OWNER: Kevin Delaney
RIDE: '02 Nissan Frontier
HOMETOWN: Dalton, Massachusetts
CLUB AFFILIATION: Exclusive Styles
Most of us don't think of Massachusetts as the Mecca of mini-truck enthusiasm. Fortunately for us, once in a blue moon, a trend-setting mini emerges out of nowhere.
Enter Kevin Delaney from Dalton, Massachusetts, to blow our minds. Having owned a few minis in the past, Kevin wanted something that would stand out from the crowd. Our story begins with Kevin enlisting the help of Josh Long and the rest of the crew at Wicked Kustoms in Lavergne, Tennessee.
The original project started out as a standard Frontier, which for most would be as good a start as any. Kevin, having the burning desire to push the envelope, started searching for four-door Frontier cabs at the local junkyards. After a little time went by and confidence started to fade, a miracle happened. A wrecked '02 Nissan Frontier four-door, factory-supercharged, was found at a salvage yard in Minnesota. Knowing luck was on his side, Kevin made the trek and slapped down $8,000 cash.
With Assorted Miniatures' beloved Showfest right around the corner, Kevin asked Wicked Customs to do the impossible. With seven weeks, a stack of cash, and a box of parts, the Wicked Customs crew got to work. What better place to start than the already unintentionally modified frame? Josh ditched the stock frame and opted for a Toyota front clip that has been meticulously detailed and a Josh Long special 2x3 back half. To get the front in order, Superior Toyota drop spindles and Air Lift airbags were added. The stock rearend was tossed in favor of an '86 Nissan 300zx Turbo independent rearend for better handling and an increased cool factor.
In order to get the truck flat on the ground, the oil pan was swapped in favor of 300zx model and a custom oil pickup was made. While under the hood, an Air Lift engine-driven compressor with custom mounts by Wicked was added. Also a custom air intake was added to cure any asthmatic problems the truck might have in the future.
The portion of the truck that Kevin would have to look at every day was extensively modified. The shortbed was ditched in favor of a longbed so he could really haul lumber. The body was shaved of all unnecessary components, and a Grant Kustoms tailgate skin roll pan combo and tail light fillers were added. To finish the outer canvas, the crew at Wicked laid down a custom-mixed Valspar Metallic Green.
The custom green paint sneaks its way into the interior of the vehicle, with accents on the dash, center console, and door panels. Gray leather smothers two bucket seats, and the vinyl headliner rounds out the interior.
Rarely does a vision see the streets in true form. We are glad Kevin made the push for an exceptional vehicle. As custom as our world is, a lot of people miss this concept. The only regret we have is not being on the East Coast to see this ride more often.