Any minitruckers? Need some advice.

[spookyseven]

I need some advice on a truck for a 1st timer. My goals are to lay frame and do almost all the work myself.It also has to be extended cab because my 2 15" M3 Mojo's need a home. My first choice would be a pre 90 (the boxy style) s-10 because I have a preference to chevy and my second would be a mazda or nissan. I looked around my town and I found 2 trucks, one of them being a ford ranger, but the front suspension seems difficult to deal with so I've ruled it out. The other is a 96 dodge dakota. The pro's are, I really like how it seems a little bigger than the other mini trucks I've driven. Its in a medium condition, not so nice that I'm going to feel bad for cutting it up and doing the body work my self, but not so crappy that its impossible to fix. The cons are, It has a damage disclosure. Im not shure what happened, but the box seems shifted about 1" to the drivers side. I dont know if the frame is bent, or if the box it just slid over. The engine makes a funny knock, but I would definately get it checked out before I buy it, it has 130k on it, do these engines usually run for a while? It has a v6, I was really hoping for a 4 cylinder for gas milage, but I can live with it.

So the question is, should I look more into the dodge, say take it in to an alingment shop and see if the frame is bent, or look for a s-10? Another thing is parts availibility, would it be easier to find parts to lay frame in a s-10 instead of this dodge? Other than that, I was looking at kits from airbagit.com, are they worth getting?

well, I guess thats all, sorry for the long post, I'm a noob to minitrucks.


P.S. Please no flaming, if its not your thing, don't post.

[CrawlerRon]

I have a gmc sonoma that i bagged.(same thing as an s-10) I would go with an s-10 over the dodge since there is anything and everything you needs to lay it out. Just all depend on how much you want to pay. The only down side is that almost eveyone has a droped s-10.... so its hard to make your stand out from someone elses.

[cammok5]

im not to into this kind of thing but you could probly get more susp. parts for a s-10 and ranger than anything else. i wouldnt buy something with a bad motor either. try going on to http://www.minitruckinweb.com/index.html and more forums for mini trucks and ask people that have built trucks that lay frame. i do know if you get a mid 80's full size chevy they sell bolt on kits to lay frame on 20's

[thatguy]

stay away from the dakota.it will be cheaper in the long run.

[Scattman]

I love my old pre-94 B-series Mazdawgs. I catch some flack from my freinds about 'em but I don't give a damn.

[FrankyRizzo]

The 80's called they want their fad back.

[chrisjlittle]

I'd go nissan . They are every bit as reliable as the yotas and they can be had for 1/2 as much. Also, as a chevy mechanic, I'm gonna make this as clear as possible: chevy makes some good stuff but the s-10 has never been one of them. I'm hard pressed to think of a worse truck. Also, dodges tend to get worse gas millage than their rivals, mostly because Chrysler's EFI systems are typically a few years behind the curve.

[microgoat]

Unless the box is held on with zip ties, there's no way for it to "just slide over." That frame is fawked eight ways to Sunday.

That, and the dodgy engine puts it well outside of ten-foot pole territory.

[_Jason_]

i put nissan running gear on my truck... nissans by far are the easiest to bag and lay frame