There is an often overlooked way to get that brand spanking new look out of your old-school mini. The task we're talking about is a bolt-on front end swap. With this beat-down, old-school Taco front end ready for the scrap heap, along comes Cal Mini Truck, Perma Cool, Dan's Hoods, and S&S Motorworks to make some magic happen and update the old front end for late-model flavor.
Starting with an outdated '97 Tacoma front-end we can greatly increase the aesthetics by updating the front end with brand new '04 Tacoma parts from the pros at California Mini-Truck Dismantler. With parts in hand all we needed was a reliable shop to make the transformation. With the right tools this swap can be accomplished in your own garage in a matter of a day. So what are you waiting for, get on the phone now!
 1.With the front end pulled...  1.With the front end pulled apart, the Taco is ready for a fresh new look |  2.Using a spot-weld remover,...  2.Using a spot-weld remover, the core support is untacked from the inner fenderwells. |  3.All of the plastic clips...  3.All of the plastic clips are carefully removed for reinstallation at a later time. If you break some, don't worry. Your local dealer is your best friend. |
 4.Here is the front of the...  4.Here is the front of the truck in all of its naked glory. We would leave it if we were going for the rat-rod look, but we think we'll continue to spice it up. |  5.The brand new front fascia...  5.The brand new front fascia is ready to be bolted on to our monster mini. |  6.The new core support is...  6.The new core support is lined up with the inner fenders via the mounting holes and is retacked into place. |
 7.With the core support welded...  7.With the core support welded into place, now the fun begins: dressing up the Taco with shinies. |  8.The bumper will be the first...  8.The bumper will be the first piece on to line everything up off of. The bumper brackets are tightly secured. |  9.The bumper and valance are...  9.The bumper and valance are secured tightly, as to not be lost while dragging. |
 10a.The bumper is installed...  10a.The bumper is installed via the factory push-clips. Then the bumper is flipped over and all necessary clips are put into their perspective areas to keep our beautiful bumper in one piece. | 
10b. |  11a.The foglights are installed...  11a.The foglights are installed with two screws, one on each end. The wire harnesses are retained and reused from the last debacle. |
11b. |  12.Here's a look with the...  12.Here's a look with the fog lights freshly installed. Not bad not bad at all. |  13.The new fenders are put...  13.The new fenders are put in place and bolted on with all of the factory mounting holes. |