Obviously with my current mini-truck build thread, I am still trying to keep the flame alive. But, if one keeps their ear to the ground and listens closely, a resurgence is gaining momentum. There are guys actively seeking out the old trucks and parts and bringing them back to the forefront.
When I drive mine, people go a little nutty over it. Even young guys who weren't alive during the mini-truck craze all seem to get it.
I am still looking for a SnugTop.
Knurled. said:In reply to sleepyhead :
I'm torn on the issue because I am all for built not bought, but for many years I put food on the table by bullding for people with more money than talent (not a bad thing: they can make money doing what they are good at, and give it to me to build them an awesome ride) and my daily driver is a 100% stock awesome car because I wanted to drive something bought not built...
I appreciate the dilemma and how some of these older posts might tweak that nerve. I think, though there are better ways to encourage people to appreciate the work that went into the old mini-trucks, and/or encourage other people to attempt their own challenging builds that ohayes’.
I feel like the board does an excellent job of encouraging people to fab things if they can, buy parts when it makes sense, and farm things out when it’s beyond the time/skill/risk threshold.
my post was intended to signal my “paddling sports” suspicion, while giving ohayes641 the benefit of the doubt that they’re not here just to try and stir up the pot. I.e. I was trying my hand at “mod posts”... which is a fine needle to thread... if you haven’t tried it before... and one I’m still learning
I'm barely old enough to remember when the bro truck thing first took off at the tail end of mini trucks being big and you had the pose with the mini truck laying frame parked with the bed under the crew cab long bed with the huge lift.
What happend to all the custom vans from the ‘70’s? I’d be more interested in those.
The 70's vans seemed to end up in the Bay area. I always see a couple when I'm out there. It's crazy especially considering the wealth in the city.
No more minitrucks = no more minitruck customs. Ya can't paint if there's no canvas around.
That said, I worked with a guy from a ruralish part of Michigan for a few years in the 2012-2015ish range while he was down here going to a tech college, and he drove a slammed box-style S10, with all the stickers and an arrow in the antenna hole (he liked bow hunting). So I can't say they are "gone", just harder to find, kind of like minitrucks themselves.
One Monday he came in and his truck was a new color. He and his buddies got bored so they painted it. I forget now if it went from white to yellow or yellow to white, but they did a remarkably good job in such a short period of time. I'd seen worse come from body shops.
I have very fond memories of the mini-truck era
I would definitely entertain building another. Closest I will get at the moment is bagging my Tbird. Maybe after my kids are driving I could do another mini-truck
For the time being, I know exactly where my old mini is
And where it started
Never forget.
I liked the mildly lowered trucks back in the 80’s/90’s, but couldn’t stand the slammed ones, the 13” 100 spokes sticking way out, the big stereos, etc. I must be mellowing, though, as I’m starting to like them now (except for the loud stereos, I don’t need to lose any more of my hearing).
It is kind of tempting to come up with an early 90’s style paint job for my challenge S10. Just not sure I’d want to live with it afterwards.
I drove a brand new twin of this. An ‘88. So stripped it had the 2.0 not the big block 2.3.
Manual transmission, vinyl everything, rubber floors. No power steering or brakes.
It was by far the most controllable vehicle. Not fast obviously but I could chirp 3rd gear if I tried hard enough. Winter was the most fun one could have.
I had drawn up plans for an 8.8 and 5.0 but shortly after discussing it with the builder, he died in a horrible car accident.
Still working on mine (an 89 toyota hilux 4x4) but this is gonna be a big year for her.
Interesting I didn't post in this thread way back then. In '14 I still had my Nissan Hardbody:
Dropped spindles, Sway-A-Way torsions, de-arced leafs, re-drilled spring mount, relocated shackle, frankenstein leaf-pack, blocks, pipe-notch, Tundra steelies, 2-1/2" exhaust, 4x4 front fenders, stock engine.
I miss it immensely, but it was gutless, didn't fit me and my two pre-teen boys very well, and theoretically a full-size gets only slightly worse fuel economy but a whole lot more truck. Funny thing was I went from an average 21mpg in this, to 10mpg in the full size truck that replaced it.
Still,
I wouldn't mind building another one. But yeah, the only custom minis here are S10.
Ask Mike Finnigan. Wasn’t he front and center in the craze and got involved with Petersen that way?
A 401 CJ said:Ask Mike Finnigan. Wasn’t he front and center in the craze and got involved with Petersen that way?
One of the original mini-truck guys. IIRC, he bought a new Toyota 2wd and tore it down to the frame a week later infuriating his dad. I think he also lit his clothes on fire in the process.
For all it cost me my S-10 would be the perfect candidate. But it's a perfect city truck. You could offer me a base half ton whatever marque brand new and I wouldn't trade based on utility metrics. So somehow modding the hell out of it doesn't appeal. Mini trucks are super cool though.
I always see hardbodys and Rangers on CL from the 90s. Those I'd chop in a heartbeat. 
I was given a 99 s-10 that I’m going to build up with my sons with a simple 350 swap and some lowered spindles and suspension upgrades. Not a big fan of them back in the day but seems like a nice easy project
I've been trying to sell mine for about 2 months with a bunch of small nibbles. I think most of them in the Northeast rusted away.
In reply to fatallightning :
$$$???
I was too young to experience the mini-truck craze at it's peak, but I learned to drive stick in a hardbody and my first car was this 84 Yota. I miss it every day. Really thinking about getting another to daily drive. Ignore the illest sticker, I was 16 haha.
ebonyandivory said:In reply to fatallightning :
$$$???
I had on CL for 2800, good guy pricing on here was $2000. Ad should be in the classifieds still. Let me bump it.
In reply to fatallightning :
Such a cool truck. I’d buy that in a heartbeat if I didn’t have kids I needed to occasionally drive around
Ignore the bed cap, I got rid of it shortly after the photo. Most fun daily driver I've ever had. This coming from someone who has been daily driving an NB Miata for the last 2 years.
Minitruck thread? Sure, seems like a great excuse to postwhore a photo of my courier
I wonder if a lot of them got converted into competitive "hopper" (I probably have the terminology wrong) trucks. It seemed to be a thing for awhile to end your routine by flipping the truck onto its roof.
In reply to fatallightning :
I have a soft spot in my memory for those. A parts house I worked for from 1989 to 1992 had a fleet of them as delivery trucks. Base models with absolutely zero options. How I didn't die driving those things was a small miracle. They would do 90 mph in 3rd gear (we younger drivers tested this often). I've casually kept my eye open for a cheap one to use as a LoCost donor.
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