After two years, I have finally started my truck renovation. The truck's been black tagged for a year now, which in Oklahoma means it's not legal to drive.

I'll put pictures in later, but so far I've removed everything on the driveline from the radiator to the drive shaft. I've also stripped the interior out. The truck is going to be built as a high performance pro-touring truck, and I may run at a few local tracks but not anything serious. This may **** off the purists, but I want to be able to win races with this so it'll be getting a GM drivetrain. I have a 4.8L sitting on an engine stand right now that I'll be using to iron out the problems, then I'll put a performance engine in after that. I've not decided exactly what yet, but I'll be shooting for the 700-800HP range for this. To hold up to the juice, I'm having the suspension replaced. It'll be converted to a 5 lug wheel pattern, 3 link out back and not completely sure yet up front. The rear diff will be a built Ford 8,8 and the guy I'm using is building it to handle a turbocharged 427. He'll also be putting a manual quick ratio rack in place of the power rack, and brakes that can stand up to the engine. I'm hiring this out because I can't weld and I want to make sure the suspension is set up correctly. So far as what else I'll be doing, I'll be playing it by ear. I need to see what the truck looks like with the new parts on to decide where to go from there.

Now then, since I do have stuff out of the truck, I do have a few observations about it. Remember when I recommended swapping VINs to a member? I found a VIN plate under the carpet riveted to the passenger side of the rail that the fronts of the front seats bolts to. I also found quite a bit of factory installed MLV pasted under there. And, when I pulled the rear panels off I found a plastic bag stuffed with fluff on each side. At first I thought it might be a previous owner's drug stash.

The back seat on these ext cab trucks is incredibly light.

The rear vents in the back of the cab leak water, as I found water in the plastic tray under the seat. The vents clip into place, but are hard plastic against metal and it's not a tight fit. Water runs down the back of the cab wall, and runs right in between the vent and the sheet metal. It would be worthwhile for the rest of you to check yours. A little silicone would solve the problem.

 

Hey Vines,
Its your truck, your money........ Build it the way you want it.
Anybody that knows anything about modern engines, swaps etc. Knows the LS platform is one of the best if not the best platform to build on.
More aftermarket support, compact design, and very little mods needed to make big power.
Have you seen lsdak.com?

 

Took a look, nothing came up.

 

Sorry about that
Www.lsdak.wordpress.com

He is on dakorart as well. As you can imagine, not popular putting a ls in a dakota.

 

Nope, but I want to win some races.

 

No argument from me.
When you look at the big 3 entries, and consider cost, aftermarket support, adaptability, and at the end of the day, power output, its easy to see why the LS is so popular.....
Look forward to following your build.

 

This is a picture of one of the rear vents, with a flashlight shining from above, that shows where it leaks. I DID unseat the vent just a bit in order to get the shot because while I could see the light coming around the vent top with the vent fully seated, my camera could not. The opening is large enough that water running down the back of the cab will come in and run down to the plastic tray under the seat. My tray had about 1 inch of water standing in it. Both vents have the same problem.


The aforementioned data plate, slightly altered to remove identifying information for the truck.


A weight ticket I had done when I first bought the truck. This was empty truck, no driver, full tank. This is a 58/42 front weight bias, and doesn't require much weight to be moved around to make it closer to a 50/50 balance. It's already lighter from the rear seats being permanently removed, but I was amazed at just how light those parts actually were. I think the rear seat belt assemblies might have weighed more than the seats!


This was my favorite part of this job. Now you see it...



Now you don't. That removable rad support top made it SO much easier to pull the engine. You'd think Dodge designed this truck specifically for hot rodding.


And the engine, transmission, and driveshaft are out.





More to come.

 

The guy I want to use for the suspension is too backed up to take my truck this month, and he doesn't know how much longer at this point. Anyone know of a decent suspension shop near Tulsa that can do a leaf to 3-link suspension modification, that won't ask more than a new truck costs for the work?

 

My truck is at the shop, and is next in line. They have a late 70s Malibu to finish up then they get started on mine. I also decided to go in a different direction. Rather than a 3 link out back, I decided to have a new frame built and use a late model Corvette IRS. Also putting a Corvette IFS on, and will be ditching the leaf springs in favor of coilovers. As soon as I get the necessary measurements from the shop on the frame width I'll be using Dobberton adapters to install the suspension.

The old 3.9L engine and trans out of my truck is still for sale. Get it before I dump it!

 

Contact your local school. The high school near me took my 3.9, even came and got it.