These are the coolest modified Japanese classic pickup trucks we have ever seen

2021-12-16 08:11:36 By : Mr. Jerry Deng

These classic Japanese trucks have been modified to perfection.

In that era (50s and 60s), Japanese cars were not so popular. They are considered prone to rust, unreliable, and completely inferior because some of their companies have a knack for copying designs from other brands. But over time, as the true face of Japanese cars is gradually being seen by people, most of these conjectures have been eliminated or may be found to be irrelevant. A bulletproof car with low operating cost and high reliability. As a result, Japanese passenger car exports increased significantly in the late 1960s.

As the Arab oil embargo and some strict automobile regulatory laws have caused enthusiasts around the world to consider switching to JDM's relatively cheap and efficient cars, JDM's foreign invasion plan in the 1970s will only get better. Thanks to the modification shop, many JDM brands that led the invasion of foreign enemies are still seen on our streets today. However, we focus on pickup trucks and bring you these fascinating, modified examples of classic JDM.

No, due to the "chicken tax" and other factors, the B120 Sunny Truck was never sold in the United States during its heyday (launched in 1971, and produced in certain markets until 2008). However, due to its age and the amazing customization capabilities of Japanese classic genius guys, this 1986 model is now worthwhile in the United States.

The truck was completely restored internally by a modification shop, giving it a wider bell mouth and finishing with a gray primer.

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This vintage Mitsubishi L200 was shipped from Thailand to the UK by its new owner, James Hoole, who is also an experienced car tuner. He acquired it for his love of retro Japanese cars, and before Hoole bought it, the Thai tuner had made a lot of modifications to this example.

Interestingly, the highlight of the modification is the naturally aspirated Toyota 1JZ mill under the hood, which has been adjusted to about 200 horses. Alcantara's Bride bucket seats and OMP Drifting steering system decorate the interior and other upgrades.

There is no better mod work than this. This is a lowered truck equipped with a very powerful mill. Classic car enthusiast Raymond Moon had to sell two of his Evos to fund the truck and his house project. Specifically, this is a 1969 Datsun 521, now powered by Nissan Skyline's RB25DET.

In addition, the jaw-dropping exterior finishes are painted with House of Kolor Gamma Gold, which was cleverly finished by Moon's friends at AK Airbrushing & Auto Body.

Who said you can't like two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles at the same time? This is the case with Erik van Nieuwburg. He has been a truck enthusiast since he was a child, and he also likes bicycles very much. For this version, van Nieuwburg purchased a 1967 Toyota Strato because it was abandoned on a farm in California for more than 30 years.

The modification requires a total of 93 years of Toyota Hilux parts, and No Limit Muffler & Fabrication is responsible for the manufacturing. It is worth noting that this truck is powered by a 22RE mill.

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It may look more like something from the filming scene of "Mad Max", but it is a modified 1977 Toyota Hilux called "Frankenstein Hilux", which we think is very cool. Provided by Vague Industries of New Hampshire, the wide body of this vintage truck is made entirely of metal.

In addition, this truck is also equipped with a unique fender made of hand-welded metal plates, as well as a front bumper and splitter made of steel. It is powered by a 4.8-liter V8 LR4, with a turbocharger extending out of the hood.

Tom Lingard saw this 1981 Datsun Sunny at the 2018 British Show and decided that it must be his. After that, Lingard removed the truck for proper inspection, and then slammed it with the K20A engine of the EP3 Honda Civic R donation car.

The truck has a beautiful "smoothing option" CarbonSignal Hakosuka front end, while the fully restored body is decorated with custom mixed paint colors, giving the truck a vibrant and warm tone.

The Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45 pickup truck is a rather scarce pickup truck. Nevertheless, this example entered the modification shop and the result was excellent. 1964 model, this example is equipped with upgraded Dakar leaf springs and Old Man Emu Nitrocharger Sport Shocks.

Other upgrades include Warn winches and BFGoodrich All-Terrain A/T tires mounted on the front bumper. In addition, the interior is equipped with re-upholstered cloth seats and matching carpets. Power comes from a 3.9-liter original factory equipped with a three-speed manual transmission, but equipped with a new carburetor and ignition system.

Related: These are the most powerful Japanese sports cars of all time

Life always comes quickly, but for Phil Randall, it may come faster. Randall is a talented car tuner. He needs to complete a project in record time to have a chance to drive his terminally ill father on the track while he is still alive. The result of the rush is this amazingly modified Mazda B2500 pickup truck.

The entire conversion took Randall 200 hours of life, and it has multiple upgrades, including a spare RB20DET motor with a sunburst yellow finish. Yes, he took his father on the right track.

The 70 to 80 horses produced by the classic Datsun Sunny 1200 will not excite many people today, but it has done the job in the past. However, this example is a 1974 unit belonging to Dominic Le, who has thoroughly overhauled it, except for the tailgate latch and accelerator pedal.

The truck is powered by a 2.0-liter SR20DET four-cylinder engine installed on Nissan Silvia, with a turbocharger that can output 350 horses. Classic trucks have a white finish, which attracts Jay Leno's attention as SEMA.

Thanks to these cheap and reliable Japanese 4x4s, off-roading has never been so affordable.

Over the years, Ola Kunle has contributed to multiple platforms as a writer. He has been fascinated by the world of automobiles since he was a child. Therefore, he found it very interesting to contribute to HotCars-a surreal experience.