Polara_500
Well-Known Member
But I understand you can get them with only color, which I think is what Locumob was suggesting.
getting frustrated/fed up
- Thread starter volaredon
- Start date
LocuMob
Fluid Technician
Yep
How bout trapped moisture, accelerated rusting between the vinal and the metal?
If I buy one and it's a color I don't want, as long as the truck is otherwise what I want, I'll probably just live with it. Unless I get a tremendous deal on it, as even around"only" $20k, to me that is still alot of money, to date I have never spent that much money on a vehicle. Usually I get what I need for 10 to 15% of that amount
If I buy one and it's a color I don't want, as long as the truck is otherwise what I want, I'll probably just live with it. Unless I get a tremendous deal on it, as even around"only" $20k, to me that is still alot of money, to date I have never spent that much money on a vehicle. Usually I get what I need for 10 to 15% of that amount
1 MEAN66
Active Member
Been quite a while since I have been here. Spend time on The Vog ( Victory Motorcycles) and For B-Body's. If I start again I will be typing with one finder, going to the dictionary- so I can find out how to spell, etc. I have written to Mopar many times. I need a new truck. I hate rust and I'm not good at the fix!!!! Have "spun " wrenches since 68 now retired and drive school bus so we can it. Some old fool keeps throwing money into a 66 Satellite Pro Street. And as you can see gets sidetracked when he is typing.
Have in my mind possession what I believe to be the ideal truck, that is capable of filling my needs for a "truck". And can find NO ONE who has anything CLOSE!!!
My needs: be able to carry some weight - @ least 1500lbs. when I want to, Tow the 66 Satellite on it's 16ft. Steel deck ( 6000 lbs.) at at interstate speeds without cooking, get out of it's own way, when on a trip want to store "stuff" locked in the cab, look nice enough so I do not have to sneak up on it-to use it, and get a distant mpg. We after doing research ordered our new, no one at the dealers thought it would do what I wanted. the problem is I ride the bike a full 9 months of the year - have ridden in all 12 @ times. So our Pick up TRUCK see nothing but the winter chit weather. Has only 80K but is 19 years old. So Body getting very ugly. I am a MOPAR PERSON.
It's a 2002 Dakota Club Cab, 6.5 foot box, 2wd ( My dad plowed for years with a 68 D200, camper special, wide ratio 4 spd. manual, 2wd - one legged- sometimes had to chain up the 7.50-16's, 383 2bbl.), ordered with the 4.7 cause if I got the 5.9 I was forced into the automatic. and lost 800 lb. towing capability. This one as equipped has a gross tow rating of 10.000lbs. truck on scales weighs 4,000. so I got the HD 5 spd. manual, added a true track - rear carrier 2 weeks after it arrived. ordered all HD "stuff" they had, cooling, axle, charging etc. Technically any people in the truck make it over the rating. A/C and a better radio only other options. but I am sure everyone's ratings are on the safe side.
Results, runs the quarter in 15.2, quicker than ANY other full size I have come up against ( the one Ford Lighting was about a tie)as they all start out with at least 1000 lbs. more weight. Will hit 100MPH in third gear with two cogs to go ( solves the get out of it's own way need). I like the looks. Gets 20 -23 daily driving, generally use only 2, 3 , and fifth ( have drive 5th as low as 35mph) with the car and trailer ( and stuff ) going from Home Waterford NY - near Albany- to Canton NY (college reunion) thru the Adirondack Mountains at 55-70 mph, got 14.9 mpg, Have had 14 ft. timber in back - just leave the gate up and put a few cinder blocks on the wood up behind the cab.
Hopefully the new Dakota will show this year and it will be the same size. Cause as of NOW only the Tacoma comes close. And it has only a 6 ft. box, which mean almost nothing fits in the back, the rear tires of the bikes would be on the very edge of the gate. What the hell good is a truck that has no TRUCK in it. Full size with 4 foot boxes??? Hell you can't but a kids bicycle in it and close the gate!
2021 Ford has a F150 club w/6.5 box but that 5.0 will be lucky to see the 15mpg empty.
No Dakota this year will buy a Mopar 96 or older, and get a crate 5.7 and auto or "used". and put that in. Probably cost less than 20K for truck and swap. had a picture of it at the drag strip but could not find it in the computer, but it is on the wall in the garage. Well this took a bit. Going to wear out another dictionary.
Have in my mind possession what I believe to be the ideal truck, that is capable of filling my needs for a "truck". And can find NO ONE who has anything CLOSE!!!
My needs: be able to carry some weight - @ least 1500lbs. when I want to, Tow the 66 Satellite on it's 16ft. Steel deck ( 6000 lbs.) at at interstate speeds without cooking, get out of it's own way, when on a trip want to store "stuff" locked in the cab, look nice enough so I do not have to sneak up on it-to use it, and get a distant mpg. We after doing research ordered our new, no one at the dealers thought it would do what I wanted. the problem is I ride the bike a full 9 months of the year - have ridden in all 12 @ times. So our Pick up TRUCK see nothing but the winter chit weather. Has only 80K but is 19 years old. So Body getting very ugly. I am a MOPAR PERSON.
It's a 2002 Dakota Club Cab, 6.5 foot box, 2wd ( My dad plowed for years with a 68 D200, camper special, wide ratio 4 spd. manual, 2wd - one legged- sometimes had to chain up the 7.50-16's, 383 2bbl.), ordered with the 4.7 cause if I got the 5.9 I was forced into the automatic. and lost 800 lb. towing capability. This one as equipped has a gross tow rating of 10.000lbs. truck on scales weighs 4,000. so I got the HD 5 spd. manual, added a true track - rear carrier 2 weeks after it arrived. ordered all HD "stuff" they had, cooling, axle, charging etc. Technically any people in the truck make it over the rating. A/C and a better radio only other options. but I am sure everyone's ratings are on the safe side.
Results, runs the quarter in 15.2, quicker than ANY other full size I have come up against ( the one Ford Lighting was about a tie)as they all start out with at least 1000 lbs. more weight. Will hit 100MPH in third gear with two cogs to go ( solves the get out of it's own way need). I like the looks. Gets 20 -23 daily driving, generally use only 2, 3 , and fifth ( have drive 5th as low as 35mph) with the car and trailer ( and stuff ) going from Home Waterford NY - near Albany- to Canton NY (college reunion) thru the Adirondack Mountains at 55-70 mph, got 14.9 mpg, Have had 14 ft. timber in back - just leave the gate up and put a few cinder blocks on the wood up behind the cab.
Hopefully the new Dakota will show this year and it will be the same size. Cause as of NOW only the Tacoma comes close. And it has only a 6 ft. box, which mean almost nothing fits in the back, the rear tires of the bikes would be on the very edge of the gate. What the hell good is a truck that has no TRUCK in it. Full size with 4 foot boxes??? Hell you can't but a kids bicycle in it and close the gate!
2021 Ford has a F150 club w/6.5 box but that 5.0 will be lucky to see the 15mpg empty.
No Dakota this year will buy a Mopar 96 or older, and get a crate 5.7 and auto or "used". and put that in. Probably cost less than 20K for truck and swap. had a picture of it at the drag strip but could not find it in the computer, but it is on the wall in the garage. Well this took a bit. Going to wear out another dictionary.
I currently own 2 Dakotas, both club cab, one a 96 318 4wd the other is a 99 2wd with the 3.9. I have had other Dakotas with both engines before, this 3.9 is the doggiest of them all. even my 1990 (pre magnum 3.9) seemed to have more balls. My 94 definitely did. the 99 is currently apart, heater core blew. It has taken me since I took it apart Turkey Day to finish the job (I got sick and couldnt spend any garage time) Just today, I put the heater box back together, currently waiting for my son to drop by for a little assistance in holding the dash up outta the way so I can get the heater box back in. had a hinge pin for the blend door break on me upon teardown, (plastic.... stupid) I made a new one, from some 1/4" steel rod and some 1/2" wide X 1/8" thick steel flat stock.
It only has 130K, my 96 has 100k more on it and still runs circles around it. even with extra weight of being 4wd. This 99 has not been as good of truck as any other Dakota I have had before it. I have had to put more in it in repairs than any of my square bodies, and in less time, and at lower mileage. The 3rd day I had it, I had to replace the front end, besides that and this heater core, it has been redoing much of what the PO had already had done (came with a PILE of reciepts in the glove box that made me think I was getting a much better truck than I did.) I have had better service out of EACH of my square body Dakotas than I have out of this 99, without having to put near as much into any of those as I have into the 99.
the shop that the PO used, definitely knew how to take him to cleaners, for so-so work, and using the cheapest low quality parts available. The PO of the 99, is the PO because he was 86 and had the keys taken away from him, by his family.
A week after I did the front end (mind you he had paid 2x, within a month of each other for an alignment// both less than 1000k miles before the truck was mine) those ball joints didnt go from "good" to "ready to fall out" in only 1k miles!)
Since I replaced the front end and then I had it realigned, it has driven fine, no more pulling to the right... imagine that.
I had a caliper lock up.... 500 miles after he paid for brand new brakes and rotors to be done. The front shoe on the LR wheel was cracked in 1/2, with that 1/2 a shoe completely missing.... why didn't they address that?
at 86k, they replaced the water pump. At 91k, they had to pull water pump again, to do T chain cover gasket. Neither time did they replace any hoses. I redid the WP and replaced all hoses when I replaced the radiator and condenser because of a deer strike 10 days after I bought it..... at 120k, I had to redo the WP AGAIN, and the T chain gasket AND COVER, because the cover started leaking again, it was all ate out at the top passenger side. Why wasn't the cover replaced then? They were "in there", so why wouldn't they have put a timing chain in it? I did! Only 1 more bolt, once teh T chain cover was off.
Every other time into the shop, they stuck him for a serpentine belt.
they stuck him for $800 for a cat back exhaust (all stock Walker parts, nothing custom) then again over $400, for what should have been a $90-100 converter, not long after. Damneer everything he had had done over the time he had it, I have had to redo. or "finish the job that this shop started".... they really took advantage of a good ol' boy, that brought the truck in regularly, and wrote a check for whatever they felt like screwing him for, "that" trip into the shop. They got him for $800 to do all the steel brake lines on the truck, they used a 25' long roll of brake line that I can buy for $25. What a ripoff. And they couldn't have replaced the rubber hoses along the way, for that $800? No, I had to replace those. I also had to rebuild the trans at 120K, because of a slip while shifting from 2 to 3. I bought the truck, 6/1/19 with 105K miles. It is currently at 132K, I have had to put more into repairs in this truck than I have into my 96 that I have had for 4 years, and has 230K miles and counting, on it..... that I have had for 60K miles so far. Since I have had this 99, I have done ALL repairs on it that have been needed, except I had to take it in and have someone else align it/ since I don't have access to an alignment rack (any more) That was the ONLY thing, that I paid someone else to do for me. I even pulled the trans and did the overhaul on it right here in my home garage.
so I don't think I want another 97-04 Dakota. I'd take another 87-96 in a heartbeat, though, as long as I could find one with a clean body.
I want another full size again, though at this time. I have found 2 newer ones locally recently. a 19, Hemi, 2wd, reg cab 8' bed 13K miles. that one is gone. Now a '16 has popped up at another lot, same as the '19 except for the 16 has 50K on it. Reg cab, 8' bed, Hemi, but the one other thing I want is something "other than: a white truck. Both of these are white. I am in a white rut, my 96 Dakota, my 99 Dakota and my wife's 01 Durango are all white.
At this point I think I am gonna wait til I get my 85 to where i want it to be, even it is partly white (2 tone, marroon and white) and have that as my full size truck as a 3 season daily driver. that is a slant 6, 727,2wd,long bed
I have another slant 6 in the machine shop, I have plans to build up this other slant to go into it....... an 85 318 only had like 140HP stock, this new slant 6 will have more than that, when I am done. Its original slant runs fine, I just need it to get out of its own way. The 96 4wd isnt going anywhere unless its frame folds in 1/2 or it gets totalled. I may send the 99 down the road, once I get teh 85 to where I want it..... the plans were for teh 99 Dakota to be driven when there was no salt (it isn't that great of shape anyway) and the 96 as my winter beater...... the 85 will fill my needs as well or better than the 99, I may go by and "see what they will do" on that '16 "for the He11 of it".... if I wind up with that (meaning I'll have a car payment for teh 1st time since 2005) the 99 will definitely go away. whether I do something on that 16 or not, the 96 4wd and the 85 D150 arent going anywhere, til they become one with the ground again. (I do have a couple of V8 magnums and a 440 here, that one of which, just "might" find their way into the 85 eventually) one thing is for sure... the 85 will stay carbureted, no matter what.
It only has 130K, my 96 has 100k more on it and still runs circles around it. even with extra weight of being 4wd. This 99 has not been as good of truck as any other Dakota I have had before it. I have had to put more in it in repairs than any of my square bodies, and in less time, and at lower mileage. The 3rd day I had it, I had to replace the front end, besides that and this heater core, it has been redoing much of what the PO had already had done (came with a PILE of reciepts in the glove box that made me think I was getting a much better truck than I did.) I have had better service out of EACH of my square body Dakotas than I have out of this 99, without having to put near as much into any of those as I have into the 99.
the shop that the PO used, definitely knew how to take him to cleaners, for so-so work, and using the cheapest low quality parts available. The PO of the 99, is the PO because he was 86 and had the keys taken away from him, by his family.
A week after I did the front end (mind you he had paid 2x, within a month of each other for an alignment// both less than 1000k miles before the truck was mine) those ball joints didnt go from "good" to "ready to fall out" in only 1k miles!)
Since I replaced the front end and then I had it realigned, it has driven fine, no more pulling to the right... imagine that.
I had a caliper lock up.... 500 miles after he paid for brand new brakes and rotors to be done. The front shoe on the LR wheel was cracked in 1/2, with that 1/2 a shoe completely missing.... why didn't they address that?
at 86k, they replaced the water pump. At 91k, they had to pull water pump again, to do T chain cover gasket. Neither time did they replace any hoses. I redid the WP and replaced all hoses when I replaced the radiator and condenser because of a deer strike 10 days after I bought it..... at 120k, I had to redo the WP AGAIN, and the T chain gasket AND COVER, because the cover started leaking again, it was all ate out at the top passenger side. Why wasn't the cover replaced then? They were "in there", so why wouldn't they have put a timing chain in it? I did! Only 1 more bolt, once teh T chain cover was off.
Every other time into the shop, they stuck him for a serpentine belt.
they stuck him for $800 for a cat back exhaust (all stock Walker parts, nothing custom) then again over $400, for what should have been a $90-100 converter, not long after. Damneer everything he had had done over the time he had it, I have had to redo. or "finish the job that this shop started".... they really took advantage of a good ol' boy, that brought the truck in regularly, and wrote a check for whatever they felt like screwing him for, "that" trip into the shop. They got him for $800 to do all the steel brake lines on the truck, they used a 25' long roll of brake line that I can buy for $25. What a ripoff. And they couldn't have replaced the rubber hoses along the way, for that $800? No, I had to replace those. I also had to rebuild the trans at 120K, because of a slip while shifting from 2 to 3. I bought the truck, 6/1/19 with 105K miles. It is currently at 132K, I have had to put more into repairs in this truck than I have into my 96 that I have had for 4 years, and has 230K miles and counting, on it..... that I have had for 60K miles so far. Since I have had this 99, I have done ALL repairs on it that have been needed, except I had to take it in and have someone else align it/ since I don't have access to an alignment rack (any more) That was the ONLY thing, that I paid someone else to do for me. I even pulled the trans and did the overhaul on it right here in my home garage.
so I don't think I want another 97-04 Dakota. I'd take another 87-96 in a heartbeat, though, as long as I could find one with a clean body.
I want another full size again, though at this time. I have found 2 newer ones locally recently. a 19, Hemi, 2wd, reg cab 8' bed 13K miles. that one is gone. Now a '16 has popped up at another lot, same as the '19 except for the 16 has 50K on it. Reg cab, 8' bed, Hemi, but the one other thing I want is something "other than: a white truck. Both of these are white. I am in a white rut, my 96 Dakota, my 99 Dakota and my wife's 01 Durango are all white.
At this point I think I am gonna wait til I get my 85 to where i want it to be, even it is partly white (2 tone, marroon and white) and have that as my full size truck as a 3 season daily driver. that is a slant 6, 727,2wd,long bed
I have another slant 6 in the machine shop, I have plans to build up this other slant to go into it....... an 85 318 only had like 140HP stock, this new slant 6 will have more than that, when I am done. Its original slant runs fine, I just need it to get out of its own way. The 96 4wd isnt going anywhere unless its frame folds in 1/2 or it gets totalled. I may send the 99 down the road, once I get teh 85 to where I want it..... the plans were for teh 99 Dakota to be driven when there was no salt (it isn't that great of shape anyway) and the 96 as my winter beater...... the 85 will fill my needs as well or better than the 99, I may go by and "see what they will do" on that '16 "for the He11 of it".... if I wind up with that (meaning I'll have a car payment for teh 1st time since 2005) the 99 will definitely go away. whether I do something on that 16 or not, the 96 4wd and the 85 D150 arent going anywhere, til they become one with the ground again. (I do have a couple of V8 magnums and a 440 here, that one of which, just "might" find their way into the 85 eventually) one thing is for sure... the 85 will stay carbureted, no matter what.