Rare Mods
Engine Swaps
A huge trend overseas is the engine swap. Minitruckers in the states have been swapping V-8s into their minitrucks for a long time, but it's not legal everywhere. With strict emissions laws in places such as California, swapping a V-8 or rotary into a truck isn't always a solution to figuring out that pesky wiring in your four bangers.
It can be a V-8 or a fuel-injected import motor. No matter which, you're always going to get props for this mod.
Tilt Beds
When most people think of tilt beds, they think of the days of the bullet-side Datsun cruising the West Coast with some Orion subs in the back. This mod, however, has never died and we don't see it going away anytime soon.
Call it old-skool, but a tilt bed is a mod that will never die.
Big Back Window
There has only been a handful of trucks with this crazy mod. It baffles us that it hasn't been more popular.
This Toyota has been rocking this bigger back window for some time. It's a subtle mod, so it's very easy to miss.
Chops
Hot rodders have been chopping their rods for years, as have minitruckers. This is one of the more complicated mods and it has never died. Lately, it's been more and more popular at the biggest shows around the country.
Chop tops are definitely hot-rod inspired. Why we started cutting convertibles tops, who knows? But both are reserved for the hardcore.
Front-End Swaps
There was a time when a headlight swap was enough. Some guys take it even further, especially in the Chevy community. These days, it isn't rare to see an Escalade conversion, or even a fullsize Chevy front end on a Dime.
Why do we see this a lot in the S-10 scene? We don't know, but it seems to be a really popular mod with the guys in Dimes. The S-10 with the fullsize Chevy front end is definitely unique and has only been done a few times.
Wheels
Big wheels
It used to be that if you were rocking 18s, you were the man at a show. However, these days when you roll in on your 18s, there's a chance you'll be parked next to a guy on 22s on a ride just like yours. Big wheels aren't for everybody, and those who accomplish it have a lot to be proud of. After all, stuffing that much chrome under a small fender is no walk in the park. Countless hours of heavy suspension modifications are usually involved in this segment.
Nothing says big pimping like big wheels on a little truck. This has always been a definite show-stopping trick for any mini, as you can see on this Ford Ranger.
Small Wheels
These days, small wheels are usually classified as anything under an 18-inch rim. Some guys want to keep their old Boyd's, because they're timeless. Others like 15-inch Smoothies on white walls.
From static-dropped to body-dropped, anything can pull off small wheels if it's done properly.
Misc.
A shell is something we don't see too much anymore. In the days of West Coast truck runs, they were the perfect place to sleep.
Taillight conversions have become slightly less popular during the last few years, as more and more feature trucks are sporting factory lights. However, when it's done properly, like on this Dodge, they can really look cool.
Mini monster trucks used to be as common as fat guys in little trucks. These days, you're truly lucky to see one or two at a show and they are usually as clean as these two.