I have this 47 Dodge truck cab, hood, grill housings, and pickup box sides. Picture of the cab, other parts match the cab, but then other metal is in slightly better shape.

I have available, for the same money:

1) A complete 96 extended cab, short box, Dakota, V6, 5 speed, 2 wheel drive with a matching title. 170,xxx miles, runs well, moves, bad brake lines, ps hose leak, and a broken gas tank strap. The frame is crusty looking, but very solid (beat on it with a hammer). body pretty trash.

2) 96 Ram 5.9 magnum, auto, 2 wheel drive (was short box std cab), runs & moves, with a title. 155,xxx miles. This is a basic rusty cab, and hood/partial front clip (mostly engine protection)and a very clean frame and rear axle.
Both of these can be delivered to my house for $20 each (+ purchase price).

3) For exactly 1/2 the price: 91 Dakota, standard cab, long box V6 (runs rough, smokes) 5 speed, locked up rear axle matching title 173,xxx miles. Very nice clean frame. Cab is rusty, box rough. located closer to home, but would need to have towed (rear axle does not move) $40 towing charge.

As luck would have it, I can only buy 1 of the three at this time (actually it will be a squeeze to get one of the first two). I really only need the chassis and the drive train for the 47 truck build, and there is a rear axle to replace the locked up one sitting here. However, there is not another motor here. I know the older trucks fit nicely on the Dakota, but since I have no fenders, maybe the Ram would work.

I need to make a decision by tomorrow night, which one would you get? Gene

as you have described them, and the slight disclaimer at the end, i would choose the last - behind door #3. it sounds the best combination at this time [bang for the buck], allowing the build to get started, while giving you some time to look for an engine to obtain in the future. plus, you already have a rear, and the rest of the items sound very promising. especially the frame condition. just my opinion of course.

Door # 1.
Because I think the Ram frame is going to be to wide or big and every time I go with older worn parts I end up spending as much to rebuild as it would have cost to buy better condition components.

...and the final selection was...??

I lean to the 96 Dak but what did you decide?

Well, I bought the 96 Dakota extended cab. He thought maybe he would be able to get it to my place by the end of this weekend.

The Ram was owned by the same guy, he offered it to me at a later date at a discounted price, if its still around. He does have someone looking at it tomorrow night.

I've also made a deal with someone that wants some parts off the 91 Dakota. What they want is different then the parts I want, and they need a place to take their parts off. So they are buying it, and having it brought to my place, where they can take what they want, and I get the frame, and the 5 speed that I want. We will split the cost of the truck, and I won't have to pay my part until later. I've done a lot of stuff for them in the past (and will likely do more in the future), so this is sort of a payback.

Now, if the weather hold out, I might even get to start on my 47 yet this year! Gene

looks like 1 1/2 daks are better than one ! this 4th option looks like the best of all, and if your truck turns out like your coupe, you will have another winner !

No, you can't do that, that is against the rules and was not one of the choices! Or is this just like real life; many variables and everything is subject to change and unexpected events.

Like the satellite dish installer that fell off my roof on Tuesday, ......I'm sure missing my TV.

Seriously, my children are both responsible for the current results. My son instigated the whole process when he told me about the 96 Dakota that was listed on Facebook (something I don't do). He told me about the deal, shortly after it was first posted, and I ask him to respond. He had the guy call me the next day, and I went and looked at the truck that night. While I was talking with the guy, he told me about also selling the Ram, which I also looked at. He hinted that "if I wanted both, he would cut me a deal", but my bank account told me that was a no go. I had just written a check for fixing my wife's PT (which would have paid for the Ram). By the way, my son is also responsible for the 47 Dodge being here! When we saw it at Jefferson a couple years ago, I didn't have enough cash to buy it, but he did. I remember a time when I always had cash on hand too, but not these days.

When my daughter found out I was looking at a Dakota, she told me about the 91, which she was thinking about for parts for her son's Dakota. (I raised my kids up well). I looked at the 91 Dakota the same night as I looked at the 96 and the Ram. With both of us needing different parts off the same truck, the buy was a great deal for both of us. This 91 has a 7 1/4 rear end, and I believe the cross shaft that holds the spider gears has come out of the carrier. My parts 91 has a good 8 1/4 rear end.

Yesterday I bought the 96 Dakota and have the chance to buy the Ram for the discounted price, at a later date. Tonight my daughter and I bought the 91 Dakota (actually she bought it and I will pay her for my share). The 91 will likely be towed here sometime tomorrow, and there is a chance the 96 will arrive this weekend or next. When both trucks are here, that will give me a total of 4 Dakota sitting here, plus my coupe. I have my 93 Dakota 4x4, I have a wrecked 91 that I bought for the motor in my coupe, (the parts my grandson needs for his truck were damaged in the wreck of the parts Dakota that is already here) and the two new additions. Funny thing is, 3 of the 4 are red with red guts, only the 91 I pulled the motor out of is not red.

I will review my plans when both "new" Dakotas are here. That 96 looks like it could be a pretty nice truck, we will see how it cleans up, might fix it and send it down the road to help fund the 47 build.

My coupe is fun to drive with the V6 and the 5 speed, but my wife won't drive it. Sometimes my wife needs to drive my 4x4, which has an automatic trans. We only have her PT, my 4x4, and the coupe. She doesn't drive a stick well, and doesn't like to drive a stick at all.

The 47 will replace the 4x4, so really needs to be an automatic. Both the "new" Dakotas are 5 speeds, hence the interest in the Ram, 5.9 Magnum with an auto. We really don't need a 4x4 anymore, and my 4x4 has the V6, auto, and its OK to drive, but not near as much fun or as inspiring as the V6 5 speed. I wouldn't be opposed to a V8 auto in the 47, it probably won't get driven enough the bigger motor will make much difference in our monthly driving expenses. Gene

For those following along, the 91 Dakota arrived this morning. The rear axle was locked up because the pinion nut had backed off and was allowing the pinion to fall inward towards the ring gear. I pulled the drive shaft off, tightened the nut, reinstalled the drive shaft. I can now move the truck around under its own power. The V6 smokes bad, and has a miss. I pulled all the plugs, its a wonder it ran at all. I didn't have a compression tester here today, but I had on old set of plugs I threw in. The motor smoothed out a little, I suspect it has a cap & rotor, and wire issue, but it smokes so bad its won't matter. The PCV Valve rattles, and the air breather is not plugged, and there seems to be no blow by puffing out the valve covers. I ran it long enough to get the temp gauge to start moving, but the smoke kept bellowing out. There is no tail pipe, and there is too much smoke you can't tell from looking under the truck where the smoke it coming from. The motor has 174xxx miles, I'm probably not going to mess with it. The trans feels great (I didn't run it down the road) the brakes are grinding, and the oil pressure is just above the low line. The frame is very nice, and there are enough parts on it we will be OK.

The 96 Dakota arrived tonight. I drove it up into the driveway. I will check it out later this weekend. The guy sold the Ram last night. Two out of three ain't bad...Gene