My Dodge Dakota, the "Comvee"
- Thread starter Nick02
- Start date
Nick02
Member
The rear, yes super easy, drill out the spot welds take off out outer fender skins,trim and bolt on new fiberglass one's and make some fender stays.
For the front not really, you'e supposed to drill out the spot welds and remove the outer fender skin to put them on, after I did that the bodylines wouldn't match, so I cut the inner fender structure up and used it to support the PCM TCM, airbox and battery. Then I made some supports to re-enforce the fiberglass fender that bolt onto the hood spring gear mechanism.
For the front not really, you'e supposed to drill out the spot welds and remove the outer fender skin to put them on, after I did that the bodylines wouldn't match, so I cut the inner fender structure up and used it to support the PCM TCM, airbox and battery. Then I made some supports to re-enforce the fiberglass fender that bolt onto the hood spring gear mechanism.
Nick02
Member
So the trailer fabrication and paint is all DONE:sombrero:
time to add the good stuff..
This leaf spring is not happy:Wow1:
and time to fix the truck... going to drop the bed, and add some 63's
bling bling
here's my shackle/hanger design; going to cut up my old shackle and put the bushing sleeve inside
front mount
shackle .375" btw
time to add the good stuff..
This leaf spring is not happy:Wow1:
and time to fix the truck... going to drop the bed, and add some 63's
bling bling
here's my shackle/hanger design; going to cut up my old shackle and put the bushing sleeve inside
front mount
shackle .375" btw
I just discovered this thread about a week ago. You have done a great job with this conversion. As soon as I get some free time from school and ROTC I'm hoping to try and start gathering parts for a similar conversion. Not sure how soon I can start though. 2wd just ain't as good as it was when I first got the truck. Gotta have somethin better.
Nick02
Member
Decided to wake up at 5am to finish my 63" swap, finished just in time to meet up with my local wheelin crew.
We wait for a bit, then head out.
I make a left turn onto the street, then some old lady decides to come through the street perpendicular to traffic, and try to make a left in a one way turn lane, the wrong way; mine you im accelerating down the road already.
She didnt see me, she was looking the wrong way down a one way steet. I lock up my brakes to try and avoid, too late; she hits head perpendicular to my pass rear tire.
+1 for dakota
-1 for turbo PT cruiser
She did this to my rim tho
Everyone turns around, I get out, ask if she's ok, she's verry appolegetic (and quite a potty-mouth for an old lady), claimed fault. we exchange insurance info, Staceman picks up her bumper bits, disconnects the lights and she hauled the rest away.
(Later my insurance company found that her insurance said she hit a "pole" and tried to commit insurance fraud to get a smaller deductible.)
Then we went wheelin
We wait for a bit, then head out.
I make a left turn onto the street, then some old lady decides to come through the street perpendicular to traffic, and try to make a left in a one way turn lane, the wrong way; mine you im accelerating down the road already.
She didnt see me, she was looking the wrong way down a one way steet. I lock up my brakes to try and avoid, too late; she hits head perpendicular to my pass rear tire.
+1 for dakota
-1 for turbo PT cruiser
She did this to my rim tho
Everyone turns around, I get out, ask if she's ok, she's verry appolegetic (and quite a potty-mouth for an old lady), claimed fault. we exchange insurance info, Staceman picks up her bumper bits, disconnects the lights and she hauled the rest away.
(Later my insurance company found that her insurance said she hit a "pole" and tried to commit insurance fraud to get a smaller deductible.)
Then we went wheelin
Attachments
Nick02
Member
had some quick fun an offroad BBQ thing, still have to cut the old leaf hanger off as it acts as a bumpstop for the 63's
this was my final project my weekend:mad3:, intro to CAD class, guess what is is?
Pulled the carrier out; seemed like a good idea at the time. Anyways, I somehow knocked myself out, think it surprised me and I hit my head on my cross-member, had a nice lump on my forehead and a 3" cut.
Locked the front, snow run soon! getting the trailer titled and bringing it on a snow camping trip!
professional picture taken on the RTI I found lolz
Then I got something NEW!
GEN II SAS comeing soon...
and the dakota is going to be LOW LOW LOW!
this was my final project my weekend:mad3:, intro to CAD class, guess what is is?
Pulled the carrier out; seemed like a good idea at the time. Anyways, I somehow knocked myself out, think it surprised me and I hit my head on my cross-member, had a nice lump on my forehead and a 3" cut.
Locked the front, snow run soon! getting the trailer titled and bringing it on a snow camping trip!
professional picture taken on the RTI I found lolz
Then I got something NEW!
GEN II SAS comeing soon...
and the dakota is going to be LOW LOW LOW!
onelow1ton
Adventurer
Trucks looking good sucks about the rim but I guess it could have been a lot worse
Nick02
Member
Some vids from an FJ run on the trail Elvis with some optional lines.
A little crack
Rock Crawling with Nick and Tony - YouTube
T-Bob Falls
Rock Crawling with Nick and Tony - YouTube
a little rock garden thing
Rock Crawling with Nick and Tony - YouTube
My buddy has been talking about trying to get me up the “fall” in elvis, I have seen it before, rode along in other rigs that got denied and got my pants scared off, I really didn’t want to do it; had nightmares about this thing.
But I put my tires on it and things felt right, so I went for it, not a single chirp from the tires; I basically idled up it in 1.86:1 yay!
But on the way down the other side I slammed my bumper hard and bent my frame pretty badly
Badside
Goodside
A little crack
Rock Crawling with Nick and Tony - YouTube
T-Bob Falls
Rock Crawling with Nick and Tony - YouTube
a little rock garden thing
Rock Crawling with Nick and Tony - YouTube
My buddy has been talking about trying to get me up the “fall” in elvis, I have seen it before, rode along in other rigs that got denied and got my pants scared off, I really didn’t want to do it; had nightmares about this thing.
But I put my tires on it and things felt right, so I went for it, not a single chirp from the tires; I basically idled up it in 1.86:1 yay!
But on the way down the other side I slammed my bumper hard and bent my frame pretty badly
Badside
Goodside
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Looking great Nick...amazing flex. That steep rock falls there in the last pic looks crazy steep...amazing. As usual, nice work, sorry to hear about the rim and now frame.
Nick02
Member
So everything was done and I was all happy with my little expo setup
Oh NOES!:Wow1:
see there was a film crew filming car destruction, I offered to help by crawling atop a limo
And I hit the skinny pedal when I should have hit the big square one.....
I just had to learn the lesson that showing off in-front of your buddies can end badly. Lesson learned.
Anyways, we flopped the truck back over and to my suprise the cab's sheetmetal was completely undamaged:Wow1:
only carnage was one broken rear quarter window,door squished at the top, mirror was crushed, lost 5 quarts of ATF and my front fender cracked.
Started right up and I drove it home:smiley_drive:
anyways, I figure now is the time to make things better
I've been toying with the idea of doing a dovenose for the past three years; I think I may go that route.
Here's a picture when I was toying with the idea in the past.
I am going to make new fiberglass "engine covers" for the sides, they will follow the hood-line to the doors and grille area, I am using the 1999 dodge power wagon concept for inspiration, it's my favorite truck ever!
I may even copy the front fenders one day, I also love how far the front axle sits in the engine bay area.
I am useing quad 96 camaro headlights/buckets for the hi/low beam, all DOT legal and easily available for future replacement. The headlights will be behind the grille "phantom style".
From what I gathered all this should be DOT legal here in AZ
I am also re-locateing the ECU, TCM , airbox, EVAP purge stuff
here's a quick mockup picture and stuff
Oh NOES!:Wow1:
see there was a film crew filming car destruction, I offered to help by crawling atop a limo
And I hit the skinny pedal when I should have hit the big square one.....
I just had to learn the lesson that showing off in-front of your buddies can end badly. Lesson learned.
Anyways, we flopped the truck back over and to my suprise the cab's sheetmetal was completely undamaged:Wow1:
only carnage was one broken rear quarter window,door squished at the top, mirror was crushed, lost 5 quarts of ATF and my front fender cracked.
Started right up and I drove it home:smiley_drive:
anyways, I figure now is the time to make things better
I've been toying with the idea of doing a dovenose for the past three years; I think I may go that route.
Here's a picture when I was toying with the idea in the past.
I am going to make new fiberglass "engine covers" for the sides, they will follow the hood-line to the doors and grille area, I am using the 1999 dodge power wagon concept for inspiration, it's my favorite truck ever!
I may even copy the front fenders one day, I also love how far the front axle sits in the engine bay area.
I am useing quad 96 camaro headlights/buckets for the hi/low beam, all DOT legal and easily available for future replacement. The headlights will be behind the grille "phantom style".
From what I gathered all this should be DOT legal here in AZ
I am also re-locateing the ECU, TCM , airbox, EVAP purge stuff
here's a quick mockup picture and stuff
Last edited:
WCO
It's Lil' Willi
Hey Nick, been following your thread for a little while and LOVE IT! I'm duelly impressed by your go getter attitude and apt to learn rather than have someone else do it.....If you ever make it up Hollister way be sure to let me know, I'll buy you drink and take you to Hollister hills. Keep up the good work, and the best part of an "oh know" is that it gets your ***** in gear to do what you've been wanting to do and haven't pulled the tigger on.....look forward to seeing how the new body turns out!
Nick02
Member
New window and some light bodywork!
Got the headlights mounted in today... they fit and function way better then my yellow plastic factory one's also got the turn signals in and wired up, got one of them ricer intakes on the way since my factory airbox wont fit anymore. Going to try and drive it to the hammers
Got the headlights mounted in today... they fit and function way better then my yellow plastic factory one's also got the turn signals in and wired up, got one of them ricer intakes on the way since my factory airbox wont fit anymore. Going to try and drive it to the hammers