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Perhaps it was just infatuation, fascination, appreciation. Or, perhaps a refinement in taste, a sign of maturity, an indication that "I'm not the kid I used to be." Or, perhaps a realization that you will never see these Toyota pickups on a new car sales lot, a used car sales lot, and pretty soon, not even on the road. Whatever it was, there was something about those pristine bone stock old school Toyota trucks on display at the 2006 SEMA Show that changed the way I feel about mini truckin' forever. Of all the ridiculously sick custom cars and trucks that were at the show (and we all know SEMA is notorious for attracting numerous quality rides), the one display that I really took home with me and has stuck with me since was that little cluster of 'Yota minis. In my eyes, these trucks were flawless and beautiful, untouched and unscathed, with straight bedsides, shiny chrome, and nice paint. Complete with mud flaps, door handles, badges, windshield wipers, clunky turn signals, side mirrors, graphics, trim pieces, stock exhaust, stock height, stock engine, stock interior, and stock wheels, these trucks were everything today's modern custom mini trucks are not. And despite that, I simply could not take my eyes off of them! Instead of looking at what I WOULD do, I found myself actually glad that no welders, plasma cutters, and grinders had found these trucks' frames. What made these trucks custom was the fact that they were so stock! Ah, what a realization! I now find myself staring down true mini trucks - stock ones - fascinated by a straight bedside, clean paintjob, or spotless interior. People probably think I'm absolutely crazy! I find myself eyeing the inconspicuous mini truck tucked in between a BMW and Mercedes, thinking of ways to convince the owner that the keys to his mini truck should, in fact, be in my hands, not his. Mid-conversation I point and say, "I want that!" "Yeah, the new Titans look pretty cool!" "No, the Datsun behind it!" Yes, what has the world come to?
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