Thought I'd start a new thread for the changes I'm working on. Now that I have a baseline of 15.9 second 90 mph quarter mile I'm going to post each significate change as a new phase. 

Phase II is for the rearend upgrade.  I just purchased a 1995 Dodge Dakota rearend from a salvage yard in Milwaukee.  Here is how the old and new rearends compare

Old:
1987 Dodge Dakota
170K miles
Single spin
2.94:1 gears
$150 included leaf springs
Blown Seal that had to be replaced and rusty internals and made clunking sound when driving

New:
1995 Dodge Dakota
76K miles
Limited Slip
3.90:1 gears
$295 rearend only
Great condition but needs the usaual external rust removal prep work.

The new rearend has the 6 lug bolt pattern axles, but that doesn't matter because I need to use the other axles since I had them machined to fit the factory rims.  I am purchasing new drums and brakes since the current drums won't fit the 5 Lug axles and the old drums are just plan crap.

Here is a link to the "Phase I" thread for quick reference:
http://asog.net/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,30/topic,1355.0

Sweet project!  I love RWD conversions

I don't know where your located (I'm in Lansing MI) but I have a 1988 GMC truck w/ a chevy 350 in it...I'm only asking $500 for the whole truck idk if you'd be interested

Which is it on differentials that gives them the quicker low end acceleration? A higher ratio [like 3.1:1] or a lower ratio [2.1:1]. This is purely hypothetical, so no flaming me.

Or am i going about this the wrong way?

ok. cool. Doesn't that increase the fuel consumption and does it affect the RPM's? The higher ratios that is.

Speaking of gear ratios... I wanted to let you guys know how much thought went into choosing the 3.90:1 ratio over other options such as the 3.55:1 and 4:10.  Here is a link to a web page I wrote that calculates the RPM of my motor based on any given rearend gears.  It takes into account my wheel diameter and each gear ratio of my Turbo 350 transmission.

http://www.overlandconcepts.com/gears_to_rpms.html

I pushed nearly 5500rpm at the track in first and second gear.  I'd like to replace the motor with one capable of 6000.  If you change the gears from 3.55 to 2.94 and then 3.9 you will see the difference in speed.  3.9 is really pushing it for being able to drive it on the highway for any significant distance. 3.55 gears still doesn't get me into 3rd gear much within a quarter mile which is my current problem (I was barely shifting into 3rd at the end of the strip).

its great to hear its still going strong good job so far and keep us up on the things to come.

Two steps forward, one step back.  I bent the driveshaft which is causing the car to vibrate badly.  I've adjusted the springs to raise the rear of the car about 1 1/2 inches providing additional clearence for the driveshaft and will be installing a pinion snubber so it can't happen again.  But now I'll have to order a replacement driveshaft which probably won't happen for a while since I blew all my wad on the rearend.

The new driveshaft will be better anyway since the new rearend came with a larger pinion that had to be swapped to the smaller one off the old rearend.  I'll have the new driveshaft made to fit the larger pinion.  This is a good thing if I ever decide to try running some street/strip tires and get a motor with over 300hp.

most drive shafts can be straightened