OWNER: Steve Hill RIDE: '92...
OWNER: Steve Hill
RIDE: '92 Toyota Pickup
HOMETOWN: Victorville, CA
CLUB AFFILIATION: Relaxed Atmosphere
How many mini-truckers do you think have come from the import scene to the realm of mini-truckin'? We assume quite a few have realized how weak spoilers, coilovers, and Darth Vader status front bumpers are; Steve Hill is no exception. After being fed up with the drama and gang mentality of the local import scene, Steve was introduced to the world of mini-trucks. As luck would have it, Steve's first custom would turn out to be something special. What you see on these pages is the first custom mini that Steve has ever attempted.
With Steve being enlisted in the Navy and being deployed to Iraq twice for a span of six months each, it's a wonder that he had enough free space in his mind to think of his 'Yota. In true mini-trucker fashion his custom was always on his mind. As a matter of fact, Steve was so dedicated to his truck that in order to finish it he enlisted in the Navy for an additional six years just to get enough cash to see his baby completed.
If you've seen that killer Rhino Lining ad lately with a slightly tough-looking guy in the middle looking like he means business, that would be Steve Hill, Operations Specialist 2nd Class. His demeanor and the flaming tattoo scorching up his arm let people know that he means business. Steve has such a loyal following that when we were in Kentucky for the Relaxed Atmosphere All- Star Event, members of his oh-so-tiny but hardcore underground fan club were sporting shirts adorned with their favorite mini-truck celebrity. Some of these shirts suggested revealing facts about Steve's personal life, as well as what favors he would do for things in return.
We thought Steve's ride was looking pretty killer throughout last show season. Little to our surprise, a completely revised version was waiting for us at SEMA '05. Now laid out on killer, color-matched Bonspeed Laguna 20-inch rollers, we couldn't pass up the chance to get this truck to print. A Rhino Lining ad is cool, but this truck deserves to be seen in all of its grace.
The Lowdown
Rolling Attire
Wheels: 20x8.5 Bonspeed Laguna's
Backspace: 40mm
Tires: Hancook V4 ES 225/30R20
Chassis Modifications
Suspension type: air
Rear suspension: custom built four-link by Jim Raymond
Airbag type and size-
Front: Slam Specialties ES6
Rear: Slam Specialties ES7
Spindles/springs: Belltech 2-inch drop spindles
Shocks: Doetsch Tech
Valves: eight Slam Specialties digital stealth valves
Compressors: two Viair 380c's
Air line: 1/2-inch stainless braided line in the rear
Air/hydro accessories: 200psi Viair pressure switch, custom-built nitrogen bottle brackets
Frame mods: monster notch
Detail work: four-link is powdercoated silver
Performed by: Jim Raymond and owner
City/state: Victorville, CA
Body Modifications
Shaved: hood squirters, wiper arms, antenna, rock guards, door handles, taillights, tailgate handle, tailgate bodylines, smoothed bedrails
Frenched: gas cap in rear wheel tub
Front end: '95 4 Runner complete front end
Back end: roll pan
Taillights: 8-inch leds in the roll pan
Exterior bolt-ons: billet grilles
Misc: 30x36-inch electric rag top, sheetmetal bed, removable notch cover, color-matched Rhino Liner, trailer fenders in the rear, tubbed firewall
Performed by: Jim Raymond and owner
City/state: Victorville, CA
Paint
Brand and colors: Dupont Metallic Blue with silver ghost flames
Style: flames
Performed by: Louie's Auto Body
City/state: Victorville, CA
Interior
Seats: '95 Integra GSR sans headrest
Material: leather
Dash: tweed and painted
Door panels: tweed, billet armrest, billet window cranks
Center console: one-off sheetmetal
Flooring: tweed
Headliner: tweed
Gauges: four 150psi Viair pressure gauges
Misc: Slam Specialties DSV controller frenched into center console
Performed by: California Upholstery
Stereo
Head unit: Power Acoustic DVD/CD player
Mids & highs: Infinity 6-1/2-inch mids with 1-inch tweeters
Amplifier for mids & highs: 300w Visonik
Subwoofers: three 10-inch Visonik V106804 Competition Subs
Amplifier for subwoofers: three 400w 1-ohm class D Visonik amps
Wiring/accessories: Monster Cable
Video: 7-inch screen molded into the dash
Custom Fabrication: blow- through subwoofer box by Al & Ed's
Misc: head unit relocated to glovebox, 2-farad capacitor in center console
Performed by: Al & Ed's Autosound in Escondido, CA; Ryan from RA So Cal; and owner
Engine/Performance
Transmission: heavy duty clutch from Advanced Clutch Technologies
Intake: custom chrome intake tube with a K&N filter
Header/exhaust: Gibson exhaust and headers with tip
Battery: Optima yellow-top
Location: stock
Misc: billet battery box, exhaust tip routed to driver-side rear wheel
Performed by: owner
Special Thanks
Shannon Hill, Rhino Linings, Viair, Gibson Performance Exhaust, Visonik Car Audio, Slam Specialties, Advanced Clutch Technologies, Hankook Tires, Optima Batteries, Bonspeed Wheels, Wicked Creations, Louie's Auto Body, Jim Raymond, Arlene and Vic Wood, and all of Relaxed Atmosphere