It must be tough being Shawn Williams, because he is one of those guys who has all the toys in his garage. He also has this Vortech-supercharged Nissan Titan as one the vehicles that is at his leisure to drive at any time. But, he deserves to have things like this, because he works hard at staying on top of his game and constantly putting out high-quality customs.
His shop, Street Concepts, which is located in the heart of Huntington Beach, California, is not your average fix-it-up-and-get-it-out custom shop. Shawn started out 6 years ago, designing special project vehicles for the corporate world. When Nissan wanted to debut a version of its new Titan truck, it knew just where to turn to make the company's ideas a reality. By choosing Street Concepts to build Nissan's Titan, the company could customize a truck for practical purposes, and the design would stand as a platform for personalization. Shawn had been researching this Titan build for a month before Nissan gave him the green light to put everything together-two months before the SEMA Show.
Once Street Concepts got the Titan in its possession, the race was on to get the truck together in time. The list of mods to perform included a lowering kit, bigger wheels, brakes, interior, paint, and performance mods. On the performance end, Shawn made some calls and got ahold of Bassani for a power-boosting exhaust system.
While calling around, he got wind of a new supercharger kit being developed for the Titan by the folks at Vortech. By that time, Vortech had already laid down its plans and created a prototype system on its own Titan. To generate a buzz at the upcoming SEMA Show, Vortech decided to scramble a concept version together for the Street Concepts Titan.
The truck was finished and debuted at the show, meeting its deadline. Now that the truck has been completed, it's our turn to get behind the wheel of this blown monster of a truck and put it to the test. To compare and contrast, we did a quick run in a stock Titan, punching it down and around the streets. It handled smooth over the bumpy surface streets, and it seemed to have enough muscle to pull us down the asphalt at a good rate. In stock trim, the Titan had plenty of power, as we pushed 20 mph past the speed limit and it didn't struggle to get us to that point.
Once we got back to Street Concepts, we dropped off the factory roller and grabbed the keys to the hi-po truck. We felt the seriousness of the power the moment the engine turned over because we heard a distinctive large rumble out of the exhaust and a whistle from the blower. With a gentle push of the go pedal, we became one with the truck and fearful that we might pitch the truck sideways out of the driveway.
Since the shop is in Huntington Beach, we cruised along Pacific Coast Highway. With its long stretches of paved road, we knew that we wouldn't get caught up by troublesome street lights. We made a sharp left onto the highway and passed a couple of slower cars with some aggressive maneuvering. All that was left was the open highway and our right foot smacked down on the gas. We were plastered to the seats as the speedo flashed past the 90-mph mark, and tunnel vision set in as the scenic beachside view became a blur.
We quickly came to a stop and noticed our hands were clenched on the wheel, face drenched in sweat, and we were grunting for more. Unfortunately, it was time to head back to the shop. But, before that, we had to backtrack on PCH, which meant we had no choice but to fully test the truck's capabilities down the stretch. Once again, the go pedal was smashed to the floor, the needle swept quickly to the right, and we practically drooled on the leather.
Needless to say, this truck was a thrill to test out on the unsuspecting public streets. And even though the supercharger kit is a concept version and we had no horsepower or torque ratings, we are able to tell you that it was nothing short of amazing. We were having a long day here at the office, and this truck gave us something to smile about during our hectic day.
Shawn has put his skills to the test with this one. With the truck's concept Vortech blower, it gives us an anxiety attack just thinking about what we could do when it reaches production. This Titan is a classy truck that has the tricks under the hood to prove itself, even to us magazine guys.
The 411
Owner/hometown: Shawn Williams / Huntington Beach, California
Year/make/model: '04 Nissan Titan X-Cab
Engine/drivetrain: 5.6L DOHC V-8 / Bassani high-performance exhaust system and headers / Vortech supercharger / five-speed automatic transmission
Installer: Street Concepts, of Huntington Beach, California
Wheels/tires: 24x10-inch Foose Speedsters / 295/35R24 Toyos
Suspension: Street Beat Customs 2/4 drop / Air Ride Technologies helper 'bags in the rear / Brembo 15-inch eight-piston brakes
Fabricator: Street Concepts, of Huntington Beach, California
Body Mods: Grill Craft front grille / Starshield clear bra
Custom Paint: PPG Burnt Orange
Bodywork/paint: Paint 'N' Place, of Placentia, California
Interior: Katzkin re-covered leather seats / carbon-fiber dash accents by Suite E Graphics
Upholsterer: Street Concepts, of Huntington Beach, California
Audio/video: Rockford Fosgate upgraded door speakers / mono amp / stereo amp / two 10-inch subwoofers / touch-screen head unit / wiring components provided by Lightning Audio
Installer: Street Concepts, of Huntington Beach, California