With their long-running history, Mazda B-series trucks are the staple of the mini-truckin' world. Resisting the pressures of buying newer trucks, Mazda owners are becoming more and more a tight-knit group. In this world, Mazda is king and Jason Reisser knows it, for he has the king of kings in his possession.
For his '86 Mazda B-2200, Jason took a simple approach, putting all the sweat in the details. Most of the suspension and frame are of the stock variety with a twist. Mike Gonzales installed AIM 2-inch lowering spindles so Jason could get the B-2200 closer to terra firma, while the hydraulic rams mounted up front do the rest. In the details are chrome, chrome, and more chrome: the upper control arms, tie rods, spindles, steering arm, sway bar, pitman arm, brake shields, and brake calipers. The lower A-arms are actually painted for contrast. Moving rearward, the frame has been hiked up with a bridge notch to clear the fully painted rear axle and the chromed four-link holding it to the truck. As in front, hydraulics handle the stance. Dual chrome pumps were fitted into the smoothed bed and were plumbed with stainless lines and chrome hardware. Twenty-inch Boyd Coddington Stingray 6 wheels wrapped in Nitto 255/35R20 rubber fill each wheelwell.
Although not known for being a powerhouse, the Mazda's venerable four-banger was left mostly alone. With the exception of a Pacesetter header, there isn't any performance to speak of. What there are, though, are many miles of chrome, paint, and polish. The block, head, and transmission were painted burgundy, while everything attached to them was chromed. Braided stainless lines hook it all together, and the smooth underhood look was helped thanks to the removal of the clutch-slave cylinder, which was relocated under the cowl-not an easy task we're told. Mercedes Benz Silver sets off the color scheme with the color addition to the brake booster, fan shroud, and distributor. A bank of Optima batteries reside under the bed, providing power to the electrics for the truck and the hydraulic system.
Chris Auto Body in Miami, got the nod to handle the bodywork necessary to smooth out the wrinkles and shave the exterior a bit. Chris at Chris Auto Body smoothed the cowl vent holes, hood squirters, door and tailgate handles, wipers, and taillights. The rear bumper disappeared into the trash heap, and a roll pan was put in its place. Also, the tailgate was welded closed and molded to the roll pan; flush LED lights took up residence for legality reasons. To cover that ugly bridge notch hole in the bed floor, a metal bridge cover was fabricated, and the rest of the inner bed was smoothed to match. Finally, a Toyota 4Runner front bumper was installed and the whole kit and caboodle was layered in rich GM Majestic II Burgundy. A chopper-style gas filler sits on the sheetmetal-covered bed, and a JBM billet phantom grille resides on the Mazda's nose. Clear corner and bumper lights add just the right touch.