OWNER: Shaun McMillan
RIDE: '89 Mazda B2200
LOCATION: Huffman, Texas
This clean '89 Mazda B2200 has been worked on with every hour that Shaun McMillan or his dad Kevin could spare in the last 18 months. In between custom-painting hoods, tailgates, and show trucks for other people, the pair attempted to put together an original truck of their own, and definitely succeeded. The McMillan duo have been painting for almost nine years now, and what started as drawing and painting on motocross helmets turned into a full-tilt custom paint and design business. When they began working on the Mazda, it was the first time Shaun and Kevin had a project that wasn't for somebody else.
Shaun and Kevin didn't have a lot of cash to spare, so they did just about everything themselves to cut down on cost.
Kevin started with the suspension by installing Chassis Tech 2-inch drop spindles and Firestone 2,400-pound 'bags up front. He installed a bridge notch to lay the rear out, along with another set of Firestone 'bags and a two-link with a Panhard bar to keep the rearend in place. The air system is operated using 1/2-inch valves for lift and dump, and 1/2-inch stainless tubing to circulate the air to each 'bag. Once the front laid flat on the ground, the team bolted up the Colorado Custom 16x7-inch Hancock wheels with Nitto 40-series tires that they had picked out. After that, there was no going back; Shaun and his dad were immediately addicted to the low stance.
The next order of business was to smooth out the body and make it mirror the rendering Shaun had come up with. Using their painting skills, they did trade work to have the gas door shaved, along with the emblems, antenna, and tailgate handle. After that, the body was blocked smooth and it was time to do what they do best - paint. Shaun looked at his rendering and began to lay down the tape after his dad sprayed the major colors. Shaun then went to town on the hood graphic, the tailgate, and inside the bed. By the time it was all said and done, the entire frame was painted, complete with interior accents and air tank. The bright blue they achieved is a mix of Dupont Viper Blue and House of Kolor Candy Cobalt Blue.
Shaun didn't want to leave any stone unturned, so the engine and interior were taken care of with the same painstaking attention to detail. These two areas were left to the professionals, and Hot Headz Engines took care of beefing up the engine. Shaun started on the stereo system by building a fiberglass center console to house a Kicker 8-inch subwoofer and custom door panels to house the separates. R.N.S. Upholstery was then enlisted to wrap the seats and the rest of the interior in a combination of bone-white vinyl and gray tweed. Shaun and his dad Kevin are very happy with the way their project turned out, as are we. Right now, Shaun is in Los Angeles studying animation to become a filmmaker. We know that if he puts as much effort into his schooling as he did into his Mazda, we'll be seeing some of his films in no time.
The Low Down
Wheels/Tires 16x7-inch Colorado Custom Hancock wheels wrapped in 215/40R16 Nitto rubber
Suspension/Chassis Frame painted to match body / 2-inch drop spindles / 'bagged all the way around using Firestone 2,400-pound airbags and 1/2-inch electric air valves / plumbed with 1/2-inch stainless tubing / two-link setup with Panhard bar in the rear / Toxic shocks relocated at all four corners / gas tank raised 2 inches
Body Modifications/Paint FBI chrome front bumper and taillights / Trenz billet grille insert / molded steel roll pan / shaved gas door / shaved emblems / shaved antenna / shaved tailgate handle and flipped to inside / Checkmate tonneau cover / painted in Dupont Viper Blue with House of Kolor Cobalt Blue Candy / custom graphics by S.M. Artwork (owner of truck)
Interior Painted inserts / R.N.S. Upholstery in Pasadena, Texas, wrapped seats in bone-white vinyl and gray tweed / gray carpet and headliner / custom door panels / air gauges, oil pressure gauge, and oil temperature gauge installed in the dash / fiberglass center console houses air switches / Formula France steering wheel
Stereo Stereo system built by owner / Sony head unit and CD changer / fiberglass subwoofer enclosure houses the Kicker 8-inch Solo Baric subwoofer between the seats / Kicker 6-1/2-inch separates built into the custom door panels / Kicker amplifiers power subwoofer and separates
Engine/Performance Engine modifications performed by Hot Headz in Huffman, Texas / aluminum heads / machined by Hot Headz Engines / lighter flywheel / Outlaw Weber carburetor / Freddy's camshaft / 2-1/4-inch FMG exhaust / Pace Setter header / NGK coil and plug wires
Special Thanks R.N.S. Upholstery / Xtreem Rydes / FMG Exhaust / Hot Headz / Finish Masters Pain