1991 Toyota Pickup Bagged and Body-Dropped for SEMA

Kevin Aguilar . March 09, 2026 . Features . JASON MULLIGAN

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When You Have a Lot of Friends in the Scene It’s Hard to Leave a Truck Alone

It’s been said many times before, once a mini-trucker always a mini-trucker. When you’re hooked into slamming a mini and become accustomed to the lifestyle, you really get sucked in and will never be the same. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the mini-truck scene, it’s ﬁlled with fun times cruising and hanging out with friends who share a common interest. If you like trucks and having a good time, you too can be a mini-trucker. Though some people may move on with their lives, no one truly escapes for good.

1991 Toyota Pickup

1991 Toyota Pickup

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Brad McKinnon is a good example of this because he just can’t seem to shake off mini-trucks. Brad is an auto painter by trade, and he’s got the knack when it comes to vehicle auctions and scoring good ﬁnds. When he saw a ’91 Toyota pickup on an auction list he jumped on it, practically stealing it for a mere $500. Though it was an unmolested mini, he just wanted to use it to haul away waste from a house he’d recently purchased, eventually using it to tow a ’70s Boler ﬁberglass travel trailer.

Having friends in the mini-truck scene can really push you to do some unexpected things. When Brad’s friends saw the truck, they suggested a few mods that could be done to make the truck do all of things he wanted it to and look clean doing them. This is usually how it starts; a few friends throw out some ideas, and before you know it, a project is in the works. After a visit from Ryan Anderson, Brad was convinced to ’bag the Toyota over a set of 20s. Then the plan really began to percolate when friends Devin Morgan and Tyler Brooks added their ideas. By August, Ron Perkins informed Brad that he could have the opportunity to display it at the 2013 SEMA Show.

Even though it was short notice, Brad accepted the SEMA offer. His ﬁrst step was to leave the truck with Devin and Tyler of One Off Customs, in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada. There, the front clip was Z’d 1 ½ inches, and from the ﬁrewall back, a new frame was made out of 2 x 3 steel to complete the body drop. On the front, the torsion bars were removed and mounts were made for Slam Specialties SS-6 airbags. Chassis Tech drop spindles were installed while the upper control arms were modiﬁed and mounts were moved up for alignment. For the rear, a wishbone 3-link was fabricated and another set of airbags was mounted directly over the axle for towing. The suspension was set to lay the truck over 20-inch Dub Push wheels with Venezia Crusade rubber around them.

1991 Toyota Pickup — WITH HELP FROM THE UPHOLDERY, THE INTERIOR WAS STYLIZED IN RED AND BLACK LEATHER, YET REMAINS FUNCTIONAL.

From there, the original four-cylinder engine was reused but machined by the JB Group and rebuilt by Simone’s Automotive. Then it was painted charcoal and dropped in with custom mounts. To clean it up, some of the EFI wiring was removed. A cold-air intake was installed, as well as Doug Thorley ceramic-coated headers that feed naﬂow muffler. The crew hit a snag keeping the column shifter for the automatic transmission, but they came up with a solution: remove the linkage in lieu of a cable system from B&M.

Because this truck sees some use, the exterior was kept simple. A set of 4 x 4 front fenders was added to match the wheel openings of the rear, and on the inside they received custom tubs. The front bumper was stretched down, narrowed and shaved. The door handles were retained, but the tailgate handle and the holes for the rear rock guards were shaved. At Pre Tech Collision, the truck was blocked smooth and covered in a mix of Axalta Coatings Jet Black with pearl. Finishing the truck out, the interior was customized and decked out in red and black leather upholstered by The Upholdery. And as an added touch, Johnny Law seat belts and win- dow cranks were added.

NOW THAT IT’S COMPLETE, RUNNING AND FULLY FUNCTIONAL, BRAD PLANS ON TAKING IT ON A FEW LONG HAULS TO LOG SOME QUALITY TIME AT DISTANT SHOWS.”

1991 Toyota Pickup

Even though the build had a very short dead-line, the truck made it to SEMA and turned heads while it was there. Now that it’s complete, running and fully functional, Brad plans on taking it on a few long hauls to log some quality time at distant shows. It just goes to show how the scene can permanently change your life and the way you think.

Brad would like to thank Sara Blake, Devin Morgan, Ron Perkins, Tyler Brooks, Mike Amborn, Ryan Alderson, Jesse Davis, Nigel, Steve Wood-ward, Kris Smith, his parents Stan and Tina Vanbasten, Dan Toole and Jason Mulligan. ST