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What is the best year Dodge Dakota for a donor frame and running gear for my '48 4door custom?
Rick
Hola Rick
The Dakota used for the previous swap was a Rear Wheel Drive 1998
single cab - looong wheel base with their V6.
This size wheel base is one inch difference than your 121 1/2" wheel base.
If you use a earlier series Dakota --- then you will have all five lug wheels.
The V6 produces more power than any "enhanced" Flat Head". It is also
lighter than any other V8.
You can read about it in The De Soto Adventures Club Magazine.
Rodger & Gabby
COS
FltSgt@outlook.com
I recently found a 1992 reg cab 2wd long box donor. This should work nicely then.
Rick
Rick,
Roger was referring to my 42/7 Custom Coupe.
The swap did entail having to move the engine 12" rearward and the rear axle 1" forward which was accomplished by fabricating a triangulated 4 bar rear suspension with Airbaggit air springs. Mine is a tail dragging 50s custom (sometimes seen in the NDCs bimonthly magazine-De Soto Adventures which comes free every other month or so with your NDC membership)(see RENEW-JOIN THE CLUB in the sidebar to the left).
I do have a CD with start to finish photos of the build if you are interested. You can email me at: wrxprt14@gmail.com
Geoff Overley, Editor
De Soto Adventures Magazine
526 W. Main Street
Mason, Ohio 45040-1626
So, will the conversion be the same for my '48?
Rick
The chassis are essentially the same, but for your sedan, you wouldn't need to go to the extreme of fabbing a 4 bar rear. The difference in wheel base could be accomplished by modifying the springs (need a spring shop to re-roll the front "eyes") or by modifying the perches by drilling new locating holes. You also may need to lose a leaf or two to keep the car level.
Another thing you will encounter is that the replacement frame is substantially narrower than the original but we found that the front body mounts (cowl area) on the Dakota frame can be modified to accept the stock mounts on the body.
The narrower frame also prevents the reuse of the stock fuel tank but we found that the PT Cruiser fuel tank will fit and the Dakota wiring harness will plug right in.
If your sedan needs rear floors, you may want to wait until you get the body dropped onto the frame and custom fab them.
The only other issue is the front frame horns that ended up too high, right behind the grille (mine is a '42) but since the rack & pinion steering is low and to the rear. Fabricating new horns to accommodate mounting the front bumper shouldn't be a problem.
I'm currently "arranging" the Dakota wiring both underhood &underdash & it fits quite nicely. I can send you some pictures.
Geoff
