Hello all,

Well I’ve started working on my 87 d150 short box and I was wondering what you all would like to see in a nice street/strip truck?? I want to know this because I’m an autobody tech but I need ideas on how to make this baby look one of a kind. I’m thinkin’ of putting a pair of 71 duster/demon taillights on her but they will be set into the tailgate! I shaved all of the emblems and filled in the holes, this truck will be painted yellow or orange? Thanks for your ideas.


slantsickness@hotmail.com

One of a kind, huh? Your idea about the Duster/Demon taillights got me thinking. How 'bout building a custom fastback-looking cap for the truck! I've never seen anything like that.

I think that orange is the way to go for the paint...safety orange!

Pat




pwd22@drexel.edu

Sky is the limit, I like stuff that is different. (duh)
De-chroming, mix & match body combos, lowering ('slam-it'), wild paint, crazy "never made" emblems, different taillights & grills, cool air brush work, you can go on and on and . . .

Trouble is that custom body work takes lots of time, do it while you can (when you have the time). It is a good skill to learn and really not that hard to do.

Here is a look at some of my handiwork:
DD

thanks for some of the ideas, i plan on going with an all custom look but not lowerd, i'll post some progress pics on here in a bit to let you all in..

Justin

slantsickness@hotmail.com

One of the things I did to my Dakota was design a vinyl side stripe similar to a '70 Duster, but fitting the Dakota lines.



lancer_41@excite.com

Well, I think the most important thing for a custom is that it have an overall theme to it. Weird mixing and matching (such as shaving all the trim and door handles, then sticking spot lights and a big hood ornament on it) usually winds up looking wrong. You have to consider how each change will affect the overall lines and theme of the truck. The "truck that looks like a vintage muscle car" theme sounds like it could have potential. I could also picture it with a smoothed theme, or perhaps a truck similar to a Little Red Express. I've also got a whacky idea of a "LRX" truck that's a cross between a Little Red Express and the high tech / carbon fiber look.

If you post a picture or two of the truck, I could try and make a couple of digital

Have you got allot of time? how about shortening the short box? I did my 78 and don't reget it at all I get allot of compliments even from the guys who say nice truck! too bad its not a C#&*! or F^%@ look at the two last crossmembers under the bed I removed the second from the last cut out sheetmetal from the side to match the differance of the two.the hardest part is hammer shrinking the coregations on the bed floor to match the original tapered ends It takes allot of oxy/acet and some very understanding neighbors the rear shackles stick out abit framed by half roll pans made from salvaged side metal, about 7" of the frame rails are cut of and used to fab parts of a new final cross member/trailer hitch, move the shackle mounts up to get its butt out of the air and while your at it widen the tubs just incase you want to get some 14" rims tucked under there. too bad its not a 78 cause I just made a mold for a fiberglass bed cover with a sweet little ducktail, It will be out of the mold tomorow Like the other guys have said what ever you do think it through,and may I add make sure you are starting with the car or truck you really want not just something you came by easyly the money(not to mention the countless hours) will soon exceed the original purchace price many times. hope this helps we need more old dodge trucks on the road ,hauling ass with less gas! Bruce

magicalbus@hotmail.com

Hey Bruce,

well i forgot to say this but it is a factory short box, i have lots of time and i'm in no rush to finish this thing, although it has been postponed for 2 months but it'll give me more time to think about it, this is not really the vehicle i want to have but i cannot find a duster or demon around here so i'll keep the truck and customize it, i live in manitoba canada and there isnt much in the way of vehicles around here (well old mopars anyway) and the only way to find em is to cruze the back roads snoopin in farmers lots and feilds,anyways thanks for the info it'll come in handy with my fathers truck.

Justin

slantsickness@hotmail.com

And maybe I did'nt say I started with a factory short bed its now 14 7/16" shorter than a short bed, going to calary in august? Bruce

magicalbus@hotmail.com

Hey Bruce..

so you started off with a short box?? man i'd love to see that truck, got any pics?? yeah i'll be comming to calgary in augest sometime, not too sure when though but i'll be taking my truck with me. lemme know what you got planned maybe we could hook up

Justin

slantsickness@hotmail.com

You should try to make it to olympic park sat august 24th. Northern Mopars is haveing a meet, theme this year,Celibrating the Slant Six.I'm coming from Portland Oregon ,never seen that part of the country.I'll try to post some picks as soon as I can borrow the digetal cam and figuer haw to use it Bruce

magicalbus@hotmail.com

Hey,

WOW!! man i didnt know there was a car show happining, you can sure bet i'll be there with me little red dodge (gonna be primer probably soon because i have a paint job lined up for her in September) but i'll be there for sure, i never miss a car show around here and i'll be comming back from WA and BC by then so yeah i'll make her, i'll post a pic of me and mytruck incase you cant find me!

Justin

slantsickness@hotmail.com