Due to an invitation to a long-distance driving event in the coming weeks, I've decided to move the Dodge Dakota R/T pickup a bit further up in the lineup to get a final blast of improvements. I didn't intend to do this, but the truck is actually the perfect choice for a driving tour like this one, especially since it happens in Alabama. The truck will blend in nicely to its surroundings.
The cosmetic flaws were by and large minor: I swapped out the grill with one that retained its original black grill inserts. The V8 Magnum badges were added back to the fenders. Rubber trim moldings were re-glued to the roof. The exhaust system hit with black heat-resistant paint. And the biggest change was installing a rear roll pan, which deletes the rear bumper and creates a flush surface beneath the tailgate.
Now, the part of this I didn't expect to do right now is gutting the interior and replacing the seats, carpets, and headliner. As part of the driving tour, I need a co-driver, so my brother-in-law will be joining me - and I'm not subjecting him to the original Dakota seats. Replacing the carpeting and headliner are both short money improvements in the grand scheme of things.
With that done, and hopefully a successful all-day driving event in the books in the coming weeks, the Dakota R/T will have been re-born in just a few short months.