I have an Extra 2004 Durango- That's Right, Extra.
 

I bought a 2004 Hemi Durango three years ago. Did full exhaust, throttle body spacer, AEM Cold Air Intake, rancho shocks, poly bushes on the sway bars, BFG all terrain TA's one size up from stock and have basically been enjoying the truck since then.


About a year and a half in, my wife says that she wished her truck was like mine, so I sold her RAV4 and bought a second Hemi Durango, also an 04. She told me to leave the exhaust alone, because mine was a bit loud for her taste. That second one has also been great. We run synthetic Mobil one in them, I have about 147k on mine and she's up to 125k. We've never had the dreaded hydro lock water in the engine and broken con rod problem that everyone online complains about. Not sure why, but ours just pull like freight trains and haul kids, bikes and trailers all over the region. Basic maintenance keeps them going.


In the winter, they're fantastic. I used mine to pull a few stumps on the property and it also pulled out two concrete buried steel posts. I build cars and projects with engine swaps every year. This winter, I wanted something different, which I try to do all the time anyway- be different.


I saw a Hemi Durango on Craig's list that was in decent condition, the same color as mine, had only done 73,250 miles and needed an engine. It too was an 04, and it has a broken connecting rod. I'll take the engine out and see if the block is rebuildable. This is my "Extra Durango".


I'll use the doors for my truck, they're both black and mine have a little rust on the bottom, the Extra truck's doors are good. lots of different parts can come off this one to replace things on the other two we have.


I was interested to see if anyone has taken the body off one of these trucks and rolled this chassis under something else? I also might take the engine (after rebuilding it) and put it into a Duster or something else Chrysler yet equally as cool.


Let's hear some suggestions on what to do with the 4x4 chassis, the engine will be out on Sunday and I'll be looking for something to do with the rest of it. It's a toss up between build an old Plymouth trail Duster with this chassis and engine or just keep the parts as spares and put the rebuilt Hemi engine into something like a Duster. Thoughts?

I have decided to shorten the frame on my spare Durango and drop something cool on top of it. Just for fun.


I took the body off of it last week. I kept lots of spare parts for our other two Durangos. The body shell went to the scrap yard.


http://www.fmxpaulgrenade.com/sitepics/fall2015/22.jpg


http://www.fmxpaulgrenade.com/sitepics/fall2015/23.jpg


http://www.fmxpaulgrenade.com/sitepics/fall2015/24.jpg


http://www.fmxpaulgrenade.com/sitepics/fall2015/25.jpg

Still a few little bugs to work out but it will be ready for the vintage truck chassis soon. 4x4 Hemi Rat rod here we come.

All cleared up, it's purring like a kitten!

And today it moved under it's own power. I'll be putting a body on it as soon as I find one. COOL!
It's going to be a fully functioning 2004 Durango AWD with 4x4 low lockout and even airbags, but it'll have a vintage truck sitting on top of it. Cool!

Video fun:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itCK...ature=youtu.be

Looks like a great project.

Haha..looks like fun! Make sure you post updates.

Probably going to sell my '49 Pontiac this year. Bought to do a mild prostreet but couldn't bring myself to cut on it and the original straight 8 runs too good. Maybe a body donor for someone with a harder heart than me?


https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3904/1...63f3c330_b.jpg

How is that relevant to the thread?