As a European, I love this period of American cars. They were completely different from European cars and of course that was very interesting, especially when you went on holiday to the states and rented an American car. In this context, I have some experience from, among others, Chrysler LeBaron convertible Mrk.III (1987-1995) (the one with hidden headlights and modern interior). We drove more than 6,000 miles in the western states and I have to say that the car actually performed very well. No faults or shortcomings, well, maybe except that the three-liter Mitsubishi V6 engine was totally powerless at the top of Mt. Evans (14300 feet). However, I do not think many other cars at that time went so much better at that height above sea level. Otherwise, the car went perfectly OK with its 143 HP and Chrysler Ultradrive automatic transmission. The gearbox was undoubtedly perhaps the best thing about the car. Completely different and much more comfortable than the automatic transmission I had at the time in my Mercedes-Benz W201 190E 2.3. However, the overall perceived build quality was a different story, but it was not that bad either. It was mostly about the plastic quality in the interior and some design solutions, but otherwise the car was definitely a pleasant experience.
Yeah, those were the times before the Japanese taught the Americans that a car interior does not have to look like a furniture shop with randomly thrown buttons and switches, and that there’s something called ergonomics.
@@sergeychmelev5270 then we taught the Japanese how to build a Tacoma big enough for a 6'3 guy in boots so he can go to work. oh wait? we didn't? shoot guess we still have something to learn from each other. Pretty silly when you fit inside a VW Golf but not a Toyota Tacoma. Plenty of tall people in Germany to test Golfs.
The LeBaron was a very common car here in Europe as well. And the automatic transmissions of old Benzes are super comfortable unless they were setup wrong (there is something at the transmission itself where you can pull/push to make it shift harder/smoother).
Hey Doug, a couple of points of info as I fondly remember these when they were new. Convertible trucks were all the rage in the mini-truck world at that time. Most of them had their hard tops stashed in the bed, as opposed to folding cloth tops. My guess is that Chrysler thought they’d capitalize on the craze, and of course the folks at ASC made it happen. The V8 in the Dakota first appeared on the Shelby model when they shoehorned the bigger motor in. It was only after that model went away that the motor became optional on the standard Dakota. As for the um, multi-colored red interior, I think the age of the plastics combined with sun exposure is partially to blame. As I recall, the color was a little more uniform.
Maybe someone can find one of those and manage to fit it one of the convertibles. I'm not sure if it'd be a good idea adding even more torque to such a poorly braced body, but it'd be fun to hear burbly sounds with the top down :P
I love how they say they "shoehorned" the 318 in. The dakota has so much space under the hood. You can literally fit whatever you want in there within reason. 440 swaps are commonplace. Now we are also seeing elephant and hellcat dakotas.
@@timbrwolf1121 they actually had to lengthen the nose of the truck to fit the v8. The Shelby version moved the radiator support forward and replaced the clutch fan with a low profile electric fan to fit the v8. In 1992 dodge made the Dakota slightly longer to fit the v8 with a clutch fan.
Yeah these convertible Dodge Dakota convertibles didn't sell very well in the late 80s and early 90s, but I think that if they came out with a new convertible truck today it would sell, so many more people buy trucks today than back then. Doug is right, trucks have become a lifestyle today. Another thing that hampered this truck, was that the Federal government practically outlawed convertibles in the 70s and by the early 80s there were only a few models on the market. People had kind of forgotten about convertibles until Mustang brought back the mustang convertible in 1983, and then you started seeing more. Today every manufacturer seems to have at least one model that is a convertible. The dakota convertible also cost allot more than just a base model Dakota which could also be the reason why they didn't sell well. Dodge was ahead of it's time on this one. lol.....
Caliber? Caravan? Shadow? Nitro? Intrepid? Are we talking about the same Dodge? Dodge makes limited production, overpriced versions of cars, sure, but their regular cars are absolute shit.
Also technically all Land Rover series 1/2 pickups are convertible as well. You just manually take of the hard top or soft top. As well as that most of the other older stile land rovers (suck as dougs old defender) are convertible pickups with optional seats
Btw, that "leg vent" is a very PC way of saying "ball cooler". It was quite literally a ball cooler and was one of the greatest automotive innovations. I'd kill for that in a cooled seat package.
The vent was for fresh air circulation when it didn’t come with A/C. Quite common up until the 90s. Dodge just didn’t remove them when you optioned for A/C like most car companies.
@@CamaroAmx yea. I've seen them elsewhere, but I remember them well from a Shelby Dakota I drove. I think the Shadow ES Turbo Convertible I had for a while came with a ball vent as well, but the AC didn't work and I just kept the top down whenever it was warm enough and didn't need a ball cooler.
A friend of mine got one of these from his parents as a high school graduation present. It was white with black trim. His was 4x4 with the v6. The truck actually got a lot of attention while driving around with the top down. The truck was later destroyed when he let someone else drive it and ran into a ditch. No rollover, just ripped everything off under the engine and bent the frame. Insurance totalled it.
The convertible truck was born out of the 80’s/90’s Lowrider scene in Cali. The late 80’s and early 90’s were full of custom lowered convertible mini trucks with dancing beds, hydraulic suspensions and expensive sound systems. This is why the Dakota Convertible was made.
Exactly, also me as non American remember this model from various rap music MTV's clips. True that you can find it in clip of "Born to Roll" by Masta Ace but also you can spot it on same album cover called "Sitting in Chrome".
FINALLY SOMEONE NOTICES THE DAKOTA CONVERTIBLE! These things are soooo rare! Let me explain a couple things though: The 3.9 was very underpowered, Because it wasnt the 3.9 Magnum. It was an LA Block. The LA Engines were VERY Underpowered, Unlike the Magnum lineup, Which came out later. "Quality Engineered" Very true. Older Dodge's from this time period can really take a beating. Hopefully this old Dak gets a good owner!
@@RedLP5000S Nope. The Dodge Dakota (1st Gen 87-96), Came with either a 2.2 K Series I4, A 2.5 K I4, A 2.5 AMC I4, A 3.9 LA/Magnum V6, And a 5.2 LA/Magnum V8. The LA's and Magnum's were made by Chrysler, And so was the K Series I4.
Regarding the lack of headrests, trucks were not required to have head restraints until the early 90's. Passenger cars had to have them starting in 1968.
The custom mini truck era was still going on during the release of this truck. Convertible conversions where pretty popular.That little tidbit puts it in a little of a better perspective as to why Dodge put this out..
As mentioned on Lochdown, the entire supply of burgundy in the world was used in James May's Cadillac, however, the leftovers were used for the interiors of this truck.
My shop teacher back in high school had two of these: a V6 manual 2WD and an auto 4x4. The 4x4 he bought new and was kept in showroom condition. The manual one was bought from a guy who was getting an R/T when they first came out. He ended up swapping in a mild 5.2 Magnum, a rebuilt transmission, and a custom 9 1/4 rear axle with a limited slip differential. That truck absolutely ripped.
Doug opines about how popular camper shells were in the 80's, but doesn't know about the mini sport pick up craze of the 80's? Sometimes Doug is really ignorant about certain things, and this is one of them.
EXACTLY! I almost lost it when he started talking about the ground effects like they were something out of the ordinary. He must've been born in the 90s.
With the gladiators selling like hot cakes now maybe Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep wasn't too off with this idea after all. It just took another 30 years for people to start buying them.
@CSavage Wow you're REALLY wishing death on people for owning cars you think are shit. How would YOU feel if people call your car a piece of shit and want to murder you?
@@mixnation79 the new gladiator was never the worst selling jeep. They came out late in the year and still sold like 40k of them. I think the actual worst selling jeep was the patriot.
Jeep has been building truck for close to 50yrs. Even made mini trucks like the 80's Comanche, basically a Cherokee with a bed. Half unibody half body on frame. Many people made them convertible. Mazda b series trucks were custom convertible with Testarossa body kits. Everyone was making minitrucks with convertibles at the time.
I have a 92 Dakota that looks very similar to this inside. The “newer” Magnum 3.9L has plenty of power for most tasks. The truck has remained all-original and has over 300k miles on the odometer. One quirk I’ve always loved on my Dakota is the two oil fill caps, one on each valve cover.
First thing I did when I bought my 95 a few years back was haul a full load so at least a ton of dirt in the bed to level my buddies yard. Squatted on the shocks. The 3.9 did just fine even with a dying fuel pump, and I didn't break or bend anything.
I had 2 95 Dakotas, one v8 and the other with the V6. Both were extended cab 4x4s. In fact the only 2 differences between the trucks were the engine and the exterior color (v8 was black and silver. V6 was green and silver). I wrecked the v8 one. Years later I bought the V6 and it had the same miles on it as my v8 did when I wrecked it. The trans died on the V6 one and it had already been hit (a-hole ran a red light and hit the right front corner of the truck 2 weeks after I bought it. His Ion was totaled. I was able to drive the truck home).
8:04 doug confusing calling the dakota a durango on accident really hits home cause i drive a 2002 dakota and everytime someone asks me what i drive and I tell them, they'll always say "oh thats like that durango lookin truck right?"
@@Camperosyyc They weren’t on EVERY truck of the mid to late 80’s as my dad had a mid-80’s Ford F-250 Twin Cab truck and it didn’t have a foot well vent. Anyways, They may have been a commit feature back then on trucks but not universal.
Being a convertible, the sun would fade each of the red materials at different rates. That's why there are different shades of red. My 89 Mustang had the same problem.
@@MMM18092 It wasn't built that way. Have owned a dozen old droptops since the early 90's and this type of color fading happens on all unless they're garage queens.
@@Stressless2023 I’m sure fading is a big factor and I can’t speak for this particular model but if you look at old Motorweek reviews from the 1980s, a lot of US cars had different shades of one colour in the interior.
This has got to be one of the most bizarre Dodge vehicles I've ever seen. Although I am guessing that the interior colors matched at one time. The materials seem to be severely sun faded.
I'd qualify that to "mostly matched." I recall that the less neutral interior colors, like reds and blues, had some color matching issues when different materials were used (e.g. the upholstery never quite matched the color on the vinyl in the door cards, but it was close enough for 99% of the American car buying public).
@@brentboswell1294 it wasn't supposed to be all exactly the same color. they were supposed to be complementary reds(or blues, etc). at least a little bit of contrast is needed- much easier on the eyes- especially with a red theme
Colors fade at different rates depending on the surface. The leather will fade at a different rate than the plastic even though they were probably the same color when new. Over time the plastic bumpers on my red BMW have faded differently that the metal panels and it get more noticeable every year.
So...I have owned a 2wd and still own the 4x4 version of the Dakota convertible. I have driven and restored many other trucks. Despite Doug's low score and unrealistic modern expectations for it, my 89 4x4 Vert is the one antique classic truck I still had to go back and buy again. Smiles are seen every time I drive it. A pleasure to drive on paved roads, steering can be tightened with a single bolt twist. Doug,thanks for your creative review. Keep watching your comments/views on this post because I really think demand on these rare rigs is about to pop. Pro tip for you Doug: when driving an 80s lower hp automatic trans, shift that bad boy manually using that column shifter so you can wake up it's torque range. It will become a different animal for you.
When I was looking for my first car I found one in my hometown. It was black with gold lettering, very cool. I’m happy I got my 2019 RT tho, gotta love dodge💜
In 1990 you COULD get a V-8, but only with an automatic transmission. I test drove several of them. I have the 5-speed stick. To get a 5-speed stick you still had to have the 3.9 V-6. And, the production run of the Dakota Convertible in 1989 and 1990 totaled 3800 units, not 3,000. I have carried firewood loaded to the top of the cab (top up), and never have had any rigidity problems. The truck hauls heavy loads nicely.
That's a glorified jeep with the bed attached to the back. And the worst? If you crash and just destroy the axle and order a new one in the USA it doesn't exist and it gets totalled instantly. Like Hoovies garage unfortunately experienced.
I had a 1988 Dodge Daytona. The inside was almost exactly the same. Everything was red. The headliner, the dash, the seats, the velour fabric, everything. Looking at the inside of this was very nostalgic. Believe it or not, that Daytona ran like a top. I had it for 12 years and never had to do any major repairs to it. My brother had a regular 89 Dakota pick-up and had constant mechanical issues with it.
I had a 89 shadow es 2.5 turbo. purchased it at 25k miles and sold it at 105k miles. Loved that car. zero issues except for replacing expensive ass eagle gt+4 brand tires. Had same radio, steering wheel, and ac controls as this Dakota.
@@davidc.4972 No it was not. At least not mine. It was built by Chrysler/Dodge and had a Chrysler engine. Mine had the straight 4 cylinder and was an automatic. It was not going to win any races but it looked great and ran great. It was a 2 door hatch-back with small back seats but for all intents and purposes it was a two seater. Outside of the things that normally wear out (brakes, shocks, tires, wipers) the only things I ever had to replace was the radiator $80 (I don't know why I remember the cost but I do) and the water pump $60. The radiator sprung a leak on the side tank and they were plastic so could not be soldered. Had to be replaced but it was cheap. The bearings on the water pump went out. Both happened years apart. The engine sat sideways and the car had a long nose so it was super easy to work on.
@@johnnylingo9384 I loved that Daytona. I bought mine with 32K miles. It had 122K when I decided to get something else. I gave it to my girlfriend to park for when her daughter would be old enough to drive. The car did not have a scratch or dent on it and everything worked. But then my gfs car blew and she started driving it. She put another 60K miles on it. The only thing she had to do to it was get an alignment. It had the flip-up headlights that seemed to break on every car that had them back then but the ones on that car never did. It's funny about the tires. Mine came with those same Eagle tires and every one of them had the belts break. I put 4 more on and they barely lasted 2 years. I ended up going to a place that sold used Michelin Highway Patrol tires for like $15 each. Those things lasted forever on my car. The interior of the Dakota in Doug's video really makes me long for that car. I loved it.
I had a 93 Daytona but my prized dodge was a 92 Plymouth duster. 3.0l 10:1 compression pistons, Ported heads 3 angle valve job, crower regrind cam, ported upper & lower intake, 58mm throttle body Knife edged, underdrive pulley, aluminum flywheel. Car was gutted and had lowering springs with adjustable struts plus a couple other small stuff. I do know that it ran high 13s in the 1/4 mile. I was going to put a full standalone ECU on it such as megasquirt but a buddy of mine crashed the car. I bet it probably would have ran low 13s. Street tires. High 12s with slicks. Loved that car. Sigh... Not very quick like today's cars. Hell, a 2015 Toyota Camry with the V6 will run a 14 second flat.
Ahhh, velour seats. I remember just getting my license and my mom let me borrow her Oldsmobile back in the early 80’s. I thought it would be a good idea to go pick up my stoner buddies and go cruising. Sadly, the dude that had the pot had some schwag with lots of seeds. We were smoking joints and it sounding like we were making popcorn. Seeds popping everywhere. Needless to say, my moms velour seats paid the price. She didn’t let me borrow the Oldsmobile anymore. 😂
I was a young man in the mid/late 80s and was really into the mini-truck customization scene at the time. I can remember looking through the 'custom' magazines of the era and there were several companies selling kits to modify your mini-truck into a convertible. So, Chrysler/Dodge didn't so much 'come up with something original out of the blue' as they saw a possible general consumer market for convertible trucks because of the customizers. Unfortunately, by the time Chrysler/Dodge got into the game with their factory conversion version, most in the custom scene was moving away for convertible trucks because they were 'not so original'. That means they weren't so unique anymore....and THAT is anathema to 'custom' trucks.
Car manufacturers just took a lot more risks back in the 70’s 80’s and 90’s , now they pretty much stick with what sells really well with Is basically SUV’s and pick up trucks. A lot of cars and trucks in the 70’s 80’s and 90’s had those vent things that you pulled out and it let air flow into the cabin. I suspect that the part of the steering that your hands touch has discoloured over the years and was probably closer in colour to the centre of the steering wheel when new.
Because no one buys them... Why do people expect car companies to develop cars hardly anyone is going to buy versus cars they know they'll make money on.
The convertible segment as a whole has shrunk with every decade. Sadly, because to me they are like going on a coaster ride without the upside down action (if your lucky).
@@bIoodypingu exactly, they experiment less because frankly most of the things to experiment with have been, and the stricter safety regulations also limits what they can do.
If there's anything they learnt, these markets are niche and not profitable. Why waste money to be "risk" taking when you're most likely gonna take a loss
@@labornurse People used to drive more slowly more often. I'm not saying this is the whole situation, but I think it is very relevant to the decline of the convertible. I also feel like driving as a pastime--driving for the sake of the experience--is much less popular today, and when someone does drive as a pastime, their enjoyment more often seems to depend more heavily on speed than on enjoying the surrounding environment. With regular people's vehicular experiences being 70+ mph on a highway or
@@XMarkxyz Suspended headrest would still likely injury people. A headrest attached to the seat would less likely injury people as suspended headrest would swing around. Have you every felt worry driving under a suspended traffic light during high winds? Suspended traffic lights in USA are held by a single wire and could fall on your windshield, injuring you.
@@automation7295 i don't think you understand what he's saying lol, a fixed in place headrest that is suspended from the roll bar will not swing, it's not on a hinge, it's on a welded piece...
Late eighties was the end of the mini truck club era. Had friends that did T-tops on their mini trucks and cab top removals. And with no roll bars. Toyota and Nissan were selling already lowered trucks with different paint schemes. Hardbody came out then too. Toyota even had a different truck bed available then that was swoopy. During that time people wanted the American bed over the Japanese bed because it was rolled over with tie downs on the inside not on the outside.
@@AgSherr Cool! Truck runs were fun. Wish I kept even one of the cool cars I had back then. Got a buddy that still has his slammed Chevy Luv with a V8 swap from high school.
@@myrrhavm I was the only female of about 4 Static P'up owner's then. Only Radical Top in the bunch too. And yeah, I got tired of the build like they did but I just garaged it until the feeling returned. Shooooot! I still have my Big Wheel and my Schwinn too...lol...I hold on to everything with Wheels.
Yeah, but having no door frames does make a big difference in feel, ie...when the Wrangler went from half height doors...the “vibe” definitely changes.
I'm sure someone has already beaten me to these points, but... 1. The cable on each side of the top, on the inside and attached to the roll bar, is what keeps the top from entering the bed when folded down. Take the bed cover off, drop the top, and you'll see the folded top is suspended and "hovers" over the bed. The bed can be fully utilized with the top down. 2. Why no mention of the Jeep Gladiator? In the correct form (soft top) it's literally a crew cab convertible truck and, while it's not construction grade, it is perfect for homeowners and light truck users who want... a convertible truck. Good stuff, and keep the quirky reviews coming!
I’m 16 and just bought my first car. A 1989 dodge Dakota convertible 3.9 V6, 5 speed manual. Saw this video and fell in love. It’s been treating me great so far but had to put lots of work into it. Just waiting for summer. It’s not the best winter vehicle ever but because of this video. I’m now the proud owner of a 89 Dakota convertible!
This is nuts I looked this truck up about 3 months ago when I was getting nostalgic about being a lot boy in 1988-89 at Towson Dodge in Baltimore. They had 2 and both were on the showroom floor so I never got to drive them because neither one sold.I loved them.
Just a few weeks ago an old guy in my neighborhood starting driving a Dakota convertible. I thought it was custom.... I'd never seen or heard of this truck in my life and now Doug is doing a video on one. Crazy!!
Oh Doug, we all know the 70s and 80s V8s and V6s made barely any horsepower, but we do wish you would touch on how much torque they made and how that made them not complete snails when you had to get going lol
@@jameslong7672 You sure? I looked up the older Dakotas with red interior and all the photos have them mismatching and not really matching the red exterior.
They probably used to match and are now sun bleached. Especially the seat belts and wheel. That wheel used to be one color! Lil tip for anyone with an 80s American car like this: you can get leather dye to match the hue online and gently sand and dye it and it'll look pretty mint.
@@philtheairplanemechanic BINGO. You can see the bottom and back of the wheel and see the fading. Red fades faster than any other color too.. GM red interiors usually turn orange on the seat tops. Doug has always been a bit unfair to Chrysler products.
Fantastic. Back when I started driving, my Dad let me use his 1988 Dakota. It was a fleet vehicle for our local power company. It was a 2WD, automatic with the 3.9L V6, dual fuel. It had the factory gasoline system, but also had a propane addition installed. At the time when I drove it, propane was 19¢/litre. In the summer when hot, $20 would last a month. But then in the winter, only a few days, depending on how many colds start I did. As some other commenters have mentioned, this truck was tough AF. As a teen driver and the delusion that I was invincible, the truck should have been orange with a big "01" on the doors considering the stunts I pulled with it. I miss it...
I remember when this truck came out. I also remember that it was introduced due to a customizing craze that had been going on for years in which the cool kids would take their pickup trucks and have the tops chopped off. At that time, you saw customized S-10s, Rangers, etc., etc., etc., with their tops chopped off.
Ratical Tops - You could buy the kit from them, cut off your roof and have a hard top convertible. And yes, it leaked like a sieve 😂 But they were beyond cool back in the day…
A mini-truck fad started in California in the mid 1980's where people were customizing Datsun and Toyota pickups. Cutting the top off to make a convertible became quite popular in California during this fad, especially given the fantastic weather in California. I believe under Iacocca's leadership in Chrysler he was willing to gamble and take risk and offered a factory convertible pickup in order to cash in on this fad.
@@88Hellrazr I graduated from high school in 1984 and the late 1980's had the Nissan 200SX, Toyota Celica, Supra (before it became unaffordable), Mitsubishi Starion, Mazda RX7, Isuzu Impulse, Subaru XT, it was an exciting renaissance from the malaise era of the 1970s.
The Wrangler and Bronco are essentially "drop top trucks" The Murano convertible and Range Rover Evoque convertible were spiritual successors to these vehicles. I just hope that the new Hyundai Santa Cruz is eventually offered in convertible form I feel that one day convertible trucks/SUVs will be popular...we already see the popularity of SUV coupes and this isnt far from that concept
"coupe" suvs havent taken off and i assume they never will. convertible suvs...well....why would you even think that? what's wrong with your brain? do you have any idea why people buy suvs??
Someone in my neighborhood has an amazing cherry red version of one of these and its astonishing to see it in use in person since its gotta be one of a very limited amount of these things still in existence. I'd like to know nationally how many of this model are still registered and driving today. Really cool truck if for no other reason than its incredibly odd. Reminds me of the K5 Blazer w/ full removable top like in the 70s, or even the international Scout
My Grandfather fixed up a 90's Dakota sport convertible and i was fortunate to receive it as a gift. Super cool truck and it gets a lot of attention (mostly from older gentlemen) , I plan on keeping it for a while
I know where two such trucks are today. Both trucks are part of a "quirky" private vehicle collection here in South Carolina. The jet black on black Dakota started off in life mechanically identical to the one in your video but in 2004 was "refreshed and modified" to the owners desires with a 4X4 set up, 4in lift, a high end repaint (jet black again), interior redo (black, high back leather seats, etc.), a Magnum V-8 with a custom drive train, chrome step rails, a custom removable fiberglass top which replaced the convertible top, custom made, blacked out four spoke wheels (visualize the Chrysler emblem), and a custom sound system. That truck still has under 100,000 miles on it and makes the rounds of some exclusive car and truck shows from time to time here on the east coast. The second one is a dead ringer for the one in your video and now has around 300,000 miles on it and is used on the owners cattle farm as a work truck. Frankly I thought the owner was pulling a lot of folk's legs, mine included, when he insisted that the Dakota had EVER had a convertible top since the trucks, which sold very well in this area including the 2001 one I purchased used in 2008, were all the same in that they were pure factory models. Thanks for finally convincing me, via your video, that there were really convertible Dakotas produced and sold through dealerships.
So, as a Convertible Dakota owner, a couple things need to be addressed. The actual number is closer to 4,000, they sold 2,843 in 1989 and another 1,013 in 1990, and a final 8 in 1991. All the 89s were Sport models, but in 90 the convertible option was available on any trim level, and by extension with either engine, they sold a handful of 90's with 4 cylinders. And one last thing, when the V8 option became available in 91, they could be ordered that way too. The 91's aren't very well documented but at least one of the 8 has a V8, I've spoken with the guy that has it a few times. I would have offered mine a long time ago but it's not it very good shape and it's modified. Has a V8 and a manual swap.
Damn, it used to be that Doug's whole comment section started with "Dougs the type of guy...." Now, this is the only one. Pour one out for the "Doug's the type of guy" meme
I'm waiting for the Citroën 2CV, the Renault R4 and the Renault Avantime 😊 Maybe Doug should do a big tour around Europe for some of our quirky cars so he doesn't need to find them in the US
I forget how young doug is. In the late 80s early 90s pick-up trucks with fat wheels and kits were extremely popular and many of them had custom convertibles. Automakers always follow the aftermarket trends. That's why i believe they created it
A friend of mine had one of these in high school. Man, we thought we were so ef'n cool driving around with the top down in the middle of winter. It's a trip to see the familiar interior.
I suspect most of the interior materials were closer color-matched, they faded over time. And there is a modern pickup convertible, the Gladiator! Not that you'll ever see anyone with the top off their Gladiator, but it can be, so it counts.
I'm not huge on the whole 80s era sort of colored interiors, but I honestly think it looks pretty nice, at least on camera. I imagine it looked quite a bit better when new as well. There's also the fact even in a really well made interior, that outer portion of the steering wheel will usually start fading from the friction of your hands over time, even in Toyotas I often see that.
This is a cool idea. Non sport was more desirable because these were frequently lifted, but i see what the owner did and this works. A ragtap pickup IS cool when things are uncomplicated, and being uncomplicated is exactly why the subject of this episode still exists-theres no power yayas to break or wear out or age out. A jeep inline 6 would have been a smart move for longevity on that note, but this lives and dies on the merit of the ragtop so dodge could have put almost anything in for a mill and not have it make that much of a difference. Dougie noted a salient point; a ragtop pickup COULD be a home run right now IF the manufacturer resolved crash test issues enough to pass AND kept the complicated bits run through the floors and doors (or simply omitted, kept in the dash, etc). We live in an era of some weirdness and sacrifice, so i would sacrifice payload and rigidity for this. Moreover, convertible technology has vastly improved and we could see this fly as a "roll on/roll off" cloth top that does better with rigidity AND space. As long as i could carry some truck stuff; fertilizer, a few piece of sheetrock/OSB, a couch...and tow a johnboat...i mean why not? Nissan sold a ragtop Murano. Dodge sold the ugliest, shittiest convertible in history in the PT Cruiser and people CLAMORED FOR MORE. Also...theres every jeep. Hell, Dodge hit one of the deepest home runs ever in selling the K-Car (emphasis on cheep and reliable) and the convertible was a large part of that action. I actually know a law professor that owns EIGHT of them in Charleston! Theres historical precedent to suggest this could be a market segment that a daring manufacturer could simply wade into and outright own with almost zero competition to keep them honest. I suspect we are about to be inundated with Bronco ragtops that will suck up all of the convertible Murano/Land Rover owners and give us pause to reflect on how cool a sort of convertible wagon/suv is, then the idea of a pickup will gestate in people's heads again. I would say any manufacturer could pull this off when the recipe was kept simple enough, but honestly Dodge has done it already and I hope they do it again....just in a non-jeep non-overpriced fashion.
Because he's not at all knowledgeable about the mini truck craze of the 80s and early 90s, and has no idea that this truck was Chrysler's attempt to capitalize on the craze. There was nothing strange about a lowered convertible pickup with ground effects and rims in 89.
![Gunna - HIM ALL ALONG [Official Visualizer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/HiCxoDeo0hc/mqdefault.jpg)
The rollbar was the only thing holding this entire truck together😂
lol
@@mioakiyama4919 not really, i have one and the only thing that rattles is the tailgate going over bumps!
Do you have a Hotwheels version of this GhostJerker?
Considering it's body on frame I doubt it lost most of the structural rigidity. But I'm sure the cab has some flex though.
If you have around 1992 Nissan Sentra SE-R, gets hold of Doug! I would love him drive my old Sentra, but it’s rotting in a junkyard somewhere.
As a European, I love this period of American cars. They were completely different from European cars and of course that was very interesting, especially when you went on holiday to the states and rented an American car. In this context, I have some experience from, among others, Chrysler LeBaron convertible Mrk.III (1987-1995) (the one with hidden headlights and modern interior). We drove more than 6,000 miles in the western states and I have to say that the car actually performed very well. No faults or shortcomings, well, maybe except that the three-liter Mitsubishi V6 engine was totally powerless at the top of Mt. Evans (14300 feet). However, I do not think many other cars at that time went so much better at that height above sea level. Otherwise, the car went perfectly OK with its 143 HP and Chrysler Ultradrive automatic transmission. The gearbox was undoubtedly perhaps the best thing about the car. Completely different and much more comfortable than the automatic transmission I had at the time in my Mercedes-Benz W201 190E 2.3. However, the overall perceived build quality was a different story, but it was not that bad either. It was mostly about the plastic quality in the interior and some design solutions, but otherwise the car was definitely a pleasant experience.
Did you long for the Maserati version of it that Doug reviewed?
2 words ..George Costanza
Yeah, those were the times before the Japanese taught the Americans that a car interior does not have to look like a furniture shop with randomly thrown buttons and switches, and that there’s something called ergonomics.
@@sergeychmelev5270 then we taught the Japanese how to build a Tacoma big enough for a 6'3 guy in boots so he can go to work.
oh wait? we didn't?
shoot guess we still have something to learn from each other. Pretty silly when you fit inside a VW Golf but not a Toyota Tacoma. Plenty of tall people in Germany to test Golfs.
The LeBaron was a very common car here in Europe as well. And the automatic transmissions of old Benzes are super comfortable unless they were setup wrong (there is something at the transmission itself where you can pull/push to make it shift harder/smoother).
I love how the quality engineered plaque is blocked by the seatbelt
And that the Dakota Sport graphic would fit on the door, but they've applied it partly on the front wing!
@@steveoliver1409 that annoyed me very much
I didnt know this existed
What were they thinking of ? !
@@KenanTurkiye what were they thinking?!
I had an 87 dodge Dakota 4x4 . First year of the dodge dakota.
@@KenanTurkiye Dodge execs doing copious amounts of cocaine isn't anything new.
ahhh, ok a new day a new thing I learned, cool (not the car).
Hey Doug, a couple of points of info as I fondly remember these when they were new. Convertible trucks were all the rage in the mini-truck world at that time. Most of them had their hard tops stashed in the bed, as opposed to folding cloth tops. My guess is that Chrysler thought they’d capitalize on the craze, and of course the folks at ASC made it happen. The V8 in the Dakota first appeared on the Shelby model when they shoehorned the bigger motor in. It was only after that model went away that the motor became optional on the standard Dakota. As for the um, multi-colored red interior, I think the age of the plastics combined with sun exposure is partially to blame. As I recall, the color was a little more uniform.
Maybe someone can find one of those and manage to fit it one of the convertibles. I'm not sure if it'd be a good idea adding even more torque to such a poorly braced body, but it'd be fun to hear burbly sounds with the top down :P
I love how they say they "shoehorned" the 318 in. The dakota has so much space under the hood. You can literally fit whatever you want in there within reason. 440 swaps are commonplace. Now we are also seeing elephant and hellcat dakotas.
@@timbrwolf1121 that’s what the reviews of the time said about the Shelby Dakota. I’m not saying it wasn’t an easy swap.
@@markgold2450 I know. It just is funny considering what people do with them now.
@@timbrwolf1121 they actually had to lengthen the nose of the truck to fit the v8. The Shelby version moved the radiator support forward and replaced the clutch fan with a low profile electric fan to fit the v8. In 1992 dodge made the Dakota slightly longer to fit the v8 with a clutch fan.
Doug's hand motions are literally shaking the entire truck.
My wife hates watching based alone on his spastic hands. She can’t stand it
I feel he's getting more spasitic in his more recent videos.
That’s his most recent tic
@@alphaboltz LOL !!!!!!
There should be a warning at the start that the video may cause seizures. Also, I wanted to like your comment but it was at 69.
One great thing about dodge that nobody can deny, they make fun crazy stuff. They got balls.
My fav brand they still love to have fun and their customers are still as loyal as ever
Yeah these convertible Dodge Dakota convertibles didn't sell very well in the late 80s and early 90s, but I think that if they came out with a new convertible truck today it would sell, so many more people buy trucks today than back then. Doug is right, trucks have become a lifestyle today. Another thing that hampered this truck, was that the Federal government practically outlawed convertibles in the 70s and by the early 80s there were only a few models on the market. People had kind of forgotten about convertibles until Mustang brought back the mustang convertible in 1983, and then you started seeing more. Today every manufacturer seems to have at least one model that is a convertible. The dakota convertible also cost allot more than just a base model Dakota which could also be the reason why they didn't sell well. Dodge was ahead of it's time on this one. lol.....
Pacifica Hellcat when?
@ I HAVE THE DOCUMENTS - yes and those balls were usually in the shop getting fixed and or replaced
Caliber? Caravan? Shadow? Nitro? Intrepid? Are we talking about the same Dodge?
Dodge makes limited production, overpriced versions of cars, sure, but their regular cars are absolute shit.
It sounds like Doug's mic is also a bizarre failure too lmao
It’s the stock ‘89 lavaliere mic 😂
LOL
I've been told he uses the grey plastic mic that came with windows 95
@@Tinydevil12 even though he looks old I don't think Doug was even born in 95
@@broomhwauser3380 he was born in 88
The interior bits and pieces probably were a bit more color matched before decades of fading as anything red tends to do. Just a guess.
Exterior too.
I owned a maroon 1989 Dodge Spirit -- which I bought new from the showroom -- and the interior colors and fabric were almost the same as this.
“No one will build a convertible truck again”
Hello Jeep Gladiator.
I was going to comment the same thing.
Chevy SSR
@@johnnyforriester7325 The Chevy SSR was literally Doug's other example for why "no one would do it again"
Some of the high end F150s have a full roof sunroof that folds open in three parts that's practically a convertible too.
Also technically all Land Rover series 1/2 pickups are convertible as well. You just manually take of the hard top or soft top. As well as that most of the other older stile land rovers (suck as dougs old defender) are convertible pickups with optional seats
I love this truck. Designed in the days when accountants didn’t have much power and designers could go nuts
... and engineers were few!
Btw, that "leg vent" is a very PC way of saying "ball cooler". It was quite literally a ball cooler and was one of the greatest automotive innovations. I'd kill for that in a cooled seat package.
Ah yes, that is the TCU (testical cooling unit)
They had to discontinue those because people’s lips would get chapped after long drives
The vent was for fresh air circulation when it didn’t come with A/C. Quite common up until the 90s. Dodge just didn’t remove them when you optioned for A/C like most car companies.
@@CamaroAmx yea. I've seen them elsewhere, but I remember them well from a Shelby Dakota I drove. I think the Shadow ES Turbo Convertible I had for a while came with a ball vent as well, but the AC didn't work and I just kept the top down whenever it was warm enough and didn't need a ball cooler.
@@ILikeCheesesticks which lips? 🤣🤣🤣🤣
looks rad as fuck, one of those coke-fueled crazy 80's ideas. i want one
Lucky you this one is for sale
@@nemanjatosovic sadly i live in europe
@@STKSOUND the jeep gladiator sells in europe as far as I know
@@STKSOUND pretty sure you can import it. I don't think Cars & Bids are US only.
And we don’t mean the soft drink 😂
A friend of mine got one of these from his parents as a high school graduation present. It was white with black trim. His was 4x4 with the v6. The truck actually got a lot of attention while driving around with the top down. The truck was later destroyed when he let someone else drive it and ran into a ditch. No rollover, just ripped everything off under the engine and bent the frame. Insurance totalled it.
The convertible truck was born out of the 80’s/90’s Lowrider scene in Cali. The late 80’s and early 90’s were full of custom lowered convertible mini trucks with dancing beds, hydraulic suspensions and expensive sound systems.
This is why the Dakota Convertible was made.
Prime example: Masta Ace - "Born to Roll" video.
Exactly, also me as non American remember this model from various rap music MTV's clips.
True that you can find it in clip of "Born to Roll" by Masta Ace but also you can spot it on same album cover called "Sitting in Chrome".
Yes ! I remember these times like a bad hangover !
FINALLY SOMEONE NOTICES THE DAKOTA CONVERTIBLE!
These things are soooo rare!
Let me explain a couple things though:
The 3.9 was very underpowered, Because it wasnt the 3.9 Magnum.
It was an LA Block.
The LA Engines were VERY Underpowered, Unlike the Magnum lineup, Which came out later.
"Quality Engineered"
Very true.
Older Dodge's from this time period can really take a beating.
Hopefully this old Dak gets a good owner!
Doug mentioned the Dakota convertible in his Chevrolet SSR video a while back. I'm just glad to see that he finally got around making a video on one.
Reliable, indeed. My neighbor used a later model of this generation as a farm truck and it pulled a hay wagon like a Cummins.
Wasn't the engine supplied by Mitsu or Mazda?
@@RedLP5000S Nope.
The Dodge Dakota (1st Gen 87-96), Came with either a 2.2 K Series I4, A 2.5 K I4, A 2.5 AMC I4, A 3.9 LA/Magnum V6, And a 5.2 LA/Magnum V8.
The LA's and Magnum's were made by Chrysler, And so was the K Series I4.
@@americansmark Dakota's have got balls, I tell you what.
Don't underestimate a Dakota.
They put down power like a stabbed rat.
This is honestly just bizarre. It screams '80s.
And Miami Vice... or just Miami 😛
@@stefanbraem fr fr 😂 drop top everything
@Brandon Behringer *Started producing them in ‘87.*
@Brandon Behringer when did the trackers come out? they were "cool" back then. The rappers had them!
Regarding the lack of headrests, trucks were not required to have head restraints until the early 90's. Passenger cars had to have them starting in 1968.
So you are saying the research HAD been done, and Doug just doesn't know wtf he is talking about. Not surprised
so glad my dad's 94 has bucket seats
@@Midlife_Crisis_ jeez chill
@@lethargicstove2024 doug now knowing what he's talking about is somewhat common
@@Midlife_Crisis_ That is life. We all make mistakes and mis speak.
The custom mini truck era was still going on during the release of this truck. Convertible conversions where pretty popular.That little tidbit puts it in a little of a better perspective as to why Dodge put this out..
What I love about Doug's channel, being introduced to vehicles that I never even knew existed.
"Have you ever seen a pick-up truck that doubles as a convertible?"
"No."
"Would you like to?"
Hell ya😩
The gladiator?
@@jordanbowes5707 Chrysler crap
the jeep kaiser and jeep gladiator
@@jawndice933 cry more, 90s man
As mentioned on Lochdown, the entire supply of burgundy in the world was used in James May's Cadillac, however, the leftovers were used for the interiors of this truck.
it was 80-90s american auto manufactures loved blood red interiors
One day a Hyundai Pickup, another day a Dodge convertible pickup, can't wait to see a Shelby F150 on this channel next in the list of weird pickups
I'm waiting on a Chevy Avalanche/Escalade EXT review.
I’m waiting on the new auto slingshot
@@gbaby4rb64 nice
How about the cyber truck lol
I want to see a Shelby Durango..or Daytona IROC R/T with the DOHC 2.2 turbo III
My shop teacher back in high school had two of these: a V6 manual 2WD and an auto 4x4. The 4x4 he bought new and was kept in showroom condition. The manual one was bought from a guy who was getting an R/T when they first came out. He ended up swapping in a mild 5.2 Magnum, a rebuilt transmission, and a custom 9 1/4 rear axle with a limited slip differential. That truck absolutely ripped.
Doug opines about how popular camper shells were in the 80's, but doesn't know about the mini sport pick up craze of the 80's? Sometimes Doug is really ignorant about certain things, and this is one of them.
EXACTLY! I almost lost it when he started talking about the ground effects like they were something out of the ordinary. He must've been born in the 90s.
@@TheBillyarnezz He was born in 1988
@@govinlock8568 makes sense
No one would ever put a camper topper on a convertible.
@@jeffrehbine8530 No one said someone would
With the gladiators selling like hot cakes now maybe Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep wasn't too off with this idea after all. It just took another 30 years for people to start buying them.
Well they were the worst selling Jeep until the pandemic hit so I think the jury's still out on this one lol
@CSavage Wow you're REALLY wishing death on people for owning cars you think are shit.
How would YOU feel if people call your car a piece of shit and want to murder you?
@@mixnation79 the new gladiator was never the worst selling jeep. They came out late in the year and still sold like 40k of them. I think the actual worst selling jeep was the patriot.
Jeep has been building truck for close to 50yrs. Even made mini trucks like the 80's Comanche, basically a Cherokee with a bed. Half unibody half body on frame. Many people made them convertible. Mazda b series trucks were custom convertible with Testarossa body kits. Everyone was making minitrucks with convertibles at the time.
They sold less than 80,000 in 2020.
I have a 92 Dakota that looks very similar to this inside. The “newer” Magnum 3.9L has plenty of power for most tasks. The truck has remained all-original and has over 300k miles on the odometer. One quirk I’ve always loved on my Dakota is the two oil fill caps, one on each valve cover.
First thing I did when I bought my 95 a few years back was haul a full load so at least a ton of dirt in the bed to level my buddies yard. Squatted on the shocks. The 3.9 did just fine even with a dying fuel pump, and I didn't break or bend anything.
Currently fully rebuilding the truck. The end goal is to drop a 383 big block from a 68 charger in her and rebrand it the Dakota Super Magnum.
I have a 93 with a 5.2l magnum. She's not fast but she's powerfull. And I think that she's a better work horse then those huge modern truck.
I had 2 95 Dakotas, one v8 and the other with the V6. Both were extended cab 4x4s. In fact the only 2 differences between the trucks were the engine and the exterior color (v8 was black and silver. V6 was green and silver). I wrecked the v8 one. Years later I bought the V6 and it had the same miles on it as my v8 did when I wrecked it. The trans died on the V6 one and it had already been hit (a-hole ran a red light and hit the right front corner of the truck 2 weeks after I bought it. His Ion was totaled. I was able to drive the truck home).
@@timbrwolf1121 Why not a 360 or a Gen 3 Hemi? Be a lot less nose heavy that way.
This is the ultimate car for Doug to review.
Every time he reviews a bizarre vehicle there's always this comment 🙄
Could’ve just been called the Dodge Quirk
@@sethie_shots Doug Dakota
@@straightbusta2609 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
"The weirdness appeals to me"
We know, Doug, we know.
8:04
doug confusing calling the dakota a durango on accident really hits home cause i drive a 2002 dakota and everytime someone asks me what i drive and I tell them, they'll always say "oh thats like that durango lookin truck right?"
Convertible Trucks should make a comeback! They're so cool!
they already did? Jeep?
@@THESLlCK Not the same thing.
@@fortheloveofnoise how is it not the same thing? The gladiator comes with a convertible soft top.
@@gnrfan713 The Jeep "Gladiator" is just a modified wrangler. I think he's talking about a convertible of an existing/new pickup.
Yea I see what u sayin
Isn’t the Gladiator technically a convertible truck?
I myself was surprised Doug didn’t mention the Gladiator either…
Yup, also foot well vents were on every truck at the time...
@@Camperosyyc They weren’t on EVERY truck of the mid to late 80’s as my dad had a mid-80’s Ford F-250 Twin Cab truck and it didn’t have a foot well vent. Anyways, They may have been a commit feature back then on trucks but not universal.
@@Charlesb88 one more that had them was the S10. Really handy too when you’re rolling down a dirt road in the summer with no AC
Aaand the H1 Hummer
Sweet God. Whoever the seller is, kudos for keeping this car clean!
It's isn't clean, but it is well used. Both are good tbh
@@straightbusta2609 hey its an old truck also its straight
Being a convertible, the sun would fade each of the red materials at different rates. That's why there are different shades of red. My 89 Mustang had the same problem.
Also stiff you touch always fades more. Like the steering wheel rim
Fading would be much more uneven, this looks like it was built that way.
@@MMM18092 It wasn't built that way. Have owned a dozen old droptops since the early 90's and this type of color fading happens on all unless they're garage queens.
@@Stressless2023 I’m sure fading is a big factor and I can’t speak for this particular model but if you look at old Motorweek reviews from the 1980s, a lot of US cars had different shades of one colour in the interior.
just paint those pieces all black
This has got to be one of the most bizarre Dodge vehicles I've ever seen. Although I am guessing that the interior colors matched at one time. The materials seem to be severely sun faded.
Yeah its easy to see that seat belt is faded.
I'd qualify that to "mostly matched." I recall that the less neutral interior colors, like reds and blues, had some color matching issues when different materials were used (e.g. the upholstery never quite matched the color on the vinyl in the door cards, but it was close enough for 99% of the American car buying public).
@@brentboswell1294
it wasn't supposed to be all exactly the same color. they were supposed to be complementary reds(or blues, etc). at least a little bit of contrast is needed- much easier on the eyes- especially with a red theme
Colors fade at different rates depending on the surface. The leather will fade at a different rate than the plastic even though they were probably the same color when new. Over time the plastic bumpers on my red BMW have faded differently that the metal panels and it get more noticeable every year.
Even with black you might get some shades of grey if the car is that old.
My parents 1989 Grand Voyager growing up way this maroon inside and I can confirm these colors are matched back then lol
Good point!
yeah i thought doug would know this, but apparently not
@@toof987 he does, but he seems to play stupid on so many things so that people comment on it. More comments is better.
This thing looks absolutely WILD... I want one.
BIG NEWS… this truck is being listed on CARS & BIDS… and it can be yours!
@Jonathan Losito Cant afford. All my money is invested.
This content is way better than the Gt version of some sports car we have seen 100 other versions of
"...of which we have seen 100 other versions". But I gave a like to compensate for my pedantry.
This is the era of cars when I grew up. I can still smell this interior.
This looks like an interior that would smell of Newports and MGD
So...I have owned a 2wd and still own the 4x4 version of the Dakota convertible. I have driven and restored many other trucks. Despite Doug's low score and unrealistic modern expectations for it, my 89 4x4 Vert is the one antique classic truck I still had to go back and buy again. Smiles are seen every time I drive it. A pleasure to drive on paved roads, steering can be tightened with a single bolt twist. Doug,thanks for your creative review. Keep watching your comments/views on this post because I really think demand on these rare rigs is about to pop. Pro tip for you Doug: when driving an 80s lower hp automatic trans, shift that bad boy manually using that column shifter so you can wake up it's torque range. It will become a different animal for you.
This is something ZZ Top would have had in the 80s to transport their gear😅
RIP Dusty Hill
When I was looking for my first car I found one in my hometown. It was black with gold lettering, very cool. I’m happy I got my 2019 RT tho, gotta love dodge💜
"Nobody's gonna try [making a convertible truck] again"
Gladiator: "Am I a joke to you?"
And sort of the bronco
*Hummer EV has entered the chat*
@@JPT_Jpt I wouldn't consider the Bronco a truck. But it is definite more of seperate vehicle than the Gladiator is.
@@Zark-Muckerberg so I’m that weird guy that considers the bronco a truck
In 1990 you COULD get a V-8, but only with an automatic transmission. I test drove several of them. I have the 5-speed stick. To get a 5-speed stick you still had to have the 3.9 V-6. And, the production run of the Dakota Convertible in 1989 and 1990 totaled 3800 units, not 3,000. I have carried firewood loaded to the top of the cab (top up), and never have had any rigidity problems. The truck hauls heavy loads nicely.
I miss the Dodge Dakota, they should bring it back. The R/T model was awesome.
“There’s no convertible pickup trucks anymore”
Jeep Gladiator: “am I a joke to you?”
and mytop just announced their powered soft top for gladiators
That's a glorified jeep with the bed attached to the back.
And the worst? If you crash and just destroy the axle and order a new one in the USA it doesn't exist and it gets totalled instantly.
Like Hoovies garage unfortunately experienced.
@@Γιάννης-ξ8μ
So its not classified a pickup truck?
Yes you are...
@@Γιάννης-ξ8μ I think that’s a very unusual situation that won’t last. COVID has caused all kinds of bizarre shortages, including car parts.
I had a 1988 Dodge Daytona. The inside was almost exactly the same. Everything was red. The headliner, the dash, the seats, the velour fabric, everything. Looking at the inside of this was very nostalgic. Believe it or not, that Daytona ran like a top. I had it for 12 years and never had to do any major repairs to it. My brother had a regular 89 Dakota pick-up and had constant mechanical issues with it.
I had a 89 shadow es 2.5 turbo. purchased it at 25k miles and sold it at 105k miles. Loved that car. zero issues except for replacing expensive ass eagle gt+4 brand tires. Had same radio, steering wheel, and ac controls as this Dakota.
@@davidc.4972 No it was not. At least not mine. It was built by Chrysler/Dodge and had a Chrysler engine. Mine had the straight 4 cylinder and was an automatic. It was not going to win any races but it looked great and ran great. It was a 2 door hatch-back with small back seats but for all intents and purposes it was a two seater. Outside of the things that normally wear out (brakes, shocks, tires, wipers) the only things I ever had to replace was the radiator $80 (I don't know why I remember the cost but I do) and the water pump $60. The radiator sprung a leak on the side tank and they were plastic so could not be soldered. Had to be replaced but it was cheap. The bearings on the water pump went out. Both happened years apart. The engine sat sideways and the car had a long nose so it was super easy to work on.
@@johnnylingo9384 I loved that Daytona. I bought mine with 32K miles. It had 122K when I decided to get something else. I gave it to my girlfriend to park for when her daughter would be old enough to drive. The car did not have a scratch or dent on it and everything worked. But then my gfs car blew and she started driving it. She put another 60K miles on it. The only thing she had to do to it was get an alignment. It had the flip-up headlights that seemed to break on every car that had them back then but the ones on that car never did. It's funny about the tires. Mine came with those same Eagle tires and every one of them had the belts break. I put 4 more on and they barely lasted 2 years. I ended up going to a place that sold used Michelin Highway Patrol tires for like $15 each. Those things lasted forever on my car. The interior of the Dakota in Doug's video really makes me long for that car. I loved it.
I had a 93 Daytona but my prized dodge was a 92 Plymouth duster. 3.0l
10:1 compression pistons, Ported heads 3 angle valve job, crower regrind cam, ported upper & lower intake, 58mm throttle body Knife edged, underdrive pulley, aluminum flywheel. Car was gutted and had lowering springs with adjustable struts plus a couple other small stuff.
I do know that it ran high 13s in the 1/4 mile. I was going to put a full standalone ECU on it such as megasquirt but a buddy of mine crashed the car. I bet it probably would have ran low 13s. Street tires. High 12s with slicks. Loved that car. Sigh... Not very quick like today's cars. Hell, a 2015 Toyota Camry with the V6 will run a 14 second flat.
My dad had 3 of the hard top trucks in his life time. Im very happy you decided to review it, gives me nostalgia
Ahhh, velour seats. I remember just getting my license and my mom let me borrow her Oldsmobile back in the early 80’s. I thought it would be a good idea to go pick up my stoner buddies and go cruising. Sadly, the dude that had the pot had some schwag with lots of seeds. We were smoking joints and it sounding like we were making popcorn. Seeds popping everywhere. Needless to say, my moms velour seats paid the price. She didn’t let me borrow the Oldsmobile anymore. 😂
I was a young man in the mid/late 80s and was really into the mini-truck customization scene at the time. I can remember looking through the 'custom' magazines of the era and there were several companies selling kits to modify your mini-truck into a convertible. So, Chrysler/Dodge didn't so much 'come up with something original out of the blue' as they saw a possible general consumer market for convertible trucks because of the customizers. Unfortunately, by the time Chrysler/Dodge got into the game with their factory conversion version, most in the custom scene was moving away for convertible trucks because they were 'not so original'. That means they weren't so unique anymore....and THAT is anathema to 'custom' trucks.
Car manufacturers just took a lot more risks back in the 70’s 80’s and 90’s , now they pretty much stick with what sells really well with Is basically SUV’s and pick up trucks.
A lot of cars and trucks in the 70’s 80’s and 90’s had those vent things that you pulled out and it let air flow into the cabin. I suspect that the part of the steering that your hands touch has discoloured over the years and was probably closer in colour to the centre of the steering wheel when new.
Because no one buys them... Why do people expect car companies to develop cars hardly anyone is going to buy versus cars they know they'll make money on.
The convertible segment as a whole has shrunk with every decade. Sadly, because to me they are like going on a coaster ride without the upside down action (if your lucky).
@@bIoodypingu exactly, they experiment less because frankly most of the things to experiment with have been, and the stricter safety regulations also limits what they can do.
If there's anything they learnt, these markets are niche and not profitable. Why waste money to be "risk" taking when you're most likely gonna take a loss
@@labornurse People used to drive more slowly more often. I'm not saying this is the whole situation, but I think it is very relevant to the decline of the convertible. I also feel like driving as a pastime--driving for the sake of the experience--is much less popular today, and when someone does drive as a pastime, their enjoyment more often seems to depend more heavily on speed than on enjoying the surrounding environment. With regular people's vehicular experiences being 70+ mph on a highway or
Gangsta rappers: I got front, back and side to side
Chrysler: Oh like this stereo joystick?
😂
Then I let the Alpine play...
*Bumping new shit by D O U G I E*
I like this…. A LOT. How sick would a FACTORY lowered, single cab f150 convertible be.. can even be electric now! F150 lightning convertible.
Id love it
I drove one of these out of high school
A “magnum v6”
I still love it today 😀🇺🇸😀🇺🇸😀🇺🇸
I dig it. I miss my dad’s 74 Blazer with the removable top. I wish that would come back, that and T-top coupes.
How cool would've been a "floating" headrest attacched to the rollbar?
A "floating" headrest attached to the rollbar would swing and could injure people.
@@automation7295 floating in the sense that it is not attached to the seat, obviously it is still fixed but it seems to be suspended
@@XMarkxyz Suspended headrest would still likely injury people. A headrest attached to the seat would less likely injury people as suspended headrest would swing around. Have you every felt worry driving under a suspended traffic light during high winds? Suspended traffic lights in USA are held by a single wire and could fall on your windshield, injuring you.
@@automation7295 i don't think you understand what he's saying lol, a fixed in place headrest that is suspended from the roll bar will not swing, it's not on a hinge, it's on a welded piece...
@@automation7295 floating like a "floating" bathroom vanity. It's still rigidly affixed, just not where you expect it to be
Late eighties was the end of the mini truck club era. Had friends that did T-tops on their mini trucks and cab top removals. And with no roll bars. Toyota and Nissan were selling already lowered trucks with different paint schemes. Hardbody came out then too. Toyota even had a different truck bed available then that was swoopy. During that time people wanted the American bed over the Japanese bed because it was rolled over with tie downs on the inside not on the outside.
I cut my 90 Isuzu P'up back in the day, and I still have it.
@@AgSherr Cool! Truck runs were fun. Wish I kept even one of the cool cars I had back then. Got a buddy that still has his slammed Chevy Luv with a V8 swap from high school.
@@myrrhavm I was the only female of about 4 Static P'up owner's then. Only Radical Top in the bunch too. And yeah, I got tired of the build like they did but I just garaged it until the feeling returned. Shooooot! I still have my Big Wheel and my Schwinn too...lol...I hold on to everything with Wheels.
Doug: "Nobody's going to make a convertible pick up truck again."
Jeep: "hold my beer"
Jeep: *makes gladiator*
And Hummer.... 🤷🏻♂️
Came here to say this lol
And Bronco
Yeah, but having no door frames does make a big difference in feel, ie...when the Wrangler went from half height doors...the “vibe” definitely changes.
Not to mention the Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler that came out a few years before it.
I'm sure someone has already beaten me to these points, but...
1. The cable on each side of the top, on the inside and attached to the roll bar, is what keeps the top from entering the bed when folded down. Take the bed cover off, drop the top, and you'll see the folded top is suspended and "hovers" over the bed. The bed can be fully utilized with the top down.
2. Why no mention of the Jeep Gladiator? In the correct form (soft top) it's literally a crew cab convertible truck and, while it's not construction grade, it is perfect for homeowners and light truck users who want... a convertible truck.
Good stuff, and keep the quirky reviews coming!
I’m 16 and just bought my first car. A 1989 dodge Dakota convertible 3.9 V6, 5 speed manual. Saw this video and fell in love. It’s been treating me great so far but had to put lots of work into it. Just waiting for summer. It’s not the best winter vehicle ever but because of this video. I’m now the proud owner of a 89 Dakota convertible!
This is nuts I looked this truck up about 3 months ago when I was getting nostalgic about being a lot boy in 1988-89 at Towson Dodge in Baltimore. They had 2 and both were on the showroom floor so I never got to drive them because neither one sold.I loved them.
"no one will try a convertible truck again" May I present for your consideration the Jeep Gladiator
My thoughts exactly.
Almost exactly what I planned to say. Figured someone else had the same thought.
I'd love to have one of these, not as a daily but definitely too own
Just drive it every once in a while. My brother had a dakota (not a convertible) that sat for 2 months and it is not running right
Just a few weeks ago an old guy in my neighborhood starting driving a Dakota convertible. I thought it was custom.... I'd never seen or heard of this truck in my life and now Doug is doing a video on one. Crazy!!
Oh Doug, we all know the 70s and 80s V8s and V6s made barely any horsepower, but we do wish you would touch on how much torque they made and how that made them not complete snails when you had to get going lol
Been hoping you'd feature one of these for years! Thanks Doug!
Feel like the all-red interior actually looks cool, even if none of the hues match each other. Modern interiors look so dull in comparison.
Fairly certain that the different hues is intentional. If it was all the same hue, it would look even more odd tbh
Actually all the reds matched much better when the truck was new, time and weathering have changed the shades of the different materials.
@@jameslong7672 You sure? I looked up the older Dakotas with red interior and all the photos have them mismatching and not really matching the red exterior.
They probably used to match and are now sun bleached. Especially the seat belts and wheel. That wheel used to be one color! Lil tip for anyone with an 80s American car like this: you can get leather dye to match the hue online and gently sand and dye it and it'll look pretty mint.
@@philtheairplanemechanic BINGO. You can see the bottom and back of the wheel and see the fading. Red fades faster than any other color too.. GM red interiors usually turn orange on the seat tops. Doug has always been a bit unfair to Chrysler products.
Speaking of pick-ups, I encourage a review of the second gen Ford SVT Lightning. It's crazy.
Saw one at the local cosco thing was completely beat on but cool go see even tho it was ruined
Fantastic. Back when I started driving, my Dad let me use his 1988 Dakota. It was a fleet vehicle for our local power company. It was a 2WD, automatic with the 3.9L V6, dual fuel. It had the factory gasoline system, but also had a propane addition installed. At the time when I drove it, propane was 19¢/litre. In the summer when hot, $20 would last a month. But then in the winter, only a few days, depending on how many colds start I did. As some other commenters have mentioned, this truck was tough AF. As a teen driver and the delusion that I was invincible, the truck should have been orange with a big "01" on the doors considering the stunts I pulled with it.
I miss it...
I remember when this truck came out. I also remember that it was introduced due to a customizing craze that had been going on for years in which the cool kids would take their pickup trucks and have the tops chopped off. At that time, you saw customized S-10s, Rangers, etc., etc., etc., with their tops chopped off.
Yes the mini-truck scene is why this truck exists
Here in LA it was all about Datsun/Nissans
Ratical Tops - You could buy the kit from them, cut off your roof and have a hard top convertible. And yes, it leaked like a sieve 😂 But they were beyond cool back in the day…
@@sterlingarcher7807 LOL. :)
A mini-truck fad started in California in the mid 1980's where people were customizing Datsun and Toyota pickups. Cutting the top off to make a convertible became quite popular in California during this fad, especially given the fantastic weather in California. I believe under Iacocca's leadership in Chrysler he was willing to gamble and take risk and offered a factory convertible pickup in order to cash in on this fad.
Like seriously, over look a whole period of epicness!
@@88Hellrazr I graduated from high school in 1984 and the late 1980's had the Nissan 200SX, Toyota Celica, Supra (before it became unaffordable), Mitsubishi Starion, Mazda RX7, Isuzu Impulse, Subaru XT, it was an exciting renaissance from the malaise era of the 1970s.
On another topic Toyota needs to reintroduce the removable canopy to the 4Runner, like the 1st Gen's had.
My aunt has one and she is fully restoring it. It is in rough shape but it's been in the fam since new.
The Wrangler and Bronco are essentially "drop top trucks"
The Murano convertible and Range Rover Evoque convertible were spiritual successors to these vehicles.
I just hope that the new Hyundai Santa Cruz is eventually offered in convertible form
I feel that one day convertible trucks/SUVs will be popular...we already see the popularity of SUV coupes and this isnt far from that concept
"coupe" suvs havent taken off and i assume they never will. convertible suvs...well....why would you even think that? what's wrong with your brain? do you have any idea why people buy suvs??
@@JeremyHale141 people buy SUVs because they're too stupid to buy a sedan or station wagon.
Someone in my neighborhood has an amazing cherry red version of one of these and its astonishing to see it in use in person since its gotta be one of a very limited amount of these things still in existence. I'd like to know nationally how many of this model are still registered and driving today. Really cool truck if for no other reason than its incredibly odd. Reminds me of the K5 Blazer w/ full removable top like in the 70s, or even the international Scout
Now we gotta get Doug behind the wheel of a GMC Syclone
Now that was a helluva mini truck, and finally, someone spelled it correctly.
I saw one of these in my town like 2 weeks ago and my thought was “Doug would review it” 😂
@Sidemen 🅥 🚨 Rick rollin is sooo old 😂
You know too much you’re too dangerous to be kept alive
The headrest thing completely killed it for me. R.I.P. my neck 💀
I took my driver's test in a white '89 Dakota Convertible. Pops actually had a passenger-side tanneau cover built to cover the usually empty seat.
The first thing Doug notices in an interior is never the first thing I notice 😟
It’s probably different *being* there as opposed to seeing it on a screen
Who the heck knew that there is a song named Doug Demuro?!?! . "DOUG Demuro" by EGO
My day is made!
1:05 Glad that the man inside looks shockingly similar to Doug
My Grandfather fixed up a 90's Dakota sport convertible and i was fortunate to receive it as a gift. Super cool truck and it gets a lot of attention (mostly from older gentlemen) , I plan on keeping it for a while
I know where two such trucks are today. Both trucks are part of a "quirky" private vehicle collection here in South Carolina. The jet black on black Dakota started off in life mechanically identical to the one in your video but in 2004 was "refreshed and modified" to the owners desires with a 4X4 set up, 4in lift, a high end repaint (jet black again), interior redo (black, high back leather seats, etc.), a Magnum V-8 with a custom drive train, chrome step rails, a custom removable fiberglass top which replaced the convertible top, custom made, blacked out four spoke wheels (visualize the Chrysler emblem), and a custom sound system. That truck still has under 100,000 miles on it and makes the rounds of some exclusive car and truck shows from time to time here on the east coast. The second one is a dead ringer for the one in your video and now has around 300,000 miles on it and is used on the owners cattle farm as a work truck. Frankly I thought the owner was pulling a lot of folk's legs, mine included, when he insisted that the Dakota had EVER had a convertible top since the trucks, which sold very well in this area including the 2001 one I purchased used in 2008, were all the same in that they were pure factory models. Thanks for finally convincing me, via your video, that there were really convertible Dakotas produced and sold through dealerships.
So, as a Convertible Dakota owner, a couple things need to be addressed. The actual number is closer to 4,000, they sold 2,843 in 1989 and another 1,013 in 1990, and a final 8 in 1991. All the 89s were Sport models, but in 90 the convertible option was available on any trim level, and by extension with either engine, they sold a handful of 90's with 4 cylinders. And one last thing, when the V8 option became available in 91, they could be ordered that way too. The 91's aren't very well documented but at least one of the 8 has a V8, I've spoken with the guy that has it a few times.
I would have offered mine a long time ago but it's not it very good shape and it's modified. Has a V8 and a manual swap.
whats your gas mileage ? and how many miles?
Doug is the type of guy to cool his engine by watering it with a GT3RS watering can
Damn, it used to be that Doug's whole comment section started with "Dougs the type of guy...." Now, this is the only one.
Pour one out for the "Doug's the type of guy" meme
"they are not going to do another convertible truck"...…Gladiator.....
and the kaiser
older but much cooler
@@tylerladerach769 Wow that looks really cool. Made in 1967 but looks better than a crapoy Gladiator lol.
I'm waiting for the Citroën 2CV, the Renault R4 and the Renault Avantime 😊
Maybe Doug should do a big tour around Europe for some of our quirky cars so he doesn't need to find them in the US
fiat 126
I forget how young doug is. In the late 80s early 90s pick-up trucks with fat wheels and kits were extremely popular and many of them had custom convertibles. Automakers always follow the aftermarket trends. That's why i believe they created it
That’s a pretty sweet looking truck. Let’s all at least admit that
Mexicans would agree
@@irishuwould5185 lol
Facts
Just like a mullet. Business in the front, party in the back! Pretty cool car if it was up to me.
Doug nowadays be like here’s a truck for non truck people here’s a truck for car people and here’s a truck for drop top lovers 😍
I REALLY like that lip kit. It looks surprisingly good
A friend of mine had one of these in high school. Man, we thought we were so ef'n cool driving around with the top down in the middle of winter. It's a trip to see the familiar interior.
I suspect most of the interior materials were closer color-matched, they faded over time. And there is a modern pickup convertible, the Gladiator! Not that you'll ever see anyone with the top off their Gladiator, but it can be, so it counts.
Of course they did. They were perfectly matched when new.
I'm not huge on the whole 80s era sort of colored interiors, but I honestly think it looks pretty nice, at least on camera. I imagine it looked quite a bit better when new as well. There's also the fact even in a really well made interior, that outer portion of the steering wheel will usually start fading from the friction of your hands over time, even in Toyotas I often see that.
Hmm, seems like the "Dakota Sport" decal could have simply fit on the door instead of oddly splitting the door and front fender🤔
Yeah. Maybe they were thinking, "if they can ignore this, they can ignore everything else too."
Doug: I thought the truck would feel like a noodle.
Noodle: Excuse me?
Shame on Doug for thinking noodles are naturally born 'wiggly'
This is a cool idea. Non sport was more desirable because these were frequently lifted, but i see what the owner did and this works. A ragtap pickup IS cool when things are uncomplicated, and being uncomplicated is exactly why the subject of this episode still exists-theres no power yayas to break or wear out or age out. A jeep inline 6 would have been a smart move for longevity on that note, but this lives and dies on the merit of the ragtop so dodge could have put almost anything in for a mill and not have it make that much of a difference. Dougie noted a salient point; a ragtop pickup COULD be a home run right now IF the manufacturer resolved crash test issues enough to pass AND kept the complicated bits run through the floors and doors (or simply omitted, kept in the dash, etc). We live in an era of some weirdness and sacrifice, so i would sacrifice payload and rigidity for this. Moreover, convertible technology has vastly improved and we could see this fly as a "roll on/roll off" cloth top that does better with rigidity AND space. As long as i could carry some truck stuff; fertilizer, a few piece of sheetrock/OSB, a couch...and tow a johnboat...i mean why not? Nissan sold a ragtop Murano. Dodge sold the ugliest, shittiest convertible in history in the PT Cruiser and people CLAMORED FOR MORE. Also...theres every jeep. Hell, Dodge hit one of the deepest home runs ever in selling the K-Car (emphasis on cheep and reliable) and the convertible was a large part of that action. I actually know a law professor that owns EIGHT of them in Charleston! Theres historical precedent to suggest this could be a market segment that a daring manufacturer could simply wade into and outright own with almost zero competition to keep them honest. I suspect we are about to be inundated with Bronco ragtops that will suck up all of the convertible Murano/Land Rover owners and give us pause to reflect on how cool a sort of convertible wagon/suv is, then the idea of a pickup will gestate in people's heads again. I would say any manufacturer could pull this off when the recipe was kept simple enough, but honestly Dodge has done it already and I hope they do it again....just in a non-jeep non-overpriced fashion.
Why people would dislike an honest review of an old vehicle?
Because he's not at all knowledgeable about the mini truck craze of the 80s and early 90s, and has no idea that this truck was Chrysler's attempt to capitalize on the craze. There was nothing strange about a lowered convertible pickup with ground effects and rims in 89.