Authenticity… it’s one of the few things money CAN’T buy. And here’s the thing: Authenticity is often undervalued by the people who have it, and obsessed-over by the people who don’t. Let that sink in & maybe read it twice. Because no amount of ‘adding to cart’ will buy anyone authenticity. You have to earn it, exercise it, and develop it. And that’s why people will step over the newest lame exotic crossover or Tesla Cybercuck to feast their eyes on this Long Beach-local Toyota Pickup drift minitruck creation.
And you know what???
I could end this article right here honestly. I said what I wanted to say in the opening paragraph. The photos of the truck back me up, and those of you who needed to hear it… heard it. I don’t want to muddy-up the message. The problem is – SEO won’t know what to do with text this short lol. Additionally, AI probably won’t know how to steal the message … plus it has curse words in it & AI probably doesn’t like that. Wait – not yet it doesn’t. Let’s fix that: Fuck AI, and fuck cars that drive like they’re AI. But enough with all that…
Let’s talk about this Toyota minitruck drifter…
Jordan Alatorre’s (aka; Scrapelux) Toyota Pickup settles-in where minitruckin’ & JDM street drifting collide. And here’s where authenticity takes root: When Jordan was a kid, his dad drove an ’85 Toyota Pickup X-cab. Jordan LOVED riding shotgun in that truck. In Jordan’s words, old motors just scream. They’re mechanical, and they attach you to the moment. They very obviously inhale & exhale air… and feel alive. In other words, they ooze authenticity… and likely oil lol. Old-school engines have a way of feeling fast even when they’re not terribly fast. And honestly, in a lot of ways, that’s more pure. It’s a real experience when you’re behind the wheel of an older, simpler, analogue car. By today’s standards, we’d probably confuse that with ‘inconvenience’.
Anyway – when Jordan Alatorre came of age (roughly 30 now), he kind of started taking ownership of the truck little-by-little. He just started driving it more-&-more… and his dad was cool with it. Probably happy/proud to see the bond in all honesty. Eventually – Jordan lowered the Toyota pickup. And his dad said, “Alright you messed with it; now it’s yours.”
Jordan went-in deep on that Toyota Pickup…
He promptly bought a Toyota 2J engine swap. And before long – the little Toyota pickup truck was fully-scattered across the front driveway. To no one’s surprise, some Karen on the street complained to the county. And in typical California fashion, the county gave Jordan 1-week to get the truck reassembled (back to stock) & inspected by the state… or it would be impounded. Jordan decided the best option was to sell everything, move lol, and start over. That’s when he bought the single-cab Toyota Pickup you see here. It was literally a bone-stock little gardening truck. And thankfully, Jordan learned nothing from the Karens of the world because…
He went deep on this Toyota Pickup too.
The mission was – to learn. If Jordan needed to do engine work, he took to the internet & learned how to perform the task. Likewise, if he needed to fabricate a part, he used the internet to study how others approached it. Then he’d buy the tools & learn the trade. And that’s what it’s all about. As a society, we don’t encourage the youth to work with their hands, create, and express themselves anymore. Not if it’s noisy. Rather – we’re more likely to complain to the county like assholes. And our government steadily regulates & legislates the youth to the lowest common denominator… inside into a virtual slavery on screens. Where they bicker, divide themselves, and become offended online… rather than uniting under the camaraderie & common interests of real-world/outdoor hobbies, sports, and activities. AKA – things that build character, discipline, dedication, perseverance, talent, & wait for it… authenticity!
You wonder where true authenticity has gone in the modern age?!? With all due respect, it’s probably gone to the same place true freedom has.
Photos by car owner Jordan Alatorre, AKA Scrapelux
1987 Toyota Pickup RN50
Engine
3SGE Beams Blacktop engine (230whp)
Eagle forged rods
Stock pistons/rings
Kelford springs & retainers
ARP head studs
Stock metal headgasket
80mm AT Power throttle body
Weldspeed intake manifold
Turbosmart 45 Gen-V wastegate
Garrett GT3071R turbo with Arashi GT3071R Internals
Custom turbo manifold
16.5-gallon fuel cell
Walbro Hellcat 525lph fuel pump
Performance Injection 1000cc injectors
Hyperfuel pressure regulator
R35 GTR ignition coils
Custom ignition coil hold-down brackets
ISR S13 240sx intercooler
External Derale oil cooler
2JZ Alternator 150a
MyWireShop engine harness
Link ECU G4X & MXS 1.2 Street Dash
3″ Exhaust
Dual inline Vibrant mufflers
Tuned by Unrivaled Tuning
Custom motor mounts & trans mount
Yellow Optima battery (mounted in bed)
Drivetrain / Brakes / Suspension
J160 6-speed transmission
ClutchMasters 725 twin disc
Custom driveshaft
Nissan S13 R200 diff
Infiniti j30 axles
S13 5-lug swap
ARP wheel studs
S13 240sx rear subframe
Rear Tube Chassis
Rear custom cantilever suspension
Front & rear SAESPEED 7″ coilovers
SAESPEED upper control arms
1992 Toyota Pickup lower arms
Shortened Belltech drop spindles
Modified inner tie rods
Vision521 wheels (Front: 15×10-25, Rear: 15×10+25)
205/50R15 tires
300zx calipers
ChaseBays IS300 brake booster delete
Tucked brake & clutch lines
Modified GKTech hydro e-brake
Steering
1976 Mustang II rack-&-pinion
StabFab rack-&-pinion bracket
2012 Volvo S40 electric power steering (mounted in bed)
6an PTFE power steering Lines
Derale power steering cooler w/ fan (mounted in bed)
Exterior
1988 4Runner 4×4 fenders, bumper, grille, & front valence
2003 350z side splitters
Lemon Hill Avenue rear metal flares
DapperLighting headlights
Clear bumper/corner lights
Custom taillights & diffusor
CHECKMATE tonneau cover (discontinued)
Interior
Weld-in harness bar
Custom door panels & roof-mounted steering wheel holder
1992 Toyota Pickup DashCab
Custom body/chassis harness
NRG seats
Shortened Corbeau seat mounts
RaceEquip harness
Voswitch switch panel
Skar Audio 6×9 speakers and 8″ subwoofer
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R1 CONCEPTS PERFORMANCE BRAKES
PERFORMANCE FUEL INJECTION
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JC TINELA
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