of work you've put it definitely means that your Dakota takes the cake.

Thanks, but I didn't mean it to be a competition. I just like seeing everybody else's ideas and individuality.

I don't think I could ever own/drive a vehicle that was exactly like 5 million other people's and judging from the trucks I've seen here, a bunch of Dakota owners feel the same way I do. :icon_toast:


P.S. The stock tires on your truck are hilarious. It looks like they were stolen off a skateboard or something.

Oh haha I know, I'm just saying I can appreciate the work you've done to yours.

And yeah, those are the PO's grandpa tires!!

I'd like to show some pics of my trucks progress since I got it, but I can't seem to get photo bucket to work properly. You guys got any tips? Going to my buddy's house tommorow to get started on the winch bumper, should be awesome when done. Think I'm going to linex it, thoughts??

That's my plan for mine too, if I ever get around to building it.

The day I brought it home last May.

http://imageshack.us/scaled/medium/815/imag0003s.jpg

How it was before winter. Got some different tires and rims and painted them. Smoked Tail head and cab lights. Gutter mesh grill inserts. Also removed the sports badges.

http://imageshack.us/scaled/medium/545/imag0149si.jpg

Now I'm waiting for spring so I can put on some new decals that I got. I also picked up a set of 5 cragar soft 8's last month that I need to get painted up. I'm also hoping for some 31x10.5 tires and a 3" PA Body lift. I've also been thinking about painting the front and rear bumper the same color as the truck. How do you think that would look?

I like the black bumper, in fact I think a black grill would look good as well.

I got plans off someone from here for a dakota bumper. I was gonna do that in the spring but thats when I traded it.

hey Tom you still have the 5.5 Tough Country lift?

Nope, sold it.

The Dak was a stud in his youth if I might say so myself...

Took this picture the moment it was mine.

Attachment 44889

Cleaned him up at home.

Attachment 44890

Went to bed... Woke up, and this is what was in the driveway ;)

Attachment 44891

Attachment 44892

Attachment 44893

Tom if it's not too much to ask, can you pm as much information regarding your SAS as possible. I'm looking to do it this summer and any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

:icon_toast:

No pictures in my case. Hardly any cosmetic mods...more like battle scars, and lots of them.

That said,

Each mod is small on it's own, but as a package, yields a mostly stock looking sleeper motor that hopefully will be indestructable (Could dodge have put a more lame-duck cam in the 3.9? But if it keeps me from blowing stuff up......).

So far my best time is 11.10 1/8 mile on 30x8 AT's with the top half of this list (and stock convertor). Next time I hit the track will be with sections 1 and 2 complete. The goal is to hit 10.30 in the 1/8 mile with all but the last section. When i've done that, I'll drop from the 30" AT to the 24" slick and see what trouble I can make.

12.30 stock [3.55 gears]
--------------------
1. 11.10 1/8 mile:
1.7 roller rockers
Lincoln mark 8 fan/clutch fan delete
180* thermostat
oversize throttle body
4.10 gears
Hemifever 93 tune
------------------
2. est 10.80 1/8 miles:
high-stall convertor
Derale 16-pass trans cooler w/ 10" fan @ 160-180* thermostat (in-line with OEM cooler)
hemifever 94 tune
-----------------
3. est 10.30 1/8 mile:
line-lock/roll control via ABS
Methanol Injection
hemifever 96 tune
---------------------
4. est 8.99 1/8 mile:
MSD ignition (soon)
limited slip (soon)
24 x 8 Mickey Thompson slicks (soon)

Here's the thread I posted about it. It's a little short on details, though. If you're not in a hurry, I'd be happy to write up as many details as I can remember. Maybe give me a couple of days?

Tell me more about the rims!

Stock and powder coated

Nice, I found a local guy today who will do it for me.

That thread might just do the job, I'll pm with any additional questions.

No problem. I'll probably update that thread with some more details, anyway.

mine as she started 1998 dodge dakota 5 speed
Attachment 44688

2 inch lift, 32s, custom grill, chicken lights, toolbox, rebuilt ax15 tranny
Attachment 44689 Attachment 44690

straight traded her for a 01 ram offroad edition
Attachment 44691

put a 3inch lift on and 35s
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/attachm...ine=1361496059


I think I've made out pretty good over the last 2 years! although all my money goes toward my vehicle. Next goal is a cummins

Break out the check book when that day comes. The nice ones get harder and more expensive. Ask me how I know... lol

hahah tell me about it, around here they are running around 12k+. i like how you and i moved out of the dakota forum! although i do miss my little green truck some days because it was a manual

Oh I miss mine too. It was nice and light and that 4wd kicked ass. Wasnt afraid to scratch it either. Going from 4,000lb to 8,000lb and being diesel is a HUGE difference. Plus learning about diesel is a whole other ballpark

I don't have any pictures of my dakota stock, but imagine a 04 Red QC...

In it's prime
Attachment 42746

Now what I am driving now... The Mazdaspeed 3 is going to get a lot of hate....

Attachment 42747

Hey those 3's are quick, nice little cars. It has a turbo so its ok, can't hate on it. It's nice having a little car sometime.

I'm guessing you like the color red. :icon_razz:

A lot of hate? Nah... It all depends on what you do.

I used to drive this: 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT2 with a chrome/luxury package, leather heated seats, chrome OEM rims, HUD, 13 speaker Monsoon system.
Attachment 42724

To this: a completely stock, grandpa driven Dakota, sport package with all base options.
Attachment 42725

To what I've built her up to: specs in the sig.
Attachment 42726

It all depends on what suits your needs. I wanted a pickup as I constantly haul wood, flooring, dirt and furniture, not to mention I hated driving my sport/luxury/chromedthe****out Grand Prix on dirt roads, but I didn't want to go out buy a full size because I didn't feel like I needed one. I love my truck... Only thing I would change would be is that I wished it was an Extended Cab - extra cab space but still maintaining the 6.5 ft bed.

Mazda 3 is a hell whole of a lot more fuel efficient, comfortable, faster car (i think, definitely faster than my Dak:icon_teeth:.)

It's all what suits you, hell you could be back in a Dak in a year from now.

Cheers

[QUOTE=sxrsil3nt;3012488\

Mazda 3 is a hell whole of a lot more fuel efficient, comfortable, faster car (i think, definitely faster than my Dak:icon_teeth:.)

It's all what suits you, hell you could be back in a Dak in a year from now.

Cheers[/QUOTE]

It's a Mazdaspeed 3. FWD Turbo Direct Injection Hatch.

I do love the 28MPG and the 350HP this is thing is making. On street tires I'm running about a 13.5 in the 1/4 with slicks I could be mid 12's. Not bad for a 12K car.

And yes I do love the color red. I actually just got some new wheels for it last week.
Attachment 42672

1st pic is as I bought my 1999 Dakota, 2.5L 5 speed std. Cab, over the last year or so I have swapped out interior bench seat for a nice set of buckets out of a 2001 Sport Dakota Ext. Cab, also ungraded stereo to a Kenwood system, with Bluetooth for phone and Serius radio, engine was freshened up with bearing and gaskets, kept the 4 cylinder for gas mileage, works well but not fast be any means. Finally I changed out those rusty metal rims for a stock set of Aluminum Dakota rims with 265/70/15 Firestone's mounted to fill wheel-wells, and lowered the front 1" and back 2" to improve stance, handles much better and I like this lowered look on 2WD. The second pic is as she sits now. Still under construction.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/members...re-1-47568.jpghttps://dodgeforum.com/forum/members...pped-47569.jpg

Here is my DD, bought it a year ago with about 119,000 miles on her, pretty sad shape when I started, not too bad now :icon_shrug:

As recieved:
Attachment 38981
Attachment 38982

First 3" lift and 31's
Attachment 38983
http://i825.photobucket.com/albums/z...psec989cb3.jpg

How it sits today:
Attachment 38984
Attachment 38985

Nice! I'd say it's WAY improved now.

Thank you! I'm trying :) I missed an IMg tag around a ink, where is the edit button?

http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/...ps912d8566.jpg
The day i drove it home. Bone Stock 03 sport plus 4.7 5spd with leather.
http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8cde4902.jpg
as it sits 33' bfgs ho cams and a few other mods. soon to get 4.10 gears.

Good job. Looks pretty sweet!

Nice trucks boys!

owned it for almost a month now. its lost the bullbar, and cap and gained toolbox, new tires, new jvc headunit, and i painted my rims which i need to do again since cold and paint dont mix to well.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/attac...1&d=1390519797

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/attac...1&d=1390519770