You’ve seen Stylin’ Joe Wagner’s badass Dodge Dakota before. We did a bio article on Joe a few years back, and an update article last summer. Plus, you’ve seen him and his truck in the Herculiner Bed Liner product video. Now get ready to see some actual work being performed on this pavement dragging ride.

Joe wanted to have some suicide door hinges installed, so we took his 2000 Dodge Dakota down to our friends at Ohio Technical College, an automotive trade school in Cleveland, Ohio. They beat out every major automotive school to become the 2009 National Automotive Trade School of the year. Very nice guys!

In part one of this article, the instructor and his students get most of the fabrication and installation work completed on the passenger side. Check back soon for part two, where you’ll see them smoothing and finishing the welds, painting all the exposed metal surfaces, and putting the doors back together.

The Installation:
Follow along as Auto-Body Instructor Matt O’Konowitz and his Ohio Technical College students get going on the passenger side.
(Click the pictures to expand.)

1. OTC Instructor Matt O’Konowitz and his students check out the kit.

2. The Dodge Dakota before installation.

3. The students begin work on the truck.

4. First order of business is removing the door panels and window glass. Here, the instructor supervises removal of the power window system.

5. Removing the window glass.

6. The Auto-Body program students focus on collision-repair and body work. They also learn skills related to body work like the removal and installation of molding and interior trim pieces.

7. Once the glass and door panel are removed the door can be unbolted from the truck.

8. Remove that pesky door pin. It’ll be moved to the front of the door.

9. With the passenger door off, the students start brainstorming the installation. Here, they hold up the hinge mounting plate to the Dakota’s rear door jamb.

10. A student discusses the install with the instructor..

11. The driver-side door is removed.

12. There she sits, sad and lonely.

13. Here’s the factory hinges, and wiring for the door’s power windows and speakers.

14. The students begin fabrication by creating a clean surface to mark on.

15. Here, they check for clearance by holding up the Suicide Hinge, and the hinge mounting plate.

16. The instructor begins laying out cut lines. The Dakota has a tapered and molded door jamb, so the hinge mounting plate will have to be cut in half, and the hinge will be recessed slightly.

17. The marked area is cut away.

18. The instructor checks for clearance and shows the students where the hinge should mount.

19. Another student gets time on the cutting wheel. He slices an opening for the lower hinge.

20. Here’s the upper hinge. The students have cut the door jamb, attached the hinge mounting plate, and boxed the whole thing in.

21. The instructor adds a few more spot welds. The whole box will be welded in and smoothed soon. Notice the welding blanket to protect the interior, the team at OTC is all about professionalism.

22. The upper hinge is perfectly aligned and level, and the lower hinge box is right behind it.

23. With the door aligned, a student grinds away paint in preparation for welding.

24. Reinforcements are added and the hinge mounts are welded to the door.

25. Here a student welds more support to the inner door.

Irritated by the blazing heat of the sun every time you drive around town? Soaked wet by the heavy rain drops while driving for an errand? There’s a simple solution to your problem… get a jeep top! It makes the ride more fun and comfortable and at the same time shields you from the heavy rains and the scorching heat of the sun.

Now the question is… would you rather go for a hard top or a soft top? Hard tops are made of durable and heavy materials and they can usually withstand the different weather conditions. Moreover, hard tops have special features which come in very handy during your journey. These features include defrosters, which makes it possible to have a clear rear view especially when it’s foggy, and dome light, which is important especially at night. On the other hand, soft tops are made of soft and light materials and are worn out easily since its materials are less durable. Soft tops seldom have special features since it is difficult to attach wiring to it. The decision whether to get a hard top or a soft top solely relies on you and your preference.

Even if it is considered jeep accessories, there are still other things you can add to your jeep to further accessorize it. Some of these accessories are: deck covers which can protect your cargo and at the same time improve the aerodynamics of your jeep; windscreens which can be easily attached to allow enough airflow to your jeep and at the same time protect it from harsh natural elements which may harm it; windows which you can easily change depending on your preference; sound bars which allow you to listen to music while driving (but make sure to also get a well-fit cap to protect your gadget); and trail covers which can protect your jeep from getting wet during bad weather conditions.

There are a lot of jeep tops and jeep top accessories available in the market today that differs in color, design, brand and material. It is up to you to choose them which you think would perfectly fit your needs, and your budget. Plus! If for some reason you would want to experience fresh air or would want to get more adventurous, there are tops that you can easily uninstall. So for you comfort you really need it wherever you go to protect from the heat and rain.

Vital Stats:

• Name – Jeff
• Vehicle – 1995 Nissan Hardbody
• Modifications – Custom Tube Frame, Air Ride Suspension, Body Drop
• Club Affiliation – www.ExceedingLimits.net

Interview Text Below

(Scroll Down for the video interview!)
Julisa: Hey, how you doing guys? Ok, I’m Julisa. We are standing with Jeff, he is from Pittsburgh, and we’re gonna actually talk to him about his truck, and the uniqueness of his truck. Why don’t you share something with our viewers?

Jeff: It’s a bagged and body dropped ninety-five Nissan Hardbody pickup. I’m from Exceeding Limits truck club. I don’t know what else to say…

Julisa: Well, I actually want you to share some specific details about your truck that make it so unique that you want to showcase it here at the 2009 Stylin’ Truck Show.

Our host, Julisa, interviews Jeff about his Nissan.

(Click to expand) Nissan Draggin’ Rocker.

The wheels tuck nicely.

Ford Over/Nissan Under.

Jeff: The front suspension back is all new frame. I hand build that out of two-by-three tubing. It’s got Slam Bags front and back. Engine-driven compressor. It’s as low as it sits and it still has the heating and A/C in it. It’s fun to drive.

Julisa: Ok, what about the paint job. Do you want to say anything about your paint job here?

Jeff: It was actually a spur of the moment decision. We had Carlisle All-Truck Nationals a couple weeks ago, me and my buddy over there, cleaning off that red truck, he helped me sand it down and get it ready for paint. It was actually gonna painted a grayish-blue, and all of a sudden I figured, why don’t we paint it yellow? Had another gallon of paint, and just sprayed it. Last minute decision.

Jeff’s 1995 Nissan Hardbody stands out from the crowd.

Julisa points out her favorite modification.

Julisa: Ok, so you heard that he does belong to an actual truck club, Exceeding Limits. How many members do you have actually?

Jeff: There’s a lot. We had, forty or forty-four trucks at Carlisle, and that’s not even everybody there, so, we have a good bit of people in the club.

Julisa: Ok, do you guys have a website, or a phone number, or how does somebody wanna – how can we join your club?

Jeff: It’s www.ExceedingLimits.net, and go from there. There’s like a forum on there, you can belong to the forum, read up on the club.

Julisa: Well you heard it here, we got an exclusive interview. I appreciate your time, thank you so much.

Jeff: No problem.

Julisa: Um, come check it out! You guys gotta-are you getting this? This is sick right here, I like this. Thank you for joining us at the 2009 Stylin’ Trucks High & Low Truck Show.

This year’s 62nd Annual Grand National Roadster Show “The Grand Daddy of Them All” at the Fairplex in Pomona, California was nothing short of amazing.

The three day extravaganza displayed the most beautiful roadsters, hot rods, lead sleds, rat rods, suede customs, pickups and vans on the planet.

Coby Gewertz’s from Redondo Beach, California debuted his wild ’63 Ford Econoline (Van-Go). Coby had Kevin Francis at KA Kustoms in Huntington Beach grafted a Mustang II front clip and redesigned the steering configuration. The rear frame rails were step notched, a 4-link with panhard bar rear suspension with dual Viair compressors activate the Firestone pneumatic bags at all four corners. Van-Go stops with a pair of disc brakes up front and drums in the rear and rolls an a set of 14×6 front and 14×8 rear, chrome reverse wheels, wrapped in “don’t know” thin whitewall 185 up front and 205 rear rubber. Van-Go’s grunt is produced by a built Chevy 350cu powerplant ,that is backed up to a GM-200 automatic transmission. The amazing wood interior was crafted by Pablo Perez from northern California. Pablo used beech, ash and teak woods for the headliner, door panels, floor, engine cowl, seats, dash and oh ya, how about a ’62 Corvette steering wheel. Van-Go was delivered to Conder Custom in Sonoma, California where Tim Conder was responsible for the numerous body mods, like shaving the front and rear door hinges, endless hours were spent on block sanding and paint prep before spraying the unique custom green paint. Tim decided to toss the front stock bumper and use ’70 Camero split bumpers and very cool ’50 Pontiac rear taillights.

I recently had the enjoyment of taking my nephew Jack to a Monster Jam event at Anaheim Stadium. It was his Christmas gift from uncle Bob.

After rendezvousing with my brother-in-law Frank and nephew Jack at a local Hooters next to the stadium. Jack was left with uncle Bob. After dinner we cruised over to the stadium. The first stop was to stroll through the pits and check out the massive four-wheeled monsters up close. Pat Gerber who built, owns, and drives “Shocker” was signing autographs in front of his gorgeous ’06 Chevy Colorado monster truck.

Shocker ’06 Chevy Colorado:

Chassis: All steel tube

Suspension: Four linked front and rear

Ride Height: 10 feet

Tires: 66-inch Firestone

Engine: Chevy 523ci Lambert Enterprises blown, injected, fuel; alcohol 1,200 horsepower

Transmission: DFS GM Turbo 400 automatic

Weight: 10,500 lbs.

I have known Pat for a number of years and have done some tech articles in Truckin’ at his shop Shocker Motorsports in Bakersfield, California. I introduced Jack to Pat, who took timeout to answer a number of questions and explain the anatomy and functions of “Shocker”. It was very impressive. After checking out all 16 monster trucks in the pits, we headed out to find our seats. Shortly after locating our great seats, we were entertained with off-road, and midget exhibition races. Then the Monster Truck drivers were introduced to the crowd as they were paraded around the stadium in the bed of two Chevy and Ford lifted trucks. Following the national anthem the spotlights and laser light show attracted the monster trucks as their thunderous engines shook the stadium seats as they filed into the dirt covered baseball field and proceeded to park along the outfield perimeter. As the first pair of massive metal and horsepower were staged at the starting line the crowd rose to their feet. As the engines rpms’ increased and the lights went green the instant throttle response erupted taking your breath away. Jacks expression was priceless. Following the match racing the stadium dirt floor was reconfigured featuring jumps and other aerial launching obstacles for the freestyle portion of the event. I must say, Jack and uncle Bob were amazed at the incredible flying aerobatic gyrations and crash landings that were pulled off. It was insane!!!

If a Monster Jam throwdown is coming to your area, it’s a must see event. Its for kids of all ages, and the experience will be remembered for a lifetime.

We always hear, which of the “Big Three” manufactures has produced the most popular early pre 1973 model truck.

What is your choice between Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge? It seems that Ford is the favorite from

1929-1947. Between Ford and Chevrolet from 1948-1966 its a tossup. From 1967-1972 Chevrolet pulled away with its ’67 to ’72 C10′s. Dodge seems to have never become a contender.

  After attending the Goodguys Pleasanton, California show two weeks ago, I recently attended my second straight Goodguys event this past weekend at Del Mar California.

 The picturesque Del Mar Fairgrounds nesstle up to the Pacific ocean where the turf meets the surf. The immaculately manicured, landscape and beautiful horse race track paddock gardens make for a breathtaking custom car and truck show venue. After arriving on Friday afternoon I was able to cruise the grounds and tag a couple of awesome feature trucks. I met up with Rodger Lee of Ironworks Speed & Kustom in Bakersfield, California.

He was a vendor at Del Mar where he debued his insane ’57 Chevy step-side pickup “Black Gold” that has been in a run of buildup tech articles in Truckin’ during its three-year build. “Black Gold” was awarded as one of the Goodguys Truck of the Year top five. The two-day show was attended by overflow crowds on both Saturday and Sunday. The Goodguys Del Mar Show has become one of their showcase events on their calendar.

A company has invented cheap pcs so that people can enjoy the low power consumption at low price. Its just not about the low price as power consumption directly effect you electricity bills and helps energy saving.

Its not just about the power consumption, but they are also the cheapest found on market. If people are really concious about the energy and the money then, I suggest people surely should get a one. I have order a piece for myself, as every good things should be started from ownself.

Save energy, Save world – Go green.

Pickuptrucks.comis reporting that the Ram Hybrid has been cancelled. This can be partially attributed to the lower-than-expected sales of the Sierra and Silverado Hybrids by GM, which use essentially the same basic powertrain technology.