1988 Toyota Pickup - Old-Skool Dragger

In our lifestyle, there are people who come and go. Some say they just grow out of it, while others move on. There are many like Brian Hudson, though, who are here to stay. After tasting the custom world, most are forever changed. Brian is 36 years old with a wife and kids, and he still finds time for his custom passions. He first rolled onto the scene back in 1986 when he was only 19. In the 17 years that he's been involved in the custom scene, he's built a total of three Toyotas and two Chevy trucks. With his latest creation he decided he wanted to go back in time and build an old-school Toyota like the ones that jump-started the mini-truck scene years ago.

The first time around, the truck's suspension wasn't well executed, and within a week Brian blew a front 'bag while driving more than 70 mph. He figured it was time to stop playing around and called his buddy "LA" Dave Jones from New Design Fabrications in Walker, Louisiana, to have his truck dragging safely down the road. Dave re-airbagged the Toyota using Firestone 'bags fed with 3/8-inch air line by a 7-gallon air tank filled by a single VIAIR 450C compressor. Dave went with SMC 3/8-inch electric valves to actuate the airbag movement. Brian bolted up a set of 18-inch rims, then took care of all the clearance issues by cutting a hole in the bed for the bridge notch and rebuilding the rear fenderwells to clear the tires when the truck is laid out. After the truck's suspension was completed, Brian moved on to make some changes to the exterior.

Brian and his friend Rusty Russell bolted on 4x4 fenders and shaved the roof seams, rock guards, and gas door. To update the nose of the truck, a '93 4x4 chrome Toyota front bumper from FBI was installed. The rear of the truck was made smooth by molding in an FBI steel roll pan. Brian wanted to mix in a little new school on his Toyota, so he added a Street Beat Customs sliding sunroof. After the body modifications were finished, Brian hooked up with Joe Jacobson in Baywood, Louisiana, to help him out on the paint. Brian decided to stick with a clean and simple look, so they agreed on a gray-and-silver two-tone paint scheme. Joe sprayed the top half of the truck using PPG Toyota Dove Grey, and the bottom half with PPG Dodge Silver, breaking up the two-tone with a gray pinstripe. The truck was coming along just as Brian had envisioned it, but he wasn't about to stop there.

Brian, Wade Rigdon, Ryan "Cheez" Fredrick, and Buddy's Trim Shop did a number on the interior. A custom box was built to house two 10-inch Kicker subwoofers behind the seat. A custom center console separates the two Honda Civic bucket seats wrapped with gray tweed and Quicksilver vinyl. The top of the dash was also wrapped in tweed, while the bottom was smoothed and painted. Some custom door panels showing club pride put the finishing touch on the interior. Simple and clean is the way to go, especially if you still want to drive your truck everyday as Brian does. He has the miles to prove it: His odometer reads more than 210,000 miles and still turning. As a prominent member of Negative Camber, and with his experience and the experience of those around him, it's no surprise that Brian accomplished his goal to build an old-skool dragger that would take us back in time.

The Low Down
Wheels/Tires 18x8-inch American Eagle chrome alloys clothed in 215/35R18 tires

Suspension/Chassis Suspension modifications by "LA" Dave Jones / Chassis Tech 2-inch drop spindles / 'bagged all the way around with Firestone airbags / air supplied to a 7-gallon tank by a Viair 450C compressor / SMC 3/8-inch electric valves / Monroe shocks dampen the ride at all four corners / custom-built reverse four-link setup with over-the-axle 'bag mounts and custom crossmember featuring a Toyota Tacoma emblem in the center / suspension painted black / custom transmission crossmember built so the truck would lay out

Body Modifications/Paint 4x4 sheetmetal / FBI '89-'93 Toyota 4x4 chrome bumper / shaved emblems / shaved rock guards / Street Beat Customs sliding-glass sunroof / relocated gas door inside fenderwell / FBI steel roll pan / rebuilt the wheeltubs inside the bed / painted two-tone with PPG Toyota Dove Gray and Dodge Viper Silver by Joe Jacobson

Interior Interior by Buddy's Trim Shop in Franklinton, Louisiana / dashboard painted and wrapped with tweed / billet A/C vents / Honda Civic bucket seats wrapped in a combination of gray tweed and Quicksilver vinyl / custom door panels by Ryan "Cheez" Fredrick / 14-inch APC billet steering wheel

Stereo Pioneer CD head unit / custom-built subwoofer enclosure built by Wade Rigdon and owner to house the 10-inch Kicker Solo Baric subwoofers behind the seats / system is powered by a Precision Power 2250 amplifier

Engine/Performance Custom-built air intake system with K&N filter / raised driveshaft for exhaust clearance / Flowmaster 2-1/2-inch exhaust without catalytic converter / Accel 8mm plug wires

Miscellaneous Brian wasn't going to build this truck at first because he wanted to build a Nissan, but his wife talked him into building this pimped-out 'Yota instead

Special Thanks "LA" Dave Jones of New Design Fabrications in Walker, Louisiana / Joe Jacobson / Randy Webb / Anthony Rick / Ryan Fredrick / Wade Rigdon / Brian's grandfather Joseph Hudson / Brian's wife Toni and their children for all their support