GTP Cool Wall: 1989-1991 Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible

  • Thread starter Snikle
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1989-1991 Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible


  • Total voters
    35
  • Poll closed .
1,090
United States
United States
Poll 1304: 1989-1991 Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible nominated by @Jezza819
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Body Style:
2-door pickup truck
Engines: 3.9 L LA V6
Power: 125 hp
Torque: 235 lb-ft
Weight: 1324 kg
Transmission: 3-speed auto, 4-speed auto, 5-speed manual
Drivetrain: FR, F-AWD
Country: USA
Additional Information: ASC was the company that did the convertible top. There were only 3759 total built during the three year model run.
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I would love to have this thing. Very cool.

Also, in case any of the information in the OP is wrong, please correct me.
 
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This thing has absolutely no reason to exist when the Wrangler cost about as much and did everything this truck does much better. Maybe if it offered the V8 from the Shelby Dakota there would be an argument, but I wouldn't trust that flimsy roll hoop to not collapse in a rollover, or even prevent any carried load from going straight into the back of the driver's head if it shifted.

Also, ASC convertible roofs of the time were about as watertight as a pasta strainer, so you had that to look forward to as well.

Uncool (only missing SU because i just kinda like old Dakotas okay shut up don't judge me)
 
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This thing has absolutely no reason to exist when the Wrangler cost about as much and did everything this truck does much better. Maybe if it offered the V8 from the Shelby Dakota there would be an argument, but I wouldn't trust that flimsy roll hoop to not collapse in a rollover, or even prevent any carried load from going straight into the back of the driver's head if it shifted.

Also, ASC convertible roofs of the time were about as watertight as a pasta strainer, so you had that to look forward to as well.

Uncool (only missing SU because i just kinda like old Dakotas okay shut up don't judge me)

Yeah I said when I nominated it that I only saw one in person but you're right, that top was very shoddy looking. Besides the possible water leaks there's no telling what kind of wind noise it had. This is one of those things that when Dodge announced they were going to do it we said, "why?" and "no they won't" well they did.

@Snikle I believe the 125hp figure was for the 1987 and into 1988 models that were carbureted. In 1989 Dodge put fuel injection and some other changes into the engines and boosted horsepower up to 180hp I believe.

https://www.allpar.com/threads/the-neglected-3-9-v6-dodge-truck-engine.229874/#post-1085223972

It's totally Uncool but like @EngieDiesel I also liked the old Dakotas. The best one I had was a 2002 I think it was, SWB 4.7L V8 5 Speed with 3.21 rear end. That thing would fly.

This is one of my top five favorite vehicles of all time.

Really?? I figured this truck would have been completely forgotten by almost everyone unless you were involved with Chrysler Corp at the time like I was.
 
Every aspect of this is sub zero. The only way to make it better would be to put a Hellcat engine in it. If I ever win the lottery and/or make it big on LBRY and Odysee I am doing just that.
 
Really?? I figured this truck would have been completely forgotten by almost everyone unless you were involved with Chrysler Corp at the time like I was.

I remember seeing one when I was a kid and thought it was the coolest thing in the entire world. Ever since then I've wanted one. There's actually a guy in my housing complex that has one in pretty decent condition. Before my son came along, I'd actually offered to buy it from him. He just laughed and said he was never going to sell it.

I'm into really weird cars though and a factory-made convertible truck is up there in terms of weird vehicles.
 
Really?? I figured this truck would have been completely forgotten by almost everyone unless you were involved with Chrysler Corp at the time like I was.
For what it's worth, for how rare these are I know of two personally that are both flawless and both used as daily drivers. I suspect it's one of those cars that had such an aura of the time period (like the contemporary turbo Buicks) where all the ones that are still left are immaculate.
 
As much as I am fascinated by this car, a convertible version of probably the most redneck pickup truck of its time is quite far from cool. SU.
 
For what it's worth, for how rare these are I know of two personally that are both flawless and both used as daily drivers. I suspect it's one of those cars that had such an aura of the time period (like the contemporary turbo Buicks) where all the ones that are still left are immaculate.

I dunno about that. The model run wasn't designed to be a time-exclusive thing, they stopped making them because no one bought them after the first year. I think it's more like the Omni GLH-S, in that the few people who own one today are very, very, very devoted to preserving them because of their anamolous status. Granted, in the case of the Dakota the mechanical parts are a lot easier to find and you're not nursing a brittle 40-year old turbocharger, so they probably don't have to be overly protective of them.

I believe the 125hp figure was for the 1987 and into 1988 models that were carbureted. In 1989 Dodge put fuel injection and some other changes into the engines and boosted horsepower up to 180hp I believe.
The 180 horsepower Magnum V6's weren't available until '92. Dakotas prior to that used the 125 horsepower LA V6.
 
The 180 horsepower Magnum V6's weren't available until '92. Dakotas prior to that used the 125 horsepower LA V6.

I think you're right. I know the first year or so was carbureted but I couldn't exactly remember if horsepower went up any with EFI. Our first two Dakotas were a red SWB SE and a two tone blue loaded LWB LE. My dad thought it would be a good idea for me to drive the red one around as a demo to show it off. There was only one problem with that, it didn't have a/c and it was summer time in Alabama. I think I drove it until mid fall or so until we ordered an a/c kit for it and made it our parts delivery truck.
 
It's called the "Sport" but only makes 180 125 horses. Plus it has racing stripes. Plus it's a truck.

That alone would be an easy uncool.

Then they cut the roof off. This one's going to hell for me personally.
 
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It's called the "Sport" but only makes 180 125 horses out of a 4-litre V6. Plus it has racing stripes. Plus it's a truck.

Fixed that. Which makes the "Sport" designation even more obvious cynical marketing. Which is exactly what it was, as aside from the aftermarket soft top these were just standard off the line Dakotas.

@Snikle You had the horsepower rating right the first time, as like I mentioned the 180HP Magnum V6 wasn't available for Dakotas until after the year after Sport convertible was out of production.
 
This past weekend, I think I saw this vehicle during MotorWeek's streaming of the 1990-1991 season of the show on YouTube. Just to say this existed is enough to give it a strong rating. It has some personality and uniqueness. Also, I have never really hated any RAM- of Dodge or of the RAM brand. So I'm going to say Cool.
 
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