Life in the Nordern…. We’d put our lil Daytona Shelby away every winter and I’d seek out a sacrificial “winter beater”. Man those were fun times! We plan on returning north soon. I’ll be the guy that doesn’t drive his 4x4 pickup for 5 mos out of the year .

yup I already have a 1/2 bucket of NHOU left over from when I coated my '12 1/2 ton right after I got it.... wish Id have done my current Durango when I got it.... That one still is much better than any other I see around here, but its starting to go in the corners

headed to St Louis-ish tomorrow to look at 2 supposed rust free examples. just wish I could find rust free and NOT A 4.7. Looks like Im gonna have to settle on one or the other. I had a lead on one in KY that was rust free but needed engine work for cheap but I never got a reply. (it was also a 4.7)
guess I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and take my chances with one.
I have another 46RE trans here and a couple of 318/360 magnums here, and an extra engine compartment wiring harness for a 360 equipped one. I wonder what it would take to do a transplant, if I get one that does as 4.7s do, and dies early? thats a whole nother can of worms.

I've got a rust free 2000 Durango, 5.9, leather, third seat, steering wheel audio control (not fully functional anymore), 2wd. Originally sold in AZ, but I'm not sure when it made its way into central California. I've had it about 12 years. It does have a salvage title due to guy running a red light on me 10 years ago. It would be for sale if I could afford a new one.

I saw a clean 2002 with a rod knock for $1200 on FB Marketplace a couple weeks ago that was out in New Lenox. I messaged asking what motor was in it because I don't want a 4.7 either. No reply, I assume is sold pretty quickly.

Wife and I won’t look at a vehicle that lived above the Mason-Dixon Line because of road salt up north. SC, NC and Georgia 100 miles inland from ocean are good spots. We have family in Durango Co and the cars there are generally rust free, I looked at a 41 1 ton Dodge flat bed truck sitting in weeds that was still in great shape but had no idea how to get it back to Va.

yeah there (still is) one on there from Mokena, besides a knocking 4.7 at least the driver fender was quite blistered. same money. We went and looked at a running driving one in Mokena, 2 weeks ago.
Guess I get to take my chances with a 4.7. It's all that seems to be available that isn't totally swiss cheese. I went and looked at 2 today. One just before I 270 along I-55 (Staunton IL) was better than most but had rust in weird places (different places than the one in southern IN) underneath.
Like along the floor pan basically directly under the taillights. Otherwise pretty solid. Much better than any other I'd seen recently to that point. but whoever buys that one will be sucking exhaust fumes very soon.
Then I got on 270 and went 8-10 miles across the river to Hazelwood MO. SUPER clean and 40k less miles, felt more "solid" when I test drove it, too. same money. I brought the one home from Mo. has a few minor mechanical issues (not engine related) and different from what I found on the one from the IL side. (one of that one's issues was busted manifold studs on at least 1 side, something I can do but not something I want to mess with right now. One I wound up with is more of a "cheapo"/ "stripped down" version than the other one but like I told the wife I'm more interested in overall body condition than the mechanicals....

there was a 360 one near Dayton I was thinking about checking out....... now to get transmission (46re) parts coming for the 360 one that weve had for the past 10 years..... that one ain't going away either.