Taking a blank metal truck canvas and painting one's own interpretation of how it should sit is a matter of vision and skill. And starting with a truck that is 22 years old is not only an uphill battle, but it's more like rock climbing with no safety harness. Many people dream up these pavement-dragging pickups in their heads and have neither the time nor the money to transfer them from their minds to the truck. It definitely takes patience, vision, and greenbacks to create a stunning custom pickup.
Brian Kingsbury started this project with no time or money but decided that he was going to build a super-clean Mazda anyway. At the age of 16 and wanting wheels, he bought the '84 Mazda for 1,000 dollars from his dad. Brian was off and running, well more like crawling, because you see most companies don't make parts for a 22-year-old custom truck. So, any custom part needed to be fabricated. And at 16 and not knowing anything, things tend to go a little slow. About this time, Brian started working at Circuit City as a salesman slangin' washers, dryers, and microwaves. Every spare moment he got, Brian was in the back watching and trying to learn how to install stereo equipment. After the guys in the back gave young Brian some pointers, he was finally off and running. Only this time, home was where he was running, to install all the new audio equipment that he purchased.
Not long after learning the basics, Brian started installing stereos at Circuit City while going to school full time. Somewhere in all this, Brian made enough money to make an appointment with Jody Hall to get the ol' Mazda 'bagged. Now that he was broke again, but still wanting to do more to his ride, Brian decided that he was going to do the bodywork himself. Just like learning how to be a stereo installer, he borrowed a welder and acquired the skills to shave up the entire truck. He smoothed out the body panels, shot it with a few coats of primer, and that's how Brian rolled for a couple years.
Once again, the project had to take a back seat; only this time, it wasn't the lack of resources. The time finally came for Brian to ask his girlfriend of six years to marry him. So, with planning a wedding, looking for a new job, and in the process of buying a house, Brian just couldn't find the time to finish the truck. After settling into his new life and house, it was that time. Brian was finally able to lock himself in his very own garage and finish what he started five years earlier.
There were very few things left on the to-do list, such as paint, finish the interior, and freshen up the stereo. Since all the modifications on the truck were mostly done by Brian, he figured he might as well finish it himself. He worked on getting the body as straight as possible before attempting to lay down the Napa Martin Senour Gun Metal Gray finish. And one thing that Brian found out is that he could paint-he just can't spray clear without it running like a track star. But, with some color sanding and buffing, you could never tell. After four stereo systems, three interiors, and two sets of rims, Brian finally got to the point where he called his Mazda finished. So, when we asked Brian what his thoughts were about his ride being done, the only thing he could say after a long pause was, "I'm damn glad it's done!"
THE 411
Owner/hometown: Brian Kingsbury / Louisville, Kentucky
Year/make/model: '84 Mazda B2000
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0L four-cylinder FE motor bored 0.30-over / custom exhaust from header back / mini turbo muffler
Installers: Auburndale Auto Parts / Classic Muffler Automotive
Wheels/tires: (Front/Rear) 17x7-inch Intro Twisted Vistas 6 / 4.5-inch backspace / 205/40R17 Sumitomo HTR-Z / Air Ride Technologies Wheel Plates
Suspension/chassis: Modified front spring pocket / flipped lower ball joints / Firestone 2500 air spring / back-half made from 2x4x1/4-inch box tube / Pete & Jake's triangulated four-link / Firestone 9000 air springs / eight 3/8-inch Parker air valves / used the stock A/C unit for air compressor / 3/8-inch stainless steel tubing and DOT air line / four switches mounted in center console / early model F-150 reserve gas tank mounted between framerails
Fabricator: Jody Hall at the Drop Shop
Body Mods: Custom grille made from 3/8-inch stainless steel tubing / shaved door handles, windshield wipers, B-pillar vents, gas door, front markers, cab seams, bed tie-downs, emblems, and tailgate / Sun Spec billet mirrors
Bodywork: Brian Kingsbury
Custom Paint: Napa Martin Senour Gun Metal Gray
Paintwork: Brian Kingsbury
Interior: Modified Honda Del Sol bucket seats covered in gray naugahide with gray tweed inserts / dash, headliner, door panels, and center console wrapped in gray tweed / custom center console with sub enclosure / six air gauges mounted in passenger side of dash
Upholsterer: Brian Kingsbury / Derrick Fondern
Audio/video: Alpine CDA-7894 head unit mounted in the ashtray location / Alpine ERGA320A EQ in the stock radio location / JL XR-650CSI components / custom-made kick panels for components / US AMPS US-50, US AMPS US-100 both mounted under the front seats / 8-inch Kicker L7 DVC
Installer: Brian Kingsbury
Club: Negative Camber
Special Thanks: His wife, mom and dad, Derrick Fondern, Josh Akin, Lee, Jimmy and Donnie Erwin, all of the Negative Camber crew, and anyone that helped with the build.