I became freinds with a guy about my age (early 20's) who drives a 2007 Dodge Daytona pickup with the hemi. I convinced him to race me in my 91 Dakota 4x4 with a V6, 5 speed manual on rainy night. My truck had a canpopy and 400 pounds in the back while he had an empty box. We were both ready and set and he let me count down and we were off I feathered the clutch and got a great launch while he spun out and cursed, so I got ahead a bunch off the line and by the time I power shifted to second at 5500 rpm he was still fighting to keep the tires from spinning but catching up. He passsed me as I shifted to 3rd at 5500 but I kept up pretty good as he pulled away. He couldn't believe that I had gave him such a tough time and was pretty impressed with my driving! Gotta give the sawed off 318 credit for hanging in there against a new truck!
The 318 is a V8 isn't it? o No: I am not sure what the engine options were for dakotas but if it had a 318 c.i. then it's a v8! :TU:
no its a 318 with 2 less clyinders. They are great and popular motors. Had one in my coronet but it was a v8 being it was over 30k years old, it still had some get up and go, and it still burned the tires.
the 318 was a v8, and a good little engine. have one in my 84 D100, with 146k,still holds 35 psi oil press@hot idle in drive
I'm not sure, but I prefer the 92-96 Dakota body to any other pickup so I am building a 96 Ford ranger chassis with 5" Duff suspension, 33's, interior roll cage, and a hot motor of some sort all topped off with a 95 Dakota reg cab with interior roll cage tied to frame and long box. The 96 extra cab Ranger is the same wheelbase (125") as the dakota reg cab long box so it should be doable. (yes I have welders, pipe bender, oxy acet, plasma ect) It will be a big project but both the trucks are from a junkyard so they are cheep and I'm not wrecking a good truck. Meenwhile the 91 Dakota is a good runner...
How about a... Buick 350? It would make for an even more interesting conglomeration of parts. Either way, sounds like a neat project, Sean! :TU:
I do have a spare one and the major complication with the plan are all the electronics that go with the 4.0 fuel injected motor. If I use a carbed version of the ranger it will be cheeper to buy which is a plus. So if I use one of my spare Buick 350s then I have to adapt the200r-4 to the Ranger t-case or just start from scratch and use a tremeck 6 speed manaul with an adapter to the buick motor and the spare 231 t-case I have with custom driveshafts. It's a tough call but I'll keep you all posted on my progress. At this point I'm doing my homework to save headaches whe I get started... Oh, and incase you are wondering why the ford ranger chasis, the reason is it has the best suspension setup for off rd use and my father in law is freinds with James Duff the Ranger/Bronco guru and that where the susp kit will come from. Pluss the ranger is the same wheelbase and width as the dakota cab. The only question now is waht motor, trans, and t-case it will have. Once I'm done this project I'll sell the Dakota I drive now complete, since there is no use in tearing it apart just for the body when there are tons around..
