Good day all!
#1
03-04-2012 | 01:46 PM
Thread Starter
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Registered User
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Good day all!
I´m new at this Dodge forum, so I guess it´s only appropriate to introduce myself....
I´m Dennis, and I live in the Netherlands. Always had a soft spot for American cars and trucks, and always had a VERY SOFT spot for Dodge trucks. But I never owned one(untill now, but more on that later...), simply because trucks aren´t common over here, everyone uses stationcars to haul things, which makes trucks/pickups very rare and expensive over here, and taxes and insurance for them is WAY more than for a regular car as well.
I´ve started with some Japanese cars(Mitsubishi), and currently I´ve got a 2001 Opel Omega 2.5 V6 Executive(full options). I´m a car mechanic and work at an Opel dealership, hence the car I´m now using as my daily.
A big jump forward, to the point where we come to the fact why I have signed up here. I was cleaning up the yard, and went to the scrapyard to take a lot of metal/copper laying around. When I entered the yard, I saw a Dodge pickup at the parking lot. No wheels, parts of the exhausts missing, tow hook partly missing, and so on. I went for a closer look, and saw that the VIN number was still present. At that point, I just knew I had to buy her and save her from the crusher.... I went inside, had a decent discussion(since the car was meant to be scrapped, and the papers and license plates were already destroyed), but I came out as a winner. Since I´m a car mechanic I know my way around cars and tools, as well as around the system, so I´ve got my ways to get this one (legally) back on the road again. It´s a ´96 Dodge Ram, 2500 4x4 5.9 V8 Magnum, Laramie SLT.
I´ll add some more pictures later, together with some information, but for now:
I´m Dennis, and I live in the Netherlands. Always had a soft spot for American cars and trucks, and always had a VERY SOFT spot for Dodge trucks. But I never owned one(untill now, but more on that later...), simply because trucks aren´t common over here, everyone uses stationcars to haul things, which makes trucks/pickups very rare and expensive over here, and taxes and insurance for them is WAY more than for a regular car as well.
I´ve started with some Japanese cars(Mitsubishi), and currently I´ve got a 2001 Opel Omega 2.5 V6 Executive(full options). I´m a car mechanic and work at an Opel dealership, hence the car I´m now using as my daily.
A big jump forward, to the point where we come to the fact why I have signed up here. I was cleaning up the yard, and went to the scrapyard to take a lot of metal/copper laying around. When I entered the yard, I saw a Dodge pickup at the parking lot. No wheels, parts of the exhausts missing, tow hook partly missing, and so on. I went for a closer look, and saw that the VIN number was still present. At that point, I just knew I had to buy her and save her from the crusher.... I went inside, had a decent discussion(since the car was meant to be scrapped, and the papers and license plates were already destroyed), but I came out as a winner. Since I´m a car mechanic I know my way around cars and tools, as well as around the system, so I´ve got my ways to get this one (legally) back on the road again. It´s a ´96 Dodge Ram, 2500 4x4 5.9 V8 Magnum, Laramie SLT.
I´ll add some more pictures later, together with some information, but for now:
#2
03-04-2012 | 02:33 PM
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 82,830
Likes: 3,435
From: Clayton MI
Congrats on the new acquisition. 
Looks to be in pretty good shape. Aside from sitting on the pavement without wheels/tires.
Welcome to DF. Take a browse thru the faq section to get an idea of what likes to go wrong with these trucks, and also, make sure you read the stickied plenum thread at the top of the tech forum.
Looks to be in pretty good shape. Aside from sitting on the pavement without wheels/tires. Welcome to DF.
Take a browse thru the faq section to get an idea of what likes to go wrong with these trucks, and also, make sure you read the stickied plenum thread at the top of the tech forum.
#3
03-04-2012 | 02:48 PM
Legend
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 8,259
Likes: 3
From: Austin, TX
Wow. Good find. I spent several years working in and around Sweden for Tetra Pak SA a number of years ago, and finding an American vehicle was not common.
Welcome to DF, and I wish you luck. Finding parts may present a challenge, but this place has been a tremendous resource for me when I bought my first Dodge!
Don't forget to look for the service and parts manuals to download when checking out the FAQ/DIY section, Lots different from an Opal (I did not know those were still being made - don't think they are avaiable in the US any longer).
And just so you know, we like picture here!
Welcome to DF, and I wish you luck. Finding parts may present a challenge, but this place has been a tremendous resource for me when I bought my first Dodge!
Don't forget to look for the service and parts manuals to download when checking out the FAQ/DIY section, Lots different from an Opal (I did not know those were still being made - don't think they are avaiable in the US any longer).
And just so you know, we like picture here!
