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Dakota Performance
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Daktrep9298
Dodge Dakota
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3/23/2003
21:39:54

Subject: Need your help building a fast truck
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I have a 1992 short bed, regular cab, 2wd Dakota. I am putting a worked 5.9L in with a NV3500, maybe a NV4500. I have a Crane Cam that says it delivers power from idle to about 5000 rpms, mopar headers, will be getting a Mopar PCM, ported and polished and milled heads, true dual exhaust (probably Flowmasters, maybe Borla) with no cats, intake (undecided), M1 manifold, bored TB and short shifter, all running on 17 inch wheels. First question is, should I get the Mopar 1.6 Roller rockers or get 1.7's? I am running 3.55 gears in the rear because I do a lot of highway traveling. What intake should I get? Is there any weight reduction I can do on the front end? I am dropping the truck 3/5. I would like to get it as fast as possible so any help would be greatly appreciated. According to the title, the truck weighs 3195lbs with the 3.9L.

Thanks
Dan



Daktrep9298
Dodge Dakota
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3/23/2003
21:56:14

RE: Need your help building a fast truck
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Got some more stuff for you to think about. I am also putting on the truck a fiberglass tonneau cover and ladder bars/traction bars to keep the ass down and a fiberglass hood to lighten the front. Adding underdrive pulleys, MSD ignition and a double roller timing chain. Does anybody make fiberglass fenders for the Gen II dakotas? What is the weight distribution of a Gen II? I think thats it.

Thanks again
Dan



slow r/t man
Dodge Dakota
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3/23/2003
22:46:54

RE: Need your help building a fast truck
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The only thing that comes to mind for weight reduction is drag tires and rims in the front, ditching the front bumper, lightweight front buckets, battery in bed,lexan windows, gut the doors, take out the carpet and sound deadener, is it all worth it? You must keep it streatable to still have fun. I've driven gutted drag cars on the street and once the windows fog up and you don't have defrost ------ it sucks. girlfriends all cold and stuff, no radio. I guess its all in what you want. Think long and hard before you cross that streatable line. My R/T is definatly not the fastest truck out there, but it IS one of the nicest.



Daktrep9298
Dodge Dakota
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3/23/2003
22:56:52

RE: Need your help building a fast truck
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No, not talking about gutting it, but fiberglass hood, moving the battery, no A/C are all simple things you can do to lighten the front end. A good handling vehicle usually has close to a 50/50 weight distribution. The easiest thing you can do to make a car faster is remove unneed weight. But that is part of the reason why pickups aren't as fast as cars, all the weight is on the front end.



notchlx
Dodge Dakota
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3/23/2003
23:34:56

RE: Need your help building a fast truck
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You can of course rip the front sway bar off, yet you'll sacrifice some of your ride quality.

You can remove the liner under the hood. If you are running without cats, I assume you wont be planning on running a smog pump on your new 360? Parasitic drag on the crank, and dead weight. You can relocate your battery to the bed. You can remove all the stuff behind your bumpers(absorbers, insulation, etc...)

If you want to get technical on suspension, you could ditch the A-arms for some tubular units, get a Flaming River rack & pinion, Tubular K-member. Remove the A/C condensor, and A/C equipment (track only) need the A/C on the street ... You could remove the water-pump in favor of an electrical unit, remove the clutch fan in favor of an electric fan.....THE LIST GOES ON AND ON....

BUT..Like somebody said above, it all depends on what you want the truck for. If you want it for an all out drag truck, go for the gusto and delete everything. If you want a fast street cruiser, keep in mind the effects of whatever it is you are removing. HAVE FUN!



Daktrep9298
Dodge Dakota
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3/24/2003
08:15:14

RE: Need your help building a fast truck
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I am just looking for a fast street machine. I have the A/C eliminated already since the truck was not equipted with it from the factory. Might get a lightweight race battery. I was just looking for ideas like that. I know a lot for a lot of cars you can get fiberglass fenders that look like the fenders off a Z-3. I have looked around the internet for Gen II parts and there isn't much out there, just wondering if I was looking in the wrong places. I have been through all the usual sites (truckaddons.com, sporttruckdirect.com, Razzi ground effects, etc.)

Thanks for the help
Dan



Skyne
Dodge Dakota
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3/25/2003
08:10:48

RE: Need your help building a fast truck
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What you need is to get a BIG WING for the bed and a Sweet sticker, those 2 alone will add 50-70 hp plus reducing the weight 200 pounds. A flame sticker, (i heard) will add about 30 more hp and 40 torque. Have fun and drive safe.



91DakotaFreak
Dodge Dakota
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3/25/2003
09:53:26

RE: Need your help building a fast truck
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AAR fiberglass makes a new fibergalss bumper/front air dam that looks real nice



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