More progress restoring 2000 Dakota Sport

I posted last year about the front-end job and fender replacement on my Dakota. This year I finished rebuilding a scrapyard box with new inner fenders/wheel tubs and outer shell arch panels and lower corners. The original box was too far gone, and I couldn’t get a good deal on a clean replacement box, so I made one.

I also replaced the cab corners and rocker panels on both sides, changed the muffler and rear shocks, built up a new rear bumper and replaced a mirror and all the “Sport” trim around the windows. I ordered some paint, which wasn’t a perfect match, but I wasn’t expecting any of this to be perfect: all the rust has been cut out and replaced with new metal, the frame has been needled, cleaned, painted and wool-waxed, all the welds have been treated with penetrating marine epoxy primer and sealed with seam sealer, so I’m pretty confident I’ve done my best.

i think it looks pretty good, especially considering what an absolute wreck the truck was two years ago.