Been a while since I have had a picture of my truck online, but seeing as how I have an upcoming kit I am building with a similar color combo and theme, I figured I'd post one.

This is my first vehicle, and I have had it for seven years now - my 1987 Dodge Dakota. I bought it for $300 from a junkyard when I was 15, and it has gone through a constant transformation. The truck originally was black and had a 2.2L 4-cylinder backed by a 5-speed manual. The 2.2L has since been replaced with a 2.5L out of a '93 Dakota, while retaining the 5 speed. the combo makes it quick for such a small motor, but great on gas mileage - around 24 mpg average.

I went with a white enamel, since the red interior somewhat limited the color choice, and added the rear tail stripe to accentuate the red interior. The wheels are of '70s vintage that I picked up at a scrapyard for cheap and restored. The center caps needed to be shorter because the wheels are not particularly deep, and I got them off an '85 Dodge Omni.

Current plans are to find a tonneau cover for the bed. Up front, the Dodge emblem in the grille has been removed, with the grille being painted black with a sliver surround, as well as the addition of fog laps.

Inside, the original bench seat has been replaced with bucket seats from a '92 Plymouth Acclaim, with the steering wheel out of a '74 Dodge Dart.

I store my truck every winter, and have a '94 Dodge Shadow as my daily driver which I intend to start fixing up come next spring. I've had to have the truck redone twice; the first time in 2008 when I was broadsided during an ice storm, and then in 2011 when a deer rain into the side of me the second day after I had gotten it out of storage. This truck refuses to die.

Taken in front of the Walter P Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Michigan in October of 2012