Grandpa Bud's 92 Dakota

My name is Rich and this is my 1992 Dodge Dakota 2wd with the 5.2 318 Magnum (Honey). She once belonged to my great grandfather Walt "Bud" Spurbeck. Around the age of 10 my brother and I would spend a few days during the summers with our Great grandparents. I don't remember much from my childhood but I do remember driving around with grandma and grandpa in his truck. He'd bought it from a farmer and took incredible care while he had it. To hear family talk about it, he loved that truck. My Uncles tore up dirt roads with it (secretly of course), my oldest brother learned to drive in his truck. If trucks could be built on memories, this would be a 10 second truck. Grandpa Walt passed away in 2003, and the truck went to his son, my great Uncle David who drove the truck around for some time, until some type of issue left it unable to run. Unfortunately, after that point, the truck sat for four or five years at least. We would always go to grandpa's house during the Fourth of July to eat and see everyone and every time I would ask "How much Uncle David?" But he'd never give me an answer. And how could he? It was his dad's truck, I understood. Over the years though I kept asking. I grew up around cars and in the shop with my other Grandpa and Uncle and youngest brother and always wanted my own project and what better project than Grandpa Walt's Dodge. Finally, Uncle David gave in. "Give me what the junkyard would give me and it's yours. That'd be about $100." I just so happened to have that much on me. I quickly gave him the money and waited for him to get the title out of the deposit box in the next coming weeks. I had the truck towed to my house and began working with my Uncle from my other side of the family to get her running again. The engine had been seized so we soaked the cylinders in ATF and diesel as I worked the crank over the next few days, eventually seeing the engine turn freely. We figured out the starter was out and battery gone and gave her a fresh tune up. New plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor. And she fired up beautifully. I've had Honey for the last 3 years and have learned so much about fixing and putting love into something that means so much. I went from driving in the winter with heat only coming out of the defrost and sketchy brakes to better tires and hot A/c from every vent and better stopping power. It's been a slow process but I've come such a long way. I've had the brake lines completely redone, replaced the front and rear hubs, calipers, rotors, rear shocks, fixed the vacuum leak for the A/C myself. Attempted to re-do the headliner. Replaced the rear bumper. Replaced the master cylinder. Removed front end parts from junk yard trucks. I'd love to finish the body work and seal the patina and overhaul the engine but with a baby on the way it's been slow going. It'll happen either way whether or not I win. But if you guys at least get as much appreciation out of my project and the build as I have then that's worth it to me. I'm proud to be the mechanic I am today and currently work in Parts at a Dodge dealership and what I've learned from this truck and fixing her has helped me immensely. Thanks so much and God Bless.