So, i finally got to look at it. Its a 3/89 prduction, black v6 auto truck. SEEMS straight and solid. On four flats, been parked in the same spot on concrete since 2012. Little old lady's son who is an over the road truck driver is the owner, and she apparently called him this past week to tell him to get it gone.
Fron what i could tell, and not too in depth due to a HIGHLY active wasp colony or seven, its on pretty good shape. Stock down to the stock stereo except for the cragars, running boards, and bug shield.
Everything i know about these trucks came from a hemmings article. Im really familiar with the 97-04 dakotas, but not the earlier generation, and definitely not the beginning. This thinh has five lug wheels, which i haven't ever seen on a dakota!
So, what do we know about the early dakotas, the drop tops, and that era of dodge truck?
Any idea on value? Im thinking I'd buy it at under $500 with a title, but....
In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :
Only if i find billet wheels.....
You know. And buy it.
Yeah, bonus points for the Cragars.
Prices are rising, early dak have 5 lug, 6 lug in 91(?) maybe? They are not fun to drive with all the flex and they all seem to leak.
Dakotas were 5x4.5 through 90. 1991 started the 6x4.5 pattern.
According to wiki, only available 89-91, and only about 3000 of them made. 2842 in 1989, 909 made in 1990, and a rare few in 1991.
All of them converted by the American Sunroof Company.
Interesting. I'd be surprised if the roof of a body on frame cab mounted on like six huge rubber bushings has any effect on handling, other than lowering the center of gravity.
I've spent a fair amount of time with an 87 Dakota (mine) and 96 Dakota (dads) which are both this basic design. I've also spent a lot of time driving and working on other people's compact pickups of pretty much every stripe, and currently own a 2003 ZQ8 S10. With all that in mind, the 87-96 Dakotas are some of my favorite trucks of all time!
BUT, the 87-91 engine options were substantially worse than the 92-96 Magnum versions of the same engines. If you plan to swap a v8 into it that doesn't matter. The only change they really made to accomodate the V8 was an E-fan, and then in 91 or 92 they added a couple of inches to the nose so they could go back to a clutch fan.
They're not hard to make handle reasonably well. Even in-period there were companies making the usual suspension parts to get them up to .8-something G on a skidpad, which was REAL good back then. Now you can run an 11" wheel and have more grip than F1 cars had in 1989 so i don't think the suspension is any kind of limitation more-so than it is on any other ifs truck.
I used to see these in that condition for around a grand and always figured i'd end up buying one. Well, surprise surprise now the running ones are 5k and up and if you can get that thing for $500 it'll probably be your only shot getting one for that money anymore.
it's worth at least eleventybillion dollars.
Honestly, id be looking at a magnum 5.2 , mild drop, and doing truck stuff. Like tow dolly and engines in the bed. After a pretty thorough refresh.
Are this generation that capable? I know the next one was.
Any unobtanium wear parts?
Oddities of Chrysler of the era to be worried about?
Reason I shouldn't do it if the price is right?
I'm not a fan of any convertible really and probably less so for a truck. I can't imagine any time I'd want a drop top truck....
But, it's rare, it's cheap and why the berkeley not?
Do it. Its a pretty rare truck that can also still do truck stuff even with the top down. Unlike the SSR.
They are slightly larger than their contemporaries which helps make them pretty useful and they swallow larger engines without too much trouble, they are pretty solid trucks and many were used by various government agencies for quite a long time. Nothing really jumps out as huge issues other than typical old truck stuff and anything they might have done to add the convertible top.
Performance Parts aren't as readily available as they are for most other small trucks, but that's life with Mopars. There are still parts around if you scratch the surface a bit.
They could have been had with a Chrysler 2.5L, which means it could also take a 2.4L. So a turbocharged 2.4L DOHC with the boost cranked could be a lot of fun and still return decent mileage, unlike a V8. Just my $0.02 Note: I have a 2.5L bellhousing from a 1st gen Dakota that will mate to a Toyota R154 or related transmission.
Magnum v8 should be super straightforward. It should have a hydraulic (governor) 4spd auto a500 in it which has v8 bellhousing and unlike the magnum 5.9, the 5.2 is internal balance so you wouldn't need to weld a stupid weight to the torque converter to just bolt a 5.2 to what you already have and not even have the computer involved with it. Mounts and accessory drive should be transferable other than maybe lengthening a couple of things. You doing carb or efi? Carb is annoying with magnum heads because there aren't a lot of intakes that bolt to them that aren't 300 bucks but you can drill for old style manifolds if you want. I have an assault racing chinesium air gap carb manifold that does but i think they are discontinued which puts them right up there with the pricier stuff. EFI should be pretty much direct harness swap from a 92-96 truck or standalone. The magnum uses a crank sensor mounted on the back of the block but it fits a notch in the bellhousing so you'd need to notch your bellhousing for it and run the magnum flexplate. As far as i can remember i dont think the computer will do anything but post codes about the lack of trans electronics. Could even just drill a tbi manifold for the magnum heads and swap a v8 computer to the harness you already have (since on tbi more cylinders doesn't mean more wires) and run a tbi magnum.
I forgot to say.... Buy it!
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) :
I have a friend who's a major Mopar nut & has had one since new. I'll message you.
There was a Shelby version of the convertible Dakota as well. 5.9 Magnum power IIRC.
Nothing to special, they are super cool. I can hook you up with the drop top Dakota man. He is Simi local to you also.
These always seemed cool to me. A bed-mounted toolbox, maybe custom built, seems like a good idea. These things should be like legos and as long as a carb swap doesn't make it untaggable this should be a nice platform to build on. I'd suggest buying it.
Buy it and save the truck.
If you find you don't want to keep it, just make it roll and maybe even make it run then sell it for a nice profit.
Yeah, the profit is good for you but even more importantly, just save the truck from further deterioration.
Your current truck is better at being a truck and well sorted. Save it, air the tires, clean the fuel system, toss a battery in, make it move, sell it on.
I forgot he had that red GMT400 shortbed. I don't know, there's still an appeal here, but it would hard to have both at once.
Munchkin has laid claim to the gmt400. However, she's 11.
After sleeping on it, im going to make a lowball offer. Worst case scenario,he accepts it and i have to figure out what to do. But, as neat as it is, i don't think I want to own one.
I came close to buying a shelby convertible Dakota until I realized I had no berking clue what to do with it and had too many projects I already couldn't afford. I like them a lot in theory but it's a really dumb vehicle. I do still see plenty of potential for cool. Especially with a V8 swap. 
I'm I the first to suggest LS swap?
In reply to Justjim75 :
I thought about it because I want to either LS or K swap all of the things. I didn't say anything though.
