Dakota Front end swap on a 74 Dart sport

[amzchad]

So i just joined the fourm for help on the resto of my car. I came across someone talking about the front end swap from a dodge dakota to a mopar abody muscle car and i became interested and now i want to know more. Im not to sure what direction in racing i want to go. But im looking more towards the road course end of it. Anyways i would love to know more about this swap how its done, benifits of it, downsides, and so on. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Jim Lusk]

Never done it, but I happen to have a 96 Dakota parts truck on my trailer right now. It looks like a fairly stout piece and for a front steer arangement it LOOKS like they got the geometry right. The problem with the later setups is the six lug hubs. I'm about to send what's left of this one to the scrap yard. Let me know if you want to experiment with it (I don't know about rotors to go in place of these). It wouldn't break my heart to cut the frame right behind the front suspension.

 

[amzchad]

Your in fresno. Cool nice to meet some local people. Umm before you send it out let me think about it and mabey we will get some replies on here and we will see what this community will come up with. Thanks alot man. Got any other parts laying around. Im in raymond. If your familiar with the area fresno is about 45 min from me

 

[mopwr2004a]

I had a 88 dakota I was building for a big block and you have the same issues with it as the a-body exhaust and you need to use a rear sump oil pan

 

[dingo77]

ive heard of people doing crazy things like that before though.

 

[rjsjea]

I guess I dont see the benefit of a Dakota front end.......do they have a racknpinion or some other benefit? Would you keep the torsion bars with a Dakota front? You would need to figure in track width, steering geometry, lug pattern, etc....

I am curious to hear of those who are doing this or have done it. :homework:

 

[mopwr2004a]

the Dakota has a forward mount rack-n-pinion it is basically the same as the old mustang 2 suspension. Some models used the 5/4-1/2 bolt pattern. the draw back is I dont think anyone makes any type of high perf. brakes for it and it is difficult to locate a manual steering rack for it.

 

[Jim Lusk]

Well, the front suspension now looks to be sold, but they are very common in the local self serve yards. And, yes I know where Raymond is. I didn't know they had electricity there, yet.... :toothy10::toothy10::toothy10: