The rollbar was the only thing holding this entire truck together😂

Doug's hand motions are literally shaking the entire truck.

I love how the quality engineered plaque is blocked by the seatbelt

I didnt know this existed

It sounds like Doug's mic is also a bizarre failure too lmao

“No one will build a convertible truck again” Hello Jeep Gladiator.

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.

Doug - the kind of guy who simulates the wind noise of a convertible, while the truck is parked in a garage.

One great thing about dodge that nobody can deny, they make fun crazy stuff. They got balls.

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.

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.

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.

This is honestly just bizarre. It screams '80s.

"Have you ever seen a pick-up truck that doubles as a convertible?" "No." "Would you like to?"

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.

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.

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.

I love this truck. Designed in the days when accountants didn’t have much power and designers could go nuts

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.

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.

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.

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

What I love about Doug's channel, being introduced to vehicles that I never even knew existed.

"The weirdness appeals to me" We know, Doug, we know.

looks rad as fuck, one of those coke-fueled crazy 80's ideas. i want one

*Snorts a line* Dodge: Alright. Hear me out. How about a truck that's a convertible?!

The headrest thing completely killed it for me. R.I.P. my neck 💀

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..

Isn’t the Gladiator technically a convertible truck?

This is something ZZ Top would have had in the 80s to transport their gear😅

This is the era of cars when I grew up. I can still smell this 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.

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.

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!

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

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.

This is the ultimate car for Doug to review.

"no one will try a convertible truck again" May I present for your consideration the Jeep Gladiator

Doug apparently knows nothing of the 80s/90s mini-trucking scene.

Imagine if RAM brings back the Dakota and they include a convertible option. Yes I know the Jeep Gladiator exists, but still

Gangsta rappers: I got front, back and side to side Chrysler: Oh like this stereo joystick?

“There’s no convertible pickup trucks anymore” Jeep Gladiator: “am I a joke to you?”

Dougs the type of guy that said “president” during roll call in class

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

This thing looks absolutely WILD... I want one.

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.

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.

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!!

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.

How cool would've been a "floating" headrest attacched to the rollbar?

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?"

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.

Convertible Trucks should make a comeback! They're so cool!

"Nobody's gonna try [making a convertible truck] again" Gladiator: "Am I a joke to you?"

Why people would dislike an honest review of an old vehicle?

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.

Sweet God. Whoever the seller is, kudos for keeping this car clean!

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.

Doug: There are no more convertible pickup trucks. Jeep Gladiator: Are you sure about that?

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

Doug: "Nobody's going to make a convertible pick up truck again." Jeep: "hold my beer" Jeep: *makes gladiator*

Doug is the type of guy to cool his engine by watering it with a GT3RS watering can

a guy in my hometown had one of these when i was a kid. and he had a little capuchin monkey that wore diapers and would ride around with him in it, hanging out on the dashboard and running around the seats and bed. it was hilarious and one of those things you catch a glimpse of passing by and have to question your sanity, whether you actually saw what you thought you saw or not.

I still have my 90 Dakota SE Convertible, 5 speed stick, sliver w/gray interior (with headrests) that I bought new in 1990 because all the other convertibles were too cramped for a big guy like me. I pulled a 26ft travel trailer around the whole country with the top down most of the time. It now has 254,000 miles on it and I have always gotten comments on it when I drive it. I've bought many more new cars and trucks since but I can't let go of this truck.

This content is way better than the Gt version of some sports car we have seen 100 other versions of

"they are not going to do another convertible truck"...…Gladiator.....

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.

If I could review the Dodge Dakota with Doug DeMuros I would puff on the Cannabis Cigars and get all schmoked up

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.

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.

The reason there is 10 different shades of red is because many of them have faded at different rates over the years. When it was new there were probably only 4 shades of red.

No joke, my mom had a boss once who collected cars and had I wanna say SEVEN of these.

I like this…. A LOT. How sick would a FACTORY lowered, single cab f150 convertible be.. can even be electric now! F150 lightning convertible.

That’s a pretty sweet looking truck. Let’s all at least admit that

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!

The Dakota convertible frame is actually strengthened quite a bit compared to the standard Dakota to limit the loss in rigidity. They look very different from underneath. Also, the reds were a lot more similar 30 years ago prior to sun fade aging the different materials.

Now we gotta get Doug behind the wheel of a GMC Syclone

I saw one of these in my town like 2 weeks ago and my thought was “Doug would review it” 😂

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!

I REALLY like that lip kit. It looks surprisingly good

I'd love to have one of these, not as a daily but definitely too own

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.

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. 😂

Doug is the type of guy to not care about the acoustics of his reviewing environment...

The first thing Doug notices in an interior is never the first thing I notice 😟

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 😍

Doug the type of guy to dedicate his life to making observations, but not enough to observe the fact that colors fade in sunlight...

Doug: nobody is gonna make a convertible truck again. Gladiator: Am I a joke to you!!!!

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.

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💜

I was in high school when these trucks came out. People were starting to lower trucks and some ingenious people made DIY convertible trucks. Talk about lack of safety. I thought the cool ones where the Targa top extended cabs...lowered with subwoofers behind the seats. Btw, when did Doug start looking like Jay Leno?

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.

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.

My dad had 3 of the hard top trucks in his life time. Im very happy you decided to review it, gives me nostalgia

It is amazing how often Doug misses the obvious. There are so many different mismatched reds due to fading. They probably all matched when new.

I bet all the red interior elements looked a lot closer in color at production, and have faded unevenly over time because of the different materials.

"no one is going to try this again" The Gladiator??

Sounds like Doug was trying to eat the mic for lunch

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.

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