$200 Hauler for a1988 Mazda B2200

OWNER: Shane Simmons
RIDE: '88 Mazda B2200
Hometown: Columbus, Mississippi
Club Affiliation: Relaxed Atmosphere

When one is building a show-stopping mini, the factors that contribute to the progression of the build are often negative. Frequently, it seems that time itself is against the dream of building that perfect mini. The only tool that one can truly rely on to assure their custom hits its pinnacle is persistence. Shane Mitchell of Columbus, Mississippi, knows this firsthand, as his '88 Mazda B2200 was parked behind plenty of hurdles.

There was a decent time frame to be expected due to the fact that Shane's Mazda was bought off the bank for $200 and was the resting place for a fallen tree. The trophy hauler was pulled from a shallow grave and was patched up from the driver-side A-pillar to the front passenger-side fender. Now that the Mazda was taking its true form, Shane had to add his own flair and give the Mazda designers a lesson on what cool is.

Since Shane is not claustrophobic, he felt the cab could do for a quick change. He enlisted the help of Chop Shop Customs in Columbus, where the cab was body-dropped 2 inches and chopped 1 1/2 inches. This doesn't seem like much, but it's subtle modifications like these that sets Shane's ride apart from the rest. Shane also had a dilemma with his right arm not tanning as easily as his left, so the Mazda was converted to right-hand drive.

Having a schedule that consists of going to school from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then going to work from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. doesn't leave much time for extracurricular activities. Add onto that the fact that Shane also had his kids during the weekends - which didn't mean he had extra help. If that doesn't throw sand in your air valve, then we don't know what will.

Work, kids, school, plus the mini-trucker's inability to leave things alone and not change their mind, are all factors that impede the process of finishing. Thank God for patience being a virtue, or else every month would be a construction issue and we would have a once-a-year painted and done special. Good work, Shane - it's clean as hell.

The Lowdown