I can’t believe it! I don’t trust it, like at any moment I could walk out and see that truck parked there. I’m free of that millstone around my neck! That 10 mpg, will never be fixed no matter how many mechanics it goes to, R/T means nothing, resale-value plummeting POS, that bottom-of-the-bowl-smear power train from the sixties! I’m free! I don’t know what the rest of you suckers are going to do, but my days of spending $100 a week on gas are over! I’m practically giddy!

Thats why the the people that can afford the truck have one, as for me my truck is being garaged while a new Daily Driver is in the Picture. 4cyl Eclipse. and while its being garaged i plan on stripping the motor and rebuilding it.. think 10mpg is bad wait till a blown 408 hits the street.. ;)

The R/T does mean somthing. Rare.. as for plummeting resale value only for now, because of the gas prices. A Bone Stock Single Cab R/T is going to be worth alot one day, My Truck is 1 out of 114 Single Cab Bright Whites made in 2000... Thats not figuring all the Wrecked and Crushed Trucks since then.. Im saying its probably well in the double digits as of right now.

I have yet to meet somone in person that has my same truck, and over the internet i think ive seen maybe 5 people that have a single cab bright whiter/t.

10mpg.. you have somthing wrong with your truck, probably needed a tune up, new o2s, regular maintence,.. or you needed to lay off the pedal.

With mild modding to these little 360s.. you can keep up with todays motors.. which is very good.

these trucks have so much aftermarket parts and salers its easy to find parts, not as easy asa mustang but not rare either. Also who hell wants a Mustang? Everyone has one.. you want to be like everyone else, as for me no.. i wanted a Truck that i can move **** with, put stuff in my bed and still smoke the avg Mustage GT on the way home from work.. you know how good it feels to win a race, let alone a race agaisnt a car that weights less then you and you still beat it? Ya it feels good and im pretty sure the driver of the car just wants to rip his wheel into the next overpass because he just lost to a truck hauling fence parts back to his home.. ya...

i guess what im trying to say is?.. what are you trying to say?

soooo just because gas is expensive now and trucks arent worth as much you're happy that you got rid of the last great muscle truck ever built? i bet 8 years ago you wouldnt have ever wanted to get rid of it. its not the truck's fault. you're just an idiot.

The last great muscle truck ever built? I would have to go with the SRT Ram. Unless you are classifying the Ram as a super truck or something.

ok so i forgot about the srt ram, but i was thinking v8's. And if anyone says "what about the ford lightning", they should be kicked off this forum. astock lightning can barely outrun a stock R/T which is pretty pathetic considering it's supercharged from the factory.

still, if I had an R/T i would never sell it. if gas bothers you that much get a beater thats good on gas. Hell, if I had an R/T I would probably keep it in the garage with a cover on it and drive it once a month to keep in shape, then wait 30 years when it's a collector's item. By then cars will probably all have like 50 horepower engines that run on dog **** or something and be ****ty little econoboxes, trucks will be even more pathetic. just think how much a great looking 250 horepower tire shreader would be worth.

wink2873, you're saying that a supercharged Lightning can just barely outrun a stock Dakota R/T? Car and Driver drove one (a Lightning) to 60 MPH in 5.2 seconds. The truck has 380 HP and 450 lb*ft of torque. A stock Dakota R/T posts a 0-60 time of 7.1 seconds. I don't call the Lightning's performance "barely outrunning" an R/T.

Check out this article from Truck Trend: http://www.trucktrend.com/roadtests/pickup/163_0208_2002_truck_comparisons/index.html

Not to pick nits, but the Lightning destroyed the Dakota R/T in 0-60 and 1/4 mile. But of course it SHOULD, wth an advantage of over 100 HP and 100 lb*ft of torque. In fact, the Lightning put over 300 HP to the wheels; the Dakota R/T could only muster 150 HP at the wheels. Even the Toyota TRD handily out-ran the Dakota R/T at the track.

Now...the Dakota R/T is a fine vehicle, and I'd love to have one. But at least stock, I wouldn't exactly describe it as "dominating" at the track. In fact, it had its lunch handed to it by both of its peers....at least in terms of acceleration.

i wonder how much better the dakota would have done in that test if they would have used a standard cab which is about 500 lbs lighter?

update: according to allpar...the weight difference is about 350 lbs...still would have improved performance numbers with a standard cab vs. an extended cab

well if it was a regular cab it probably wouldve went about .35 seconds faster in the 1/4. the basic rule of thumb is 1 tenth for every 100 pounds lost.

As much as ihateto say it the Lightning is faster and has more power, with an easy extra 100hp with one simple bolt on... Underdrive pulleys... that puts it at well close to 500hp.. pretty damn good if you ask me, i actually like the Lightnings and the way they look. I honestly woudn't mind owning one.

But i still like the R/T for what it was ment to do.. Track Racing, the suspension on the Dak R/T was awesome when it came out, and could hold up for what it stood for.. Road and "Track" drop a TVS Kit in these bitches and watch the s2000 get its ass kicked at the track.

SRT-10s Rams are not that great.. Due to the Weight to Power Ratio.. They need to drop a v10 or Hemi in the Dakota and Give it the old Gen 2 Body style and slap some SRT-10 or Srt-8 badges on it.. I would buy it in a heart beat.

There is alot of nice Trucks made by GM, Ford and Crysler, but for a Mid Size truck with a big-o- 360 in it.. it just so SEXY! Might not be alot of HP to back it up, but damn the 5.9 Badge looks sexy.

and like i said before with simple bolt on to the 360 which you can find everywhere.. you can keep up with the 6.0 ss's, 5.0 Stangs, kill 4.6s.. and just watch the rice try to mess with you.

My Truck weights about the same as a Mach 1 Mustang.. i think the mach 1 actually weights more then my truck its in the lower 4ks mine might be in the higher 3.8k or 3.9k.

I love the R/T Daks but stock the engine is tuned down quite a bit. There's a lot of potential though with the R/Ts if you have the money.

My truck is killing me on gas too at $1.23/L so I parked the truck and got my bike on the road! The truck needs work anyways. First the tranny started searching between 1st and 2nd when goin about 10. Then I got an exhaust leak in the Y pipe/manifold area, and I've also got a wheel bearing or U-joint growling as I go down the hiway! oh and my front driveshaft is still out until I can find one for under 300 bucks cause it as a non replaceable joint thats gone on it! So now it sits until I can find time and money to work on it. Not a happy camper! I'm glad it's finally starting to warm up!

Gas prices suck...but I will take my V8 over something else any day.

englitrob (http://www.dodgeforum.com/showProfile.asp?memid=66010)-enjoy the ricer forums....

yeah i pay almost $500 a month in just gas. i drive a lot and have the 4.7 using it to tow trailers and haul other stuff. my philosophy is that, i can spend an extra $20 a week (due to the recent rise to $3.60/gallon) its not like i want to but i am willing to do it because i just have to have my truck. some people can get by without a truck but for those of us who love/use our 4x4s we are willing to make the sacrifice.

bryant, i'd love $3.60 around here. Here in eastern NC, i filled up today at a whopping $3.75 a gal, and thats just for regular.

Okay, I don't have an r/t but the 5.9 is a POWER House, BTW, to anyone have you ever compared the 5.7 hemi to the 5.9? The 5.9 would probably win, if you have it the same truck for truck. The hemi's are great I must say but the top end is only were it gains a large area. Mod a 5.9, it will win! Lightining are super charged but image a 5.9 which was done up? Easy more horse power but more work.. But ford is a ford I don't enjoy them very much. I love my truck now, my friend test drove a 5.2 today, and I must say there is a large difference between 5.2 and 5.9...

ORIGINAL: varsis

Okay, I don't have an r/t but the 5.9 is a POWER House, BTW, to anyone have you ever compared the 5.7 hemi to the 5.9? The 5.9 would probably win, if you have it the same truck for truck. The hemi's are great I must say but the top end is only were it gains a large area. Mod a 5.9, it will win! Lightining are super charged but image a 5.9 which was done up? Easy more horse power but more work.. But ford is a ford I don't enjoy them very much. I love my truck now, my friend test drove a 5.2 today, and I must say there is a large difference between 5.2 and 5.9...


1. hemi vs 5.9 = Hemi on top

2. 5.4 SC Ford Engine vs 5.9 moded.. ok race, BUT the 5.9 would have to putting out a bit more then 380 or so to the rear end with massive traction. I have and est. about 310 or so to the rear end, im still wating to get it dyoned again, my last pull was a 270 at the rear end.. and ive done a bit more to it. SO my point, you dak would have to be cammed, heads, tune, and bolt ons to beat the lightning, have you seen the Lighting Killer Mopar Crate Engine? Check it out on Google.. it will list all the parts you need.. and thats to BEAT a STOCK Lightning.... then the lgihting says that sucks, let me install some underdrive pulleys on this and they get a boost of 100 HP.. now whats the dak going to do? spend 500+ on Nos to keep up? While the Lighting just spent maybe 50-70$ on an 100hp upgrade.. ya... takes alot to push out over 400 to the rear on these 5.9s.. thats with a .30 over bore also..

3. 5.2 and 5.9 are same engines the 5.9 is a bored out version on the 5.2 and only about a 15-20hp diffrence... and they come in a 5speed.. a 5speed 5.2 can beat a 5.9 46re.. due to the 23% in hp it looses though the tranny, the NV Tranny is way LESS so it evens them out.. and the 5 speed can control the shift points ALOT beter then the auto and thats a big advantage..

The 5.9 cranks out around 245-250, 5.2 cranks out about 225-230 not a big driffrence.. the 46re with the 5.9 only puts down at the rear about 185 or so.. thats not that great, the 5.2 with a 5 speed will actually put done the same or a bit more.. around 190-195.

but also the 5.9 is a DETUNED engine.. meaning TONS of potental can come out of it.. but same goes for the 5.2... same engine.. one of the fastests trucks in our Club is a 5.2 Single Cab Sport.. with a 5 speed Tranny.