1987 Dakota

[moparman76_69]

1987 Dodge Dakota Std Cab Short Bed
2.2 5 speed No A/C Manual Steering truck

I found the truck in 2007 at a lot near where I was living at the time, picked it up for 1500 (overpaid). Got in to leave the lot and the brake pedal went soft, found out multiple brake lines had rusted through. So 300 more for a bunch of brake lines, Calipers, Wheel Cylinders, pad, shoes, drums and hardware, I had a running vehicle.

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu62/moparman76_69/Dakota/100_1075.jpg
http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu62/moparman76_69/Dakota/100_1076.jpg
http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu62/moparman76_69/Dakota/100_1077.jpg
http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu62/moparman76_69/Dakota/100_1078.jpg
http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu62/moparman76_69/Dakota/100_1079.jpg

In the Fall of 2007 I was preparing to leave for my yearly trip back home to Mississippi I decided to tackle that pesky leaky valve cover gasket and discovered that someone had attempted to use a mix of different size bolts, and even a large self tapping screw to try and secure the VC to the head. So off came the head, put in a JY head and it spit a rocker and dropped a valve after about 1 minute of running. Crap, out came the motor.

Fast forward two years and I finally got it running again with a 2.5 CB TBI engine with a 36/32 weber DGEV. Motor runs good except for an idle issue that has came up in the past couple of days. I put a set of Mustang GT 17s on it.

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu62/moparman76_69/Dakota/100_2238.jpg
http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu62/moparman76_69/Dakota/100_2237.jpg

The problem is Even with the 2.5 it is kinda gutless, but I have a solution to that problem.

Boost!!!!

The plans are to run a modified 2 piece and a custom exhaust manifold so that the turbo can be flipped over and put the inlet towards the front of the truck.



As of this moment there is a lot left to do, I've started on the wiring using a Caravan engine harness, the Upper Plenum is done and the exhaust header is at the machine shop getting decked flat. I'll get pics up of those in the next couple of days. Until then Enjoy!

[Vigo]

Wow, cant wait to see more!!:thumb:

[bradp]

You cut up a 2 piece intake for that???????:confused2::confused2: LOL Had to get it in there before someone else did:D

[moparman76_69]

You cut up a 2 piece intake for that???????:confused2::confused2: LOL Had to get it in there before someone else did:D

I already made a thread about that :p

[turbokid]

Awesome project. Should be fun!

[5.8 L Import Eater]

Early Dakota's were 5 lug? Wow, did not know that. I thought all Dakotas only had the 6 lug Viper setup.

It looks like an interesting project. A friend in highschool had a turbo 4 ranger and for what it was (mostly junkyard parts and welding rod) it ran pretty well.

Chris

[Captain Chaos]

Early Dakota's were 5 lug?
Chris

Yes and its an easy swap of the 2nd gens using the 1st gen parts.:thumb:

[moparman76_69]

Yeah 87-89 were 5x4.5, I got the intake back and almost done, and got the header back from the machine shop today, I'll get pics tomorrow. Only thing left to figure out is the in-tank fuel pump and start swapping.

Oh and I got to find a good runnable swirl head, the one on the motor I'm using had a exhaust stud broke off inside the head and I broke an extractor trying to get it out so I'm screwed now.

[moparman76_69]

Ok got the exhaust mani back from the machine shop, they charged an arm and a leg just to deck the flanges. Anyway here's pics, still trying to decide what to do about a head.

[turbokid]

Looking good!

[moparman76_69]

Not much to report, found out that there is no way to put power steering on the truck using a factory pump, thinking of using a mr2 electric-hydraulic setup instead, it sucks with manual steering especially with the smaller steering wheel and 17s on it.

Money has gotten tight so until I can come up with the cash to get the head I want it's on hold.

[moparman76_69]

OK getting a head soon from Brad, gonna run a stock 2.5 for now until I get to where I have money to blow to build up a motor. If anybody hits up any yards and finds a 91-94 MR2 and can get the power steering pump and reservoir for cheap let me know.

[CSX153]

Where did you get the head flange and size tubing did you go with?

[moparman76_69]

Got the flanges from FWD and I ended up using 1.25 weld-els, I'd have used 1.5 inch tubes but with the angle I wanted to cut on the side that mated to the head it would have put them down where a bolt wouldn't fit. 1.5 would be about perfect if you weld them straight onto the flange.

[moparman76_69]

Finally about to get back to work on this at least body work wise, gonna go ahead and pick up a ported head.

[bradp]

Get the damn thing finished!!!!

[moparman76_69]

Get the damn thing finished!!!!

Yeah I know. Too much other stuff happening and I've been on mandatory overtime. That meant I have the extra money now, but I just bought a caravan and I'm going on vacation at the end of the month so the extra $ to get the rest of the fuel system stuff just ain't there.

[Vigo]

what is the rest of the fuel system? An inline walbro and some injectors?

[moparman76_69]

what is the rest of the fuel system? An inline walbro and some injectors?

got +40s already, plan on getting a 10 gal aluminum fuel cell, inline 255 or bosch 044, an lines and fittings. Or I might decide to go plastic cell and find a inline pump that will handle E85 and get new injectors and fuel rail.

[Vigo]

Trucks make fuel cells so easy...

[moparman76_69]

Ok back to the top with this. Didn't realize it'd been so long since I worked on it. After the recent turbo dak thread I got somewhat motivate to work on it again.

I ended up using a bunch of parts set aside for this on the van. The van is about to be torn down for its rebuild though and I might scavenge the parts back from it. I found a 90 TBI truck and plan on getting the EFI sending unit so I can use the factory tank and the 255 that is in the van now hopefully will work. I'm also going to use the 89 common block that is in the van with the +40s and accufab. Looking to see if I can figure out how to run the garrett upside down with a internal wastegate.

[Vigo]

Ive got an 87 now that im thinking of turbo swapping as well. Since my free 360 offer dried up..

Keep it updated, let us know how it goes. :)

[moparman76_69]

Found a 90 truck at pull a part, unfortunately they cut the tanks to drain them so I go though all the work of getting to the sending unit and it mounts into the tank differently than my 87 and I was SOL because the tank was useless. It does look like they use the same pumps as everything else though so my walbro from the van can go in. ATM it looks like I'm going to run my vans current setup in the truck with the trucks stock trans and maybe a t3 plate on the stock dakota disc.

[moparman76_69]

Ok got a 90 fuel tank from a yard in anderson. Pretty good chance I'll end up using a 2.4 in the van so I'll be using most of my 8 valve stuff on here. That means ported head, taft cam, race springs, the holset will definitely go on here now. Plan on finally getting work done pretty soon. Garage is down with o.p.p. (other people's projects). First is body work and paint since I won't need cash on hand for that. In the mean time I'll be looking for a HX35 to hopefully build two hybrids with.

[vipernbox]

I am liking that you decided to finish this one.... :)

[moparman76_69]

Ok the van broke a ringland, actually I broke the ringland through stupidity but that's neither here nor there. Not sure what is going to go down now as I need one or the other running and the van is an easier fix. It's not going on the back burner for long though, as I plan on getting it going before major surgery on the van.

[moparman76_69]

Back to the top one more time. It's about to get interesting as I have a line on a r154 and have the bellhousing clutch fork and front trans cover off an ax15. The goal now is a competitive entry in Hot Rod Drag Week 2012 in "street race" along with trying to get fast 4 banger and fastest without a trailer.

This means a couple of things. First I will probably end up with a 2.4/2.5 hybrid in a build similar to Larry B.'s sundance. he runs 11s in it so I shouldn't need to do much more to run 10s and be competitive. Per the rules I can't run ladder bars or a four link so the leaf springs have to stay. For the power I want the rear end has to go though. I'm thinking of running a 10.5 tire so I can run a local series with it also. Also the full interior will stay but I'm going to drop as much weight as possible. The thing is already lighter than the van so it should be fun.

[Vigo]

Uhhh.. sounds good but your 'not much more' idea is kinda asking for it.. The truck will be heavier and have more drag and will likely be harder to hook up. Cool project though.

[moparman76_69]

Uhhh.. sounds good but your 'not much more' idea is kinda asking for it.. The truck will be heavier and have more drag and will likely be harder to hook up. Cool project though.


Vehicle weight in 1987 ranged from 2,825 pounds all the way to 3,658 pounds (for the eight-foot-bed 4x4); most models were under 3,000 pounds.

It will be heavier but not by much. I don't think it will have that much more drag, P-bodies aren't as slick as they look. The hardest thing will be trying to get as much traction as possible with the leaf springs still there. There are a lot of sportsman class racers still using leafs so there should be an option for me there.

[ShelGame]

It will be heavier but not by much. I don't think it will have that much more drag, P-bodies aren't as slick as they look. The hardest thing will be trying to get as much traction as possible with the leaf springs still there. There are a lot of sportsman class racers still using leafs so there should be an option for me there.

Are Cal-Tracs legal? They're kind of like traction bars, but act like a 4-link under load where the front half of the leaf becomes the upper 'link'. Tons of NHRA stock class racers run them (we're required to run 'stock' leafs as well, but traction bars are legal).

[moparman76_69]

Are Cal-Tracs legal? They're kind of like traction bars, but act like a 4-link under load where the front half of the leaf becomes the upper 'link'. Tons of NHRA stock class racers run them (we're required to run 'stock' leafs as well, but traction bars are legal).

Yeah that's what I had in mind. I just have to keep the stock suspension type.

[Vigo]

I cant imagine my 87 Dakota weighing less than 3400. Maybe 3300 without the camper? Mines longbed v6/auto though. Shortbed 4cyl would knock ~200 lbs off maybe.

[moparman76_69]

I cant imagine my 87 Dakota weighing less than 3400. Maybe 3300 without the camper? Mines longbed v6/auto though. Shortbed 4cyl would knock ~200 lbs off maybe.

I'll find a scale once I get it running again. It's way lighter than the van and it is 36-3800 range.

[Vigo]

How the hell does your van weight that much? Mine's not even close to that heavy.. is yours a long wheelbase or something?