Well I'm at the start of my "stay-cation" so I've been messing around with the new welder, and when I remove the current headers and y pipe from the Dakota for freeze plug install, I'll be installing some new ones and fabbing my own Y pipe up as well. I picked up some ebay headers that were made for use with the stock y pipe and has a collector that reduces them to 2in, so I chopped them off and added some2.5 in stainless v-bands for the new stainless downpipe build.

360 should be plenty of fun. My brother in-law has a 408 stroker in his Dakota. It is borderline to much for the truck.

The truck was a burnout machine with headers on the stock 5.2. But with the little bit of driving I've done with the caltracks and locker the Dak just hooks and goes now, unless your on the brakes then you can just roast em. I'm not sure where this will go perfomance wise as I plan on using it to take the cav to the track and other truck duty. I will admit body mods like a welded in roll pan, and a sectioned front bumper are going to take place. Also a class 3 hitch and bags in the rear.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Tuesday, April 03, 2012 6:41 AM

Those are some damn nice welds. Good job dude.

Thanks, I've put the motor back together but not finished the new exhaust. Turns out the headgasket was leaking not the freeze plug. All the head bolts were still at 105lbs tq like they should have been but they seemed to have stretched. So I tore the motor down to the short block and added new headgaskets, ARP head bolts, and Crane Hardened pushrods since it was all apart. I'm going to prob work on the exhaust tonight and when I can after work this week. I'll get pics up as I go. I also changed the motor color combo over to gunmetal and black from mopar orange and oxidized aluminum.

Well I've sold my old tri-Y doug thorley headers and ordered up enought stainless to finish my exhaust all the way back to the sidepipe dump I plan on doing right before the rear tire and ordered an HD50 series flowmaster for it as well. I was going to pick up an msd ignition but decided that the rusty old mild steel header back exhaust needs to go. I'll update with pics as time goes on.

I have ben watching this thread and I am excited, just wish the updates came faster

I'm right there with you Phil, I just don't have enough green stuff for all my bills, the cavi, school, and living expenses like everyone else I'll get there slowly. Plus I need to assemble my eco and finish fabing the boosted pcv system and downpipe.

Spent some time this morning after work on the drivers side of the y pipe build. I also made a simple jig to hold pipe while it's being welded.




The under the motor/trans pipe

looks like you need a chop saw looks good though for sure!

Looks good bro. Mine is still coming along, tons and tons of rust repair. New floor pan on the drivers side and 3 frame repairs also go the new exhaust finished and welded. Im back to the point where the bed can be put back on. I had the frame rail the shocks mount to custom made and the one to the rear of it made in a U style as they were completely rusted away. I have it running decent at last. Im planning on replacing the entire front suspension this month. It goes in for the trans rebuild next month i hope. I just couldnt give up on this project. Once im done ill have a new truck.

Vince- I would love a chop saw, and money so I can make my own packpurge setup as well.


Red03ecotec- your really hauling ass with that thing. I still haven't finished the exhaust on mine. And I got a box full of every prothane mount for the truck, and a box of ball joints and tierods that need to go on as well.

Got off my butt after work and pulled the rest of the old exhaust out, and finished up the new y pipe I fab'd for the new headers.




1st time I've tiged a slip joint on an exhaust, came out better than expected.




Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Tuesday, May 01, 2012 8:12 AM

Moar. That is all.

nice work so far

Didn't get to work on it last night but I've picked up the correct header bolts and plan on making progress after I'm out of work tonight. I'll post progress later.

Got off my ass after work tonight, finished the exhaust, adjusted the rear band on the trans, changed all fluids, installed the distributer n wires, fired her up and the test drive went great. Slides around nicely with the detroit locker 4.11 gears and the cal tracks. I'll get a few pics up later now that the exhaust is blue, purple and gold...but time for bed I got work at 630pm.

Sweet thread! My friend has a turbo dakota, It's pretty sweet and something you don't see everyday.

I'd love to turbo mine but I'm most likely going to keep it all motor for smplicity sake. Does your buddy post up on any of the dakota forums? What year, color, motor, trans setup does he have? I might know the truck based off postings.

Since my 95 had 142k on the clock and my sending unit was bad I decided it was time to replace the fuel pump and the fuel line going up to the motor as well. I had some of the AN fittings laying around for my cavalier build I snagged some of them for the Dakota. Thanks to Brian aka rare5spd for lending a hand and stabbing himself with the stainless steel hose while installing fittings


PARTS LIST

I ended up using 11ft 4inches of stainless-6 braided hose.
1 LS1 3/8th's to -6 Earl's fittings (fuel pump outlet)
1 5/16th's to -6 Earl's fittings (stock fuel rail)
1 straight -6 fitting summit
1 90 deg -6 fitting summit
1 -6 fuel inline fuel filter Earl's fittings
3 insulated clamps to hold the feed to the rail.






Pump installed in tank with fitting.



How I routed the hoses

off the tank


right under the cab mount


and connected to the brake line bolt to keep the hose from rubbing on the body seam when the motor rocks back and forth.


I then ran it around the brake booster along the firewall. I used wiring insulation to keep it wrapped in black to blend in.




All done fired up no leaks and all is well. Next up is setting the fuel injector sync, and replacing the brake lines. Once thats taken care of I'll feel safe driving this as a dd while the cavi goes under the knife and the turbo build is completed.

I blew out the brake lines doing brake torques everywhere.....that is all.

lol, stainless steel lines now?


- Your not-so-local, untrained, uncertified, backyard mechanic. But my @!#$ runs

Oedwards wrote:lol, stainless steel lines now?

New hardlines down the frame, then braided stainless lines to axle and front calipers. Might pickup a line lock to take it easy on the rear brakes.

I got new wheel cylinders, hardware kit, brake shoes, and drums....New lines go in time permitting this weekend and the turd will be back on the road.

Well I've got the truck back on the road. I ended up buying 20 ft. of -3 braided hose and the right adapters to get from the combination valve to the axle. The brakes feel better than they ever have and after cruising around Saturday night I got the injector sync done thanks to a local buddy at Midas who's conqest I've been building frame rails for. I also decided that the 17yr old turd stained paint could use a little polish as well. Then on my lunch break at work I took a spin over to a 24hr walmart to grab a truck bed coating kit and tossed my plastic liner out to the curb.....thats all you guys get for now.

Brakes






Turd all shiny.....



The bed liner as of 730am chicago time.




oh and pics of color changed headers from earlier.