Hi Richard, I like how your project is coming out
using the whole Dakota chassis is great.
I have 2 of them here under 2 of my projects

and the chop looks good

not sure how much you know about old cars/trucks but I wondered what you were going to do about the back window?

generally rear and side window are tempered and not SAFETY glass like the windshield

safety glass has plastic in the middle of 2 pieces of glass
and can be cut by most good glass shops.

but most side and rear glass is tempered and can "NOT" be cut as it will shatter in a million little pieces.

so I wondered what were your plans for the back glass, are you going to go with lexan?

another thing you could do is make a vertical cut down from where you chopped the back window and then cut across the back below the window and take 2" out of there and lower the back window the same amount as the chop if there is enough room before the body line, then you could keep the back glass stock, just something to think about Ron....