IFS verse cost and what i want in my toy ol Rufus

[garyanna2]

I found a early Dakota with V6 138000 miles but sounds good.. I can buy it for 700. Just the IFS cost more than this. I get the whole truck . Now i have to remember not to get in a hurry and make sure everything fits. It is an easy trap to fall into. I learned this the hard way restoring BSA motorcycles. Its easy to buy the wrong part. Any help you can offer would really be appreciated Its all new to me but i can see it in my minds eye.

 

[Adam H P15 D30]

Are you planning a clip job or a frame swap?  I hope it isn't a frame swap but Installing a clip is a super involved job so don't underestimate it. Measure, measure, measure and don't hack it like most of the clip Jobs I've seen out there. In the end it should look like it was never cut and welded and be safe!

i am a huge fan of clips for several reasons. 1. Better geometry and engineering. 2. You can keep the factory engineered ride height and get the stance you want without cutting coils and dropped spindles. 3. Most importantly it's not a Mustang 2!  

Dont forget to factor in the costs for the donor suspension rebuild. 

Couple of pictures of my clip job on my 47

Edited December 2, 2017 by Adam H P15 D30

[garyanna2]

Looks like you did a great job, like it was made that way. Thanks so much I was going to use the frame and all. The yard called and dropped the price to 500 dollars. I have much to think about.

 

[NiftyFifty]

I’m much more of a frame swap fan, your not really messing with any geometry and your not meshing two different qualities of metal together, but that’s not so important with this heavy of frame.  Now the chances of making everything fit without body mods will be rare on frame swap, but if your starting from scratch anyway, then it’s just changing one fab for another.

[garyanna2]

One problem that showed up right away, the Dakota is a long bed. I think i would have to z cut the new frame I am not there yet. That was what i was thinking when it found me in the junk yard. Just swap mounting points thanks for the help.

 

[frankendodge]

if its an older Dakota the frame is put together under the cab. you can grind off the weld and separate it,cut it and put it back together. that's what I did.

[garyanna2]

Thank you i did not know that good info.

 

[NiftyFifty]

2 hours ago, frankendodge said:

if its an older Dakota the frame is put together under the cab. you can grind off the weld and separate it,cut it and put it back together. that's what I did.

What years would that roughly be?

[frankendodge]

I have a 1987 Dakota. iground the weld and me and my brother in law pulled it apart. I cut 16 inches out and slid it back together and welded it.if I had to do it again I would use the back half of my original frame, the Dakota frame curves up so I lost half my bed depth.thats ok its a high box now it will look like a shallow box inside.

[NiftyFifty]

I'm more interested for my 64 build, so not as concerned about the hump...thanks for the info!

Edited December 4, 2017 by 4mula-dlx

[frankendodge]

one thing I would recommend you do  is raise the front end on the Dakota.mine looked like it swallowed the front tires. I ordered a 1 inch spacer for the top of my coil springs.it raised it up2 and a quarter inches.looks good now.

[garyanna2]

Franken does the old frame and new but up the same or would ya have to deal with uneven rails? I seen the trucks the guy on utube makes with no depth to the box don't want that. I think the guy calls his trucks Turkey Creek Rat Rods.

 

[garyanna2]

I bought the Dakota today it turned out to be a 1989. The two dodge dealers one in Craig the other in Steamboat Springs could not tell me if i had a Magnum or standard V6. The air cleaner did not have any decals on it. I am not up on how to tell unless someone like a shop has the ID numbers off the Vin.

 

[garyanna2]

Thanks for the help everyone can't wait till spring.

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

18 minutes ago, garyanna2 said:

I bought the Dakota today it turned out to be a 1989. The two dodge dealers one in Craig the other in Steamboat Springs could not tell me if i had a Magnum or standard V6. The air cleaner did not have any decals on it. I am not up on how to tell unless someone like a shop has the ID numbers off the Vin.

 

I would be very leery of a dealership that would not know that answer....you have the standard 3.9 if V6 or the 5.2 if V8....the magnum engine for dodge trucks debuted in 1992....and will be MPI and not throttle body injected..

[garyanna2]

Thank you for the info all our car dealers in the area just want to sell new units. I just thought the vin would have engine size listed. 

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

it does, decipher it on a number of on line sites...early Daks had a sticker with all pertinent data for engine tranny rear and such accessorie3s and paint trim on the hood driver front would be covered by your right palm if lifting the hood with both hands....

Edited December 5, 2017 by Plymouthy Adams