Mopar Dude you wouldn't happen to have the number for that starter would you? When you look up the number for the 97 Dakota 5.2 they give you two options that will work and I just looked at the number of the one I had in my car and it matched one of the numbers they called for on the dakota it is something like 174666. Don't quote me on that number but it was something like that. That one is the one that the header tube laid right on top of so, hopefully there is a smaller one.
Pat Faley
67 NB S Clone
69 vert project
East Peoria IL