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hwystar

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Let me introduce you guys and gals to our newest family member "Booger". Booger ( an unfortunate nick name that seems to have stuck) was the victim of Dakota abuse. He started life as a Kiwi Pearl Metallic (PF4) 1996, 5.2 liter, 5 speed, 4x4.

His first owner bought him new and kept him for a few years and for reasons unknown traded him on something else likely easier on gas.

He was then purchased by a fellow which by the looks of this poor truck when we got him was some kid that tried to personalize him in his own unique way by unwinding the torsion bars to lower him. Lowering the rear by removing at least one leafs from each rear spring and adding some kind of body kit that did nothing for his looks but did manage to capture every grain of sand and every drop of water that came their way turning the kit into a rust trap. He also installed a new head unit that could not have been installed more wrong if it had to.

The kid eventualy lost his truck to the bank where he was bought by the guy I bought him from that used him as transport for his construction crew. He installed a front tow bar and a trailer light hook up under the hood to plug into the tow vehicle. They overloaded his weakend springs to the point where one broke at the eylet and just never showed him any love. To ad insult to injury they also gave him his name " Booger"

He was put up for sale where by an act of the Dodge Gods he was spotted by my son on Kijiji. This is Booger as he appeared in his online ad.
 

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Discussion starter · #6 ·
Soo we went and looked him and saw a very nice 4x4 trying to get out of this rather sad looking green truck. I drove him home and discovered that he had a set of serious balls under his hood! This is how he looked when we got him to his new home.
 

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Soo we went and looked him and saw a very nice 4x4 trying to get out of this rather sad looking green truck. I drove him home and discovered that he had a set of serious balls under his hood! This is how he looked when we got him to his new home.
Booger just needs some TLC now that he has a good home.
 
Discussion starter · #10 · (Edited)
After some parts hunting and phone calls as well as some hard work and elbow grease this is how he looked as of this afternoon.

We replaced his rear springs with heavier ones with 5 leafs , cranked up his torsion bars, fixed his parking brake and cut all that body kit crap off of him, sanded off the bit of rust caused by the kit and coated it in rocker guard, primer then some colour match and clear coat.

I like the treatment I gave the dash in my orange truck so I repeated it in Booger to give it a bit of colour and to make it less dreary. We also tracked down a black rear step bumper put it on and installed the stock chrome rims that my orange truck came with originally. Then we got rid of the tow bar, cheap trailer hitch as well as the light cable under the hood and a new catalytic converter. We reinstalled the head unit properly and added the bass cannon I had in the other truck and fixed all his lights that did`nt work. He passed his safety last week and goes for his e-test next week. He drives very nice and the ride is very comfortable.

He isnt perfect but he looks way better than he did...and I think he`s happier.
 

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Discussion starter · #13 ·
In time as money permits he will get a few more mods as I think of them. I dont think he will turn into the project that the orange one is. I think he will be my dd and allow my to mod the orange one even more.

However.....you never know:huh:
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
So since you chose this truck, does that make you a "booger picker"? :funny:

Sure looks a lot better and happier as you slowly un-boogerize it! :mullet:
I suppose it does at that...I think it was just fate that we found him. By doing most of the work ourselves and some savy parts hunting I am into him for well under $2000 including the purchase price.
 
I suppose it does at that...I think it was just fate that we found him. By doing most of the work ourselves and some savy parts hunting I am into him for well under $2000 including the purchase price.
Diggin' for gold and found a nugget! :D

We did a similar "make-over" on a '69 Mustang back in the mid-80s for my brother's first car. It had been ragged out inside, paint gone, but motor was strong once we got it running with new plugs, wires, distributor cap, points, etc.

After about a month of working each evening and some weekends, and having a friend paint it, we had it looking good and running nice for about $1500 total. He drove it for a year then sold it for $2400. Learned a lot about fixing up cars on that project!
 
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