start it now. introduce the truck. include some pics. update later as you accomplish upgrades. the CC will host your pics. just drag them into the text box.
even if the factory replacement attempt doesn't pan out, it'd still be awesome if someone could fab an adapter housing for something more readily available. for example: XJ tails, trailer tails, dakota tails, etc.
"going to die soon"? could you elaborate?
on the topic of axles, the 5.2 isn't all that different in power numbers than the 4.0 so stockish axles will do fine.
they've become quite popular. 12 bucks and a few minutes of your time can prevent a fire and improve your headlight output. there's a link to an example in my signature.
Only the later ones. Early renegades (the ones that typically had the quad-light pod on the roof) had the regular hood. I've been half-heartedly been looking for years now and suddenly found 2 on the same day in neighboring pullaparts. (though one of them had been in a rollover and so all the cool parts were ruined.)
you're going to be thrilled once all those updated parts are in play.
I recently discovered that my '00 Dakota has the metric-3/16"-bubble flare thing going on. I wussed out and got pre-made lines.