ONWER: Clint Mochinski RIDE:...
ONWER: Clint Mochinski
RIDE: 1989 Toyota Hilux
HOMETOWN: Surrey, BC, Canada
Show trucks aren't born overnight and in the case of Clint Mochinski's 1989 Toyota HiLux, it survived three years of daily driving before it went under the custom knife.
Exactly 42 days after Clint yanked his 'Yota off the road, he gave the truck a close shave, fabricated a complete 'bag setup, conducted a 2-inch bodydrop, imported a 4Runner frontend, and had the Dodge Viper Yellow paint sprayed. That's a busy month and a half, but of course, Clint and his No Limits Customs crew didn't stop there.
Clint started the process of building a show truck by locking down a complete 1995 4Runner makeover kit, which included fenders, headlights, bumper, valance, and mirrors. After the usual parts fit for shaving were deleted, Clint cut up the roof and fit a Street Beat sliding ragtop into place, which directs light into the cab and adds a nice touch of class. After Scott, from Wicked Performance, laid down a few coats of PPG Viper Yellow paint, Brad from Sublime Artistry decorated the hood, fenders, and doors with a subtle set of tribal ghost flames. And, in case you haven't noticed, the wipers have been given the ol' switcharoo to accommodate one of the HiLux's most praised modifications - a righthand drive configuration. The firewall, steering column, dash, and a five-speed with a lefthand column shifter were all ripped from a 1992 Japanese Toyota and transplanted into Clint's truck for a proper righthand conversion.
Not only does this `Yota look and handle unlike most minitrucks in the States, it also hugs the asphalt with the best of them. An original No Limits Customs four-link, was paired with Firestone 'bags and two Firestone 9210 compressors for an impressive suspension setup. Clint selected a set of 18-inch Driv Kick wheels with a front wheel drive offset and Dunlop FM901 tires for devilish good looks and excellent road contact abilities. Behind the rear chrome rollers, resides a Downey Off-Road rear disc brake conversion, and up front, Clint's own one-off, 12-inch disc brake creation features Wilwood four-piston forged and polished aluminum calipers.
Although Clint displayed a great deal of patience before ripping into his Toyota, it was nearly impossible to slow him down once he put the gears into motion. Once the truck was complete, Clint and crew took a little trip to Drop Zone, where the truck made its grand unveiling and took home the Best of Show title. Clint would like to thank his wife, Jodi, and everyone else who made a contribution to the build, whether it was in the form of shop equipment or encouragement. For more information on the slick mods check out the Lowdown.