It's been about three months - maybe four - since I last saw the Dakota R/T. I believe it will soon be home, and there are some new plans afoot that may make its arrival more relevant than ever.
So, first of all, we have the LX450 issues. The headgasket. The LX was supposed to become my daily, and with God as my witness, it will - but those plans are on hold. The Dakota has been surprisingly easy to sort out in terms of giving it daily driver-levels of reliability (however, it will never be used as such, especially given how clean it is underneath).
The punch list on the Dakota includes replacing a leaking power steering pump; an alignment; and installing the freshly powdercoated OEM wheels on new rubber. I envision bringing the truck home next week, and then will begin preparing for a rally in the southern states in May following an invitation I received today to join a three-event tour across the southeast.
That's a story for another time but I am growing more excited at the ways this truck can be used.