Ok, I have been toying with the idea since I got the truck but now I am wanting to do it. I want to take my 99 Dakota that I use my commuter truck and drop a 12v Cummins in it. I have a feeling that it is going to cost me a bundle of money but I don't care. I don't want to throw money down the drain, however I want something that no one else up here has, a Cummins powered Dakota. This is a monumental undertaking because I want to do it myself. I know I want to keep it 4x4 and I want to convert it from an auto to a six shooter and I want seven inch stacks for it. I am just looking for guidance from someone here as to what would be the best way to do this. Buy the way, I think I may pull the engine from my 96 and use it to do this with.

I am looking for opinions and insight before I decide to do this. I know it will be a huge task, but I think I can do this. Thanks for any comments or opinions, however bad they may be.

 

Bump, need opinions cause I am looking at going to the bank today and getting a loan for all of this. I am wanting to start soon, winter project type of thing.

 

I once watched a Corvette powered Austin Healey bugeye Sprite race a go-kart. The Spite lost.

That conversion cost the owner a ton of money, and it was another ton of hard work. The result was overpowered, and it couldn't get it to the ground, handled like a thrashed out Ford Falcon, had a really cramped driver's seat, and generally was useless for anything other than car shows, where people were stunned that so much engine could be stuffed into so little a car.

I suspect a Cummins powered Dakota would be in the same class.

Oh yes, one last thing: If you have to take a loan out to do something like this, and are actually going to do so, I suspect that your financial future will be pretty bleak.

 

Nah, I make the kind of money where I am comfortable doing this. I just want to try something new. I have seen it in a diesel mag before, I just wish I knew witch one.

 

There is a guy over on 4btswaps.com who did a 4bt swap in a durango, slick looking swap, actually has room under the hood to work on it, and there are guys out there making 300+ hp out of them. Also you can get a p-pump version of the 4bt so as far as bombing if you can do it to 6 you can do it to a 4 also. Just though i'd throw that out there for ya'll.

 

Yea but with bombing it, how many horses max could I get out of it is what I am wondering. I really think I could do it cause the truck already has the 5.9 gasser in it and don't want to build it becasue of the gas mileage.

 

453 hp is the highest i've heard of yet with a 4bt, and he was getting like 20+ mpg in an early bronco. But at the same time a 6bt in a dakota would be super cool. Keep us updated as to what you decide to do.

 

I'm on agreement for the 4bt swap, it's all the Dakota needs...

 

Banks did it and still uses that dakota to pull one of his trailers around to different events.

 

We will see, I am thinking twice about putting the engine from my 96 in there it would way too much hp

 

Cbtumedic, I tried to go to that site but the military internet has it in the denied file. 74dart, that is what gave me the oringinal idea and then I seen that truck in a magazine and now I want to go for it. My only problem with the 4bt is that it is a strong torque engine and does not go that fast. If I had a Jeep tha would perfect for rock crawling, but this truck will be on the road a lot and I don't need a torque monster. I want something to surprise people with and maybe race a little.

 

They broke the land speed record or something with that truck - called Sidewinder or something like that.

 

But again, the truck was heavily tuned and 2wd. I still swear I have seen a 4x4 with the swap. Can anyone help me with finding this truck, it may have been in Diesel Power.

 

See if this link will work for you...


http://www.osti.gov/fcvt/deer2003/ruthpresentation.pdf

Eric

 

Well, nevermind, I don't think that link is active anymore. This is all I could find now...

http://www.bankspower.com/sidewinder.cfm