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11-02-2024, 08:36 AM
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#1
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Hackettstown, NJ
Posts: 1,652
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Not an F-Body, but new project.
My parents had moved down to Florida about 19 years ago. It was bittersweet having them move so far away, but they had a good life there.
A little over two months ago, my Dad passed away.
Before they moved, my Dad bought a 2004 Dakota. Before he bought it he asked me what I would order if I was buying one. We sat down at the computer and went through all the options available. The highlights are:
4WD, 4.7 V8, five speed auto, Heavy duty towing package, disc brakes all around, Skid plates, 3.92 gears, 265-70/r16 tires. Grey paint and charcoal interior.
That's what he ordered, 20 years ago. Then they moved to Florida, so the truck has spent the last 20 years down there, garage kept and away from salted roads.
My mom gave the truck to me after his passing, and it's pretty damned special to me. Flew down to Florida to see what the truck needed to make the 1000 mile drive home with my Mom's belongings in it, which wasn't too much. Did a quick pad-slap on the brakes as they were pretty thin, swapped out the radiator and water pump as the radiator was leaking a small amount and I didn't want to get stuck on the side of the road with a split radiator. Changed the oil, checked and topped off the rest of the fluids, then we hit the road. Zero problems, drove like a champ.
Once I got it home I was able to dig in a little more. About a year or so ago, my Dad had the ball joints done and the shop that did it butchered the job. The dust boots weren't installed right and the grease fittings on the lower ball joints were positioned in a way that made it impossible to grease, so they were pretty shot. As a bonus, one of them was pointed in a way that the knuckle broke the zerk off, so on top of the lower dust boot being non-functional water could enter from the top. The shop also talked him into a set of shocks, which were the lowest tier garbage you can possibly buy and 3 of the four were essentially not damping any more.
To cut this wall of text short, just got done doing upper and lower balljoints, wheel hub on the driver's side (Passenger had been replaced and was new, driver looked to be original and was a little growly), shocks all around and a few odds and ends that escape me, the truck is just about ready for some new tires and an alignment. Also getting some fluid film applied so hopefully it'll be around for another 20 years.
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1998 Z-28 - SLP lid - Ported TB - LS6 Intake - Dynatech SS headers/Catted Y - Magnaflow Exh - 3.42 - Yank SS3600 - UMI weld-in subframe connectors, Adj LCA, Adj PHB, Q1A TA - Bolt-in Relocation Brackets - Strano springs - Koni shocks - 17" C6Z06 wheels - 326HP/335ft-lbs - 12.35 @ 110.41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackbirdws6
I can appreciate a dream but this person needed some real friends.
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11-04-2024, 08:04 AM
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#2
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Jackson, NJ
Posts: 1,730
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Nice, What are your plans for it?
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1983 camaro- Scrap
1988 camaro- Also scrap
'05 Silverado- You guessed it, scrap
1988 TRX 250R- Ported w/ high compression on 110 octane- Out 60' your LT1
Jersey Shore Street Car Takeover (JSSCT) Founder
Quote:
Originally Posted by LS1ow
and once i get PHB, what do i ajust it too?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jersey Mike
Seven.
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11-04-2024, 04:54 PM
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#3
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13 Second Club / Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Franklin Lakes, NJ
Posts: 8,692
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Sorry to hear about your loss. Treasure the truck as long as you can, those memories will stick with you.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LS1ow
Except Jersey mike, great kid, but the way he looks at me makes me feel like im in danger
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11-04-2024, 07:43 PM
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#4
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Admin.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Hamilton, NJ
Posts: 20,155
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Nice that you got it. Sorry about your loss.
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Vent Windows Forever!
The looser the waistband, the deeper the quicksand. Or so I have read.
Feather-light suspension, Konis just couldn't hold. I'm so glad I took a look inside your showroom doors.
Hey everybody, it's good to have you on the Baba-too-da-ba-too-ba-ba-buh-doo-ga-ga-bop-a-dop
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11-05-2024, 10:24 AM
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#5
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Hackettstown, NJ
Posts: 1,652
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wretched73
Nice, What are your plans for it?
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All that's really left to do is a new front seal and damper that I'm installing today. After that, just an alignment and a set of decent all-terrain tires and once the funds recover a bit, a Gibson single exhaust. Installed a Gibson on the truck when it was less than a week old for my dad, but even down in Florida the aluminized version eventually gave way. Truck has a pretty terrible but functional stock-replacement cat-back on it... for now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by qwikz28
Sorry to hear about your loss. Treasure the truck as long as you can, those memories will stick with you.
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Thanks, and I plan to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BonzoHansen
Nice that you got it. Sorry about your loss.
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Thanks.
__________________
1998 Z-28 - SLP lid - Ported TB - LS6 Intake - Dynatech SS headers/Catted Y - Magnaflow Exh - 3.42 - Yank SS3600 - UMI weld-in subframe connectors, Adj LCA, Adj PHB, Q1A TA - Bolt-in Relocation Brackets - Strano springs - Koni shocks - 17" C6Z06 wheels - 326HP/335ft-lbs - 12.35 @ 110.41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackbirdws6
I can appreciate a dream but this person needed some real friends.
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11-05-2024, 11:41 AM
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#6
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The Mayor / 2009 Member of the Year / Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Northwest
Posts: 8,867
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What a time warp. How many miles are on it?
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1995 Z28 Convertible A4 13.78 @ 100 (CAI, high flow cat, catback, 160 thermo, hypertech, Strano springs, Koni yellows, sway bars, 3 pt. UMI SFC)
2018 Sea Doo GTX - 3 cylinders and das boooooost
Quote:
Originally Posted by BonzoHansen
Is English your 2nd language? Did you graduate high school? Your posts make my head hurt.
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Team FARM
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11-06-2024, 03:08 PM
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#7
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Hackettstown, NJ
Posts: 1,652
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A little north of 150k. Truck had full synthetic oil changes for it's whole life at 3k miles; my Dad was a stickler about that and most maintenance. Truck is still tight and rattle free, and the engine is as smooth as when it was new. The transmission had a few issues a year ago, so he had it completely rebuilt.
__________________
1998 Z-28 - SLP lid - Ported TB - LS6 Intake - Dynatech SS headers/Catted Y - Magnaflow Exh - 3.42 - Yank SS3600 - UMI weld-in subframe connectors, Adj LCA, Adj PHB, Q1A TA - Bolt-in Relocation Brackets - Strano springs - Koni shocks - 17" C6Z06 wheels - 326HP/335ft-lbs - 12.35 @ 110.41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackbirdws6
I can appreciate a dream but this person needed some real friends.
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11-08-2024, 08:05 AM
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#8
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Meet Coordinator
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: brick/pt. pleasant beach
Posts: 19,352
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Wow! I would have never assumed that had 150k, looks great. Sorry about losing your dad. Hopefully the truck serves as a means for the good memories you have.
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11-08-2024, 03:30 PM
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#9
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Hackettstown, NJ
Posts: 1,652
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider
Wow! I would have never assumed that had 150k, looks great. Sorry about losing your dad. Hopefully the truck serves as a means for the good memories you have.
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Thanks. I'm reminded of him every time I fire it up.
Got the tires mounted up today. Aside from being a more aggressive A/T, they're the stock size of 265/70-16.
__________________
1998 Z-28 - SLP lid - Ported TB - LS6 Intake - Dynatech SS headers/Catted Y - Magnaflow Exh - 3.42 - Yank SS3600 - UMI weld-in subframe connectors, Adj LCA, Adj PHB, Q1A TA - Bolt-in Relocation Brackets - Strano springs - Koni shocks - 17" C6Z06 wheels - 326HP/335ft-lbs - 12.35 @ 110.41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackbirdws6
I can appreciate a dream but this person needed some real friends.
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Last edited by The_Bishop; 11-08-2024 at 03:34 PM.
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11-12-2024, 08:45 PM
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#10
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10 Second Club / Meet Coordinator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Roxbury, NJ
Posts: 2,121
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Very sad for your loss, indeed.
I agree, that truck looks clean and crisp for over 150,000 miles. wow
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1987 IROC-Z - modified
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11-13-2024, 06:24 PM
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#11
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Hackettstown, NJ
Posts: 1,652
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Thanks!
__________________
1998 Z-28 - SLP lid - Ported TB - LS6 Intake - Dynatech SS headers/Catted Y - Magnaflow Exh - 3.42 - Yank SS3600 - UMI weld-in subframe connectors, Adj LCA, Adj PHB, Q1A TA - Bolt-in Relocation Brackets - Strano springs - Koni shocks - 17" C6Z06 wheels - 326HP/335ft-lbs - 12.35 @ 110.41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackbirdws6
I can appreciate a dream but this person needed some real friends.
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11-21-2024, 05:20 PM
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#12
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12 Second Club
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Oradell
Posts: 8,370
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sad/great story at the same time, trucks beautiful tho
__________________
88 Camaro
95 Impala SS
97 Trans Am WS6
98 Blazer ZR2
00 Corvette
04 CTS-V
04 Grand Cherokee
07 Sublime Charger Daytona
09 Grand Cherokee Limited HEMI
12 Tahoe LT
17 Malibu LT
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11-28-2024, 08:43 PM
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#13
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Hackettstown, NJ
Posts: 1,652
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Thanks. Finally getting pretty close to being 'done' with it, as done as any project can be.
__________________
1998 Z-28 - SLP lid - Ported TB - LS6 Intake - Dynatech SS headers/Catted Y - Magnaflow Exh - 3.42 - Yank SS3600 - UMI weld-in subframe connectors, Adj LCA, Adj PHB, Q1A TA - Bolt-in Relocation Brackets - Strano springs - Koni shocks - 17" C6Z06 wheels - 326HP/335ft-lbs - 12.35 @ 110.41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackbirdws6
I can appreciate a dream but this person needed some real friends.
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