I currently have 3 Dakotas:
A 90 standard cab, long box 2 wd with the non-magnum 3.9 5 speed.
A 93 standard cab, long box, 3.9 magnum, auto, 4x4.
And a 96 club cab short box 3.9 magnum, auto, 2 wd.
of the 3, the 90 chassis is under my 48 Plymouth business coupe and shows 180,000 miles, This is the 2nd motor, the first one was real tired at around 150K. The 5 speed makes it fun, gets 17 mpg in town, about 22 highway@70
The 93 is parked with 155K miles, rotted out frame. This truck was a good truck until the frame issue killed it. The drive train may live on in something else.
The 96 is my current winter driver and hauler. Its got about 120K miles on it. this thing sure leaves a lot to be desired as far as power, it certainly is the dog of the bunch, I have to think that extra cab weight is killing it. Its an OK truck that does what its suppose to do.

The body style changed in 97, everything older is pretty much the same, save for the front clip being longer in the 91 - 96 truck. I think the 97 body stayed around until 2002, or so. Gene