Third Time’s the Charm

IT USUALLY TAKES MORE THAN ONE TRY TO GET THE BEST OUT OF ANYTHING, AND THERE’S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. In fact, having to take a few swings before knocking it out of the park can make success that much sweeter. That’s why a homerun hit with a full count at the bottom of the ninth is so exciting. The same applies to our beloved custom truck builds. More often than not, getting a project to the level you’ve long imagined takes a few tries, and each attempt is worth it because all the while you’re building skill, perseverance and a network of associates that will help you throughout your life. Longtime mini-trucker Jorge “Beast” Rivera of Bakersfield, California, experienced this and has the hard-won custom truck to prove it.

Jorge had been an enthusiast for several years, attended countless shows, and flipped through an infinite number of magazines before he stepped up to the plate himself with his first full- blown custom build. His ’97 Nissan Hardbody has been the object of his passion for several years now, and it’s undergone quite a few iterations. Jorge’s older brother was the truck’s first owner/customizer.

When Jorge purchased the Hardbody from his bro, it had already been ’bagged and primed for paint. Jorge attacked the suspension with supporting modifications and addressed the need for a proper mini-worthy paint job. The Nissan was also equipped with an early- model Toyota Tacoma front clip, so he made up his mind that the Taco front end would be the first item to go.

He found a factory front clip, including hood, bumper and 4×4 sheet metal to accommodate the Nissan Hardbody. The original-style bumper and hood were much better suited to his taste, and the flared 4×4 fenders exaggerated the aired-out stance of the truck, allowing for a whole lot more tuck. The unfilled fender space was too much for Jorge, so he decided to have the Nissan properly body-dropped. He sent it to Triple Threat Customs where it received a full-frame treatment and the suspension setup was dialed in.

Unfortunately, a pitfall was on the horizon, and while exiting a show, Jorge was hit by another car, seriously damaging the recently replaced front end.

But Jorge was undaunted, and the Hardbody’s third front end was the culmination of his customizing dreams. He made the best of a bad job and opted for a new twist: a front-end swap from a Frontier. The borrowed and updated body panels, coupled with all of the finishing mods, gave the truck a flourish of style, and the aptly named “Front-Bodied” Nissan became a top- notch example of mini-truck quality.

A set of custom tubs resides underneath the Frontier’s front end, tucking everything nicely and keeping the engine bay clean. A set of 2-inch drop spindles was added to partner with Slam RE-6 airbags fed by ½-inch SMC valves. The rear rides on Slam RE-7s placed in a 4-link suspension arrangement. From the cab back, the custom subframe is still intact. It holds a 5-gallon air tank, dual VIAIR 444 compressors and a custom fuel cell. The truck bed is made entirely of custom sheet metal, formed and fitted by Shaun from Endless Customs. The body- dropped and ’bagged stance is displayed to best advantage by the perfectly proportioned rolling attire, 18×8-inch Bonspeed Laguna billet wheels wrapped with Diamondback 215/35/R18 tires.

A classic Nissan four-banger sends power to the Diamondbacks. The KA24E motor is mated to a five-speed transmission. VL Speed in Bakersfield was entrusted to help bring a bit more life to the motor using a custom cold air intake and intake manifold originally made for a 240SX. A 240 ECU, header and Magnaflow exhaust were also added to the equation. Finally, an aluminum radiator with an electric fan was installed to keep everything nice and cool. The engine bay wiring was tucked to keep things tidy, which works well with the custom inner fenders. With a well-built suspension and properly sorted powertrain in place, the final body modifications and interior were completed to give Front-Bodied its polished finish.

The Frontier-derived body panels were made to rest flush and straight with the cab and were reprimed and sanded for paint. The rear was elegantly styled using a Grant Kustoms roll pan in lieu of the factory bumper. The truck was generously sprayed with Nissan Factory Red and then painted with an array of sharp-edged, complementary-colored custom graphics. Finally, it was clear-coated with an ultra glossy coat from House of Kolor, giving it that serious show-time shine. The beautiful paint work was completed by none other than Kal Koncepts, Air Syndicate and Black Sheep Customs.

The custom luxury-grade interior was made in Wasco, California, by Art of Art’s Upholstery. The bucket seats swiped from a Nissan Pathfinder were wrapped in black vinyl with black suede inserts. The perfectly matched black carpet achieves harmony with a black suede headliner. The dash was color-matched to the body’s red paint, and a Trenz billet steering wheel was bolted to the column. A well-equipped custom audio system was built and installed by Vasar Car Stereo. The dash flows into a custom fiberglass center console, which was perfectly made to fit a double-DIN head unit, phone holder, Airide controller and two cup holders. The stereo is operated via Pioneer avh-x2700 powered by a DS16 600- watt amp. The bass arrives through a custom box-mounted 10-inch Kicker sub, while the highs and mids are sent through Kicker 6.5-inch door speakers.

When all is said and done, it might seem preferable to complete projects without all of the bumps in the road. But, the case can just as easily be made that these obstacles help a project become a masterpiece. Had Jorge’s Front-Bodied never had its second front end creamed, then the build might not have become the awesome specimen you see here today.

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNER

Jorge “Beast” Rivera
1997 Nissan Hardbody
Bakersfield, CA
Biodrop

ENGINE

• Shop: VL Speed of Bakersfield, CA
• 1997 Nissan KA24E fourcylinder
• 240SX intake manifold
• 240SX ECU
• 240SX custom header
• Magnaflow exhaust
• Five-speed manual transmission
• Custom fuel cell

SUSPENSION & CHASSIS

• Shop: Triple Threat Kustoms
• Front 2-inch Beltech drop spindles and Slam RE-6 airbags
• Rear 4-Link rear suspension and Slam RE-7 airbags
• 5-gallon air tank
• Dual VIAIR 444c compressors
• ½-inch SMC valves
• Custom back-half frame

WHEELS & TIRES

• 18×8 Bonspeed Laguna Billet wheels
• 215/35/R18 Diamondback tires

BODY & PAINT

• Nissan Frontier front clip
• Custom sheet metal raised bed floor by Shaun of Endless Customs
• Custom tubs and inner fenders
• Nissan Factory Red Paint
• Custom airbrushed graphics by Kal Koncepts/Air Syndicate

INTERIOR & STEREO

• Shop: Art’s Upholstery of Wasco, CA
• Nissan Pathfinder buckets wrapped with black vinyl and suede
• Black suede headliner
• Black carpet
• Body-matched dash
• Custom center console and dash center
• Pioneer avh-x2700 double-DIN
• 6.5-inch Kicker door speakers
• DS16 600-watt twochannel amp
• 10-inch Kicker subwoofer with custom box
• Trenz billet steering wheel

SPECIAL THANKS FROM THE OWNER:“I want to thank my wife and my two kids, my family, and my Biodrop brothers for all their support and help throughout the years of building; also, all of the shops who had a hand in helping make the truck what it is now.”

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