Owner: Katsuhiro Ando
RIDE: 1995 Toyota Tacoma
LOCATION: Yokaichi, Japan
CLUB: Outer Limits
When we first visited Japan a few years back in search of expanding our borders on the worldwide hunt for the baddest minitrucks out there, we came across a super-modded Taco in green primer with some of the coolest ideas we've ever seen!
For starters, have you ever seen a stainless exhaust system ran up through a smooth bed floor and then back down to exit out the roll pan? Us neither, and it looks killer! But like many crazy projects with one-of-a-kind ideas, the owner soon grew bored with his project and wanted something that would be a little simpler to finish. Well, obviously the story doesn't end there because as soon as the previous owner decided it was time to sell this crazy Taco, Katsuhiro Ando jumped at the chance.
Katsuhiro was originally a street racer and his last two rides were a Toyota GTV, and a Mazda RX-7, but in 2007 he found a new passion. After seeing the "Slammed Contest" at the Truck Masters show he saw many trucks that were judged on the gap between the door and the ground. He envied those trucks and decided that he really wanted to build a super low truck. He also really looked up to the club Outer Limits and their builder, K's Bodyworks, so right after the purchase of his new project he knew where he would be taking the truck. Katsuhiro's biggest concern for the build was to keep some of the previous owner's innovative ideas in tact, while still giving this truck his own unique style. So Koji Uda, owner of K's Bodyworks helped with that task, beginning with the '98 Tacoma front-end swap and custom bumper combo. They both agreed to keep the original smooth bed floor and exhaust but new floating air tanks were built into the bed to finish off the look. The truck was originally body-dropped on 18s but Katsuhiro decided that a 20-inch wheel would give him the stance and look he was after, so CanDo upper and lower control arms were the cure. With only three month left until that year's Truck Masters Final the builder and painter had their work cut out for them. They enlisted Fudemae, a very talented artist, to design the gorgeous paintjob you see here. And we just have to add that it is truly one of the nicest paintjobs we've ever laid eyes on; pictures cannot truly capture just how amazing the colors look together! As you can see, they finished the build with utmost eloquence just in time for the show and for our camera to snap these pics.
After looking up to the Outer Limits crew and their trucks for sometime, Katsuhiro Ando is now able to call them club members and friends. He now has both a truck and a club he can be truly proud of, and he vows that since he got a late start in the minitruck world that he will be working hard to catch up! With this being his very first truck, we can't wait to see what's next!
The Lowdown
Rolling Attire
Wheels: 20x8.5-inch Billet Specialties
Tires: 235/30ZR20 Toyo Falken
Chassis Modifications
Suspension Front: CanDo upper and lower control arms with Firestone airbags
Suspension Rear: Reverse custom triangulated four-link
Shocks: Toxic drop shocks
Compressors: Two Viair 480c
Frame mods: Notched
Brakes: Front discs from Mazda RX-7, four-piston calipers from Nissan Skyline, Rear disc brake conversion using Toyota Previa parts
Performed by: K's Bodywoks in Toyota city, Aichi
Body Modifications
Shaved: Door handles, gas door, tailgate, taillights, wiper cowl
Body-dropped: Four inches
Body mods: Custom handmade taillights
Bolt-ons: `98 Tacoma front clip& billet inserts
Misc.: Custom-made one-off bumper built from '96 Tacoma bumper and valance from Toyota P/U, custom dual stainless exhaust pipe that runs through bed floor
Performed by: K's Bodyworks in Toyota city, Aichi
Paint
Colors: Champagne gold and brown
Misc.: Graphic split with sharp gold leaf that runs from front to back
Performed by: Designed by Fudemae
Interior
Gauges: Dakota Digital air gauge on center console, volt and temp gauges under stereo
Misc.: Billet Specialties steering wheel
Head unit: Pioneer
Mids and highs: Orion
Subwoofers: Orion
Amplifiers: Orion
Misc.: FRP speaker mount grilles
Performed by: K's Bodyworks in Toyota city, Aichi
Special Thanks from Owner
K's Bodyworks, Fudemae, fellow club members from Outer Limits, Truck Trends magazine Japan, and Mini Truckin' magazine.