Wicked FrameHey MT,
I just got my new issue of Mini Truckin' today in the mail. The first thing I always do is flip to the back to look at Graffiti. My jaw dropped when I saw the green frame. That frame is so sick. I was wondering if there was any place on the Web with more pics of it. I'm working on a frame for my '00 Ranger right now and have it about halfway complete. I love looking at what other people have built or are building to help me come up with new ideas to make my frame better. Thanks for any help you can give and for always helping me out. Last time, I wrote you asking about the color Mike Finnegan painted his truck (Burnt Taco), and you hooked it up with a paint code.
Ranger Shaunvia e-mail
Hey Shaun,
That green frame you're referring to is the handy work of none other than Bob Grant of Grant Kustoms. Each year, we honor the baddest under-construction vehicle with the chance to be on the cover. Chad Lucas' '92 Pathfinder was the Nov. '03 Construction Zone Special cover. His frame was completely handbuilt and sports custom chrome control arms, a Toyota Supra independent rearend, and custom-mounted chrome air tanks and shocks. It was also three-stage powdercoated Candy Psycho Lime Green. For more pictures of this frame and full buildup, check out
www.grantkustoms.com. For show-coverage pics of Chad's frame, go to www.socalcustoms.com.
Locked OutDear MT,
I'm shaving my tailgate handle, but I really need to be able to open my tailgate from the outside because of the way my tonneau cover is designed. I want my taillights to hinge open, and I want to make a release for the tailgate behind the taillights. Do you have any ideas on how to make the taillights swing open? Can I contact a company via e-mail about this? Thanks for all your help, and hopefully my question makes sense to you guys.
Tyler Krausevia e-mail
Hey Tyler,
Rather than make a mechanical pull behind the taillight, you can use an electric solenoid to open the tailgate. This can be done easily behind a taillight, and the tailgate can be opened using a magnet. You could also just use a simple solenoid to actuate the inner handle mechanism, then install a small button hidden somewhere - even as a replacement for a taillight screw. Go to www.watsons-streetworks.com for the parts you might want to check out. We also ran a new product in Mini Market from Talegator Truck Accessories a while back. These universal electric lift kits are designed to open and close any tonneau cover or tailgate from a keyless remote. For more information, call (800) 548-2168, or log onto www.electric-life.com.
S-10 On 22sHey MT,I have a '97 S-10 and just got some Branzach BZ-11 22s for it. I've been planning it out and have most of my research out of the way, but I still have a couple of questions on how to make the rims fit. One of those questions refers to adequate lift. I was told that you have a pretty sick S-10 body-dropped with 22s all the way around. I'm very relieved to have finally found someone who can help me out. I've gotten quite a few "You can't do thats" from a lot of people lately. How did you set up the front? Is it required to narrow the frame, or can you modify the arms to get enough lift out of them? The rims I'm getting are 9-1/2 inches wide and come with as much as a 35mm offset. Also, what size tire do you run? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Justin Reinavia e-mail
Hey Justin,You've come to the right place. After four years of trying to make 22s fit on a body-dropped S-10 and still be fully functional, we have it down to a science. Bobby and Sean at Sadistic Iron Werks in Hesperia, California, [(760) 403-5159] completely scrapped the old frame from a previous shop where a stock front clip was used unsuccessfully, and they started from scratch. The new frame is 3 inches narrower, with handbuilt arms and a custom-fabbed 'bag setup providing the amount of lift you see here and allowing us to clear the 22s and be able to turn. The placement of the lower arms, along with that of the angled front 'bag mount, is the trick to getting enough lift out of this setup. We're running Nitto's new NT555 255/30ZR22 tires, which are about as small as they come. With the way our setup is designed, getting that amount of lift requires some negative camber, so the fenders are slightly sectioned for clearance. If you call Bobby at Sadistic, he'll be able to answer all your questions. Hopefully these pictures will help you out a little. Be on the lookout for more of the first S-10 body-dropped on 22s.
