Letters To The Editor - Paper Cuts - September 2003

  |   letters To The Editor September 2003 letter The Easy Way Out
Dear MT,
I own an '89 Isuzu Amigo that is about to go under the knife, and I need your help. I look through your magazine and don't see many dealers that sell Isuzu airbag brackets and other components. Can you help? I was also wondering if you or a reader would know of a good way to relocate the mounting position of the lower arms because Amigos have a 4x4 chassis where the lower A-arms are mounted on some kind of extension. Thanks for any information you can pass on to me.
Riding Low (but not low enough
Lafayette, Louisiana. Isuzus just aren't popular enough to warrant making bolt-on, ready-to-go air suspension setups available. For the matter, there's actually not much out there that's ready to go into the chassis as a no-brainer installation for much of anything, Isuzu or otherwise. In fact, if you don't have an S-10, you're going to be building your own four-link setup and airbag suspension system from scratch. And unless you're extremely proficient with multilink suspension systems, you'll probably be a lot safer trusting this installation to a shop that has proven its worth with similar models to the one you're attempting to customize. We're not saying that do-it-yourselfers shouldn't work on their own rides, but they're risking coming up with something unsafe, poorly built, or nonfunctional. Call a few of the advertisers here in Mini Truckin' for just about everything you need in hard parts to get the ball rolling. Several of these businesses also offer custom installations. PD in the PA
Dear MT,
What's up, MT dudes? I love the magazine, but I have some bad news, and some good news. Recently, Carlisle Productions permanently cancelled its Compact Car show. I was discouraged at the show by seeing people throwing bottles, doing burnouts, and shooting stones all over peoples' rides, among other things. People were doing things that you could be arrested for in public and didn't seem to care. It was pretty darn close to a prison riot, with police everywhere and even a state chopper at treetop level. I just read the paper about the show, and, man, it looks more like a rap star's rap sheet of felonies than an article about a car show. I know we can't bring back that show, but we as mini-truckers need to improve the way we interact with the locals and respect the police. I was really pissed off to see what had happened. I think you need to leave the booze at home when you come to Carlisle because the old people in town already want every show gone. Please, watch what you do, and let's try not to have the All-Truck Nationals show banned, too. I'd appreciate it if you could throw a shout out in Mini Truckin' about being on your best behavior in Carlisle.
Robert Yost
Newville, Pennsylvania Robert, thanks for your insightful words. We think you've said it best; there's nothing for us to add, so we'll print your letter and hope that East Coast mini-truckers get the hint. Thanks, bro. Pusher Problems
Dear MT,
I was just writing to let you know there is more than one club on the East Coast. It seems as though every issue I receive in the mail has countless Pebble Pusher trucks in it. What does one have to do to grace these golden pages (besides "Serve Your Milk Daily," ha ha)?
East Coast Pimpette
Geesh, an East Coast club finally receives some recognition and you're upset? The Mini Truckin' staff is always looking for killer trucks to publish in MT. Just approach one of us at a show, and you'll find out soon enough! Honestly, the guys in Pebble Pusher are finally receiving some long overdue respect. To tell you the truth, the 2002 show season was the first season we hung out with the members of this incredible club, and we scored big time because they're not only killer people, but they also have some of the most impressive rides the mini-truckin' community has ever seen. We'll be out an about this season, so look us up. It also doesn't hurt to keep us updated with pictures of your progress so we can plan to shoot your truck at an upcoming event we'll be covering. Just contact us at mini.truckin@primedia.com. See ya' soon! The Next Generation
Dear MT,
I just wanted to share with you how important it is to pass the torch. I just returned from seeing my two younger brothers; one has a lifted S-10 and the other a lifted Toyota Tundra. I brought along a retro '80s CD and shoved it into my bro's stereo, and we had a cool thumpin' stereo session in his truck. We started talking and decided to all become involved with the State 2 State cruise you guys, Truckin', and Sport Truck are putting on and to go to Vegas to see whether our rides are actually ready to show. I guess the mini-truckin' mentality crosses the line in a good way, and it's what sets us apart from other automotive groups. We drive a little slower, live a little longer, and play our music a little louder than most. Mini-truckers are mini-truckers, no matter if you're a veteran MT-er like me or just starting out, such as my little brothers. Mini-truckin' is not about how fast you arrive but how cool you look while you're getting there - at least this is true for me. Mini-truckin' is a grassroots group and will always continue to be. We're not the latest, or the greatest, but we'll be here long after the latest and greatest has come and gone.
John Behneman
Mission Viejo, CaliforniaP.S. Keep up the excellent
job, guys! Thanks, John, we're doing our best. The future of Mini Truckin' looks brighter than ever! We're going on 18 years of publishing mini-trucks and the lifestyle that surrounds them, and it's always an interesting journey, year after incredible year. Congrats on getting your kid brothers hooked on the scene. They're going to have a blast. Just keep an eye on them at shows, OK? You don't want them to start rockcrawling on the body-dropped minis in attendance! Feedback
Dear MT,
Your article titled "Respect" printed in the May '03 issue was very interesting. It was amazing to see one man put so much time and dedication into a truck. From someone who knows very little about mini-trucks, I really learned something from that article. I now have lots of respect for mini-trucks and the owners who re-create them into the incredible looking rides that are featured in your magazine.
Sincerely,
Jackie Friel
Rochester Hills, Michigan The heart and soul of every mini-trucker who builds up their ride can be found embedded in just about every aspect of the truck. From one end of the truck to the other, there are parts of the truck that contain the literal blood, sweat, and tears of those that built them. We've always had the utmost respect for those enthusiasts who choose to work on their own rides, learning what it takes to build a show-stopping ride in the process. To all of these enthusiasts, we are indebted; we wouldn't be able to wow our reader's with off-the-wall rides month after month without them. Thanks to them, our pastime continues to grow by leaps and bounds.