The Revival of the '90s Mini Truck Trend
Hannah DeWitt
· 3 min read
There's a peculiar type of
truck
customization that we maybe haven't thought of in a while. Back in the day, almost every neighborhood had at least one mini truck that was proudly displayed on the curb. While we do enjoy nostalgic road trips into the '90s, the mini-truck may be accelerating out of the past into the present. That's right, mini trucks are making a comeback.
How '90s mini trucks started
While mini trucks were popularized in the '90s, that's not the decade they were born in. In fact, they weren't inspired by trucks themselves. No, the mini-truck phenomenon was an offshoot of van culture, as reported by
Car and Driver
. In the '70s, van culture was all the rage amongst the youth. College kids loved painting their minivan with a custom paint job and decking out their interiors to be as groovy as possible. The popularity of custom minivans from the '70s can still be observed in today's pop culture, in Scooby-Doo for example.
Out of minivans, mini trucks were born. If you can customize a van, why not a truck?
Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
No spam · No long forms · No fees
What are mini trucks?
MORE: The Dodge Midnight Express and Other Rare Pickup Trucks
There is no official definition or spec that makes a mini truck a mini truck. Believe us, you'll know it when you see it. One of the distinctive features of these custom cars is how low they are to the ground. Some are so low, that they look like they'd get high centered on a pebble. Getting these trucks so low is not easy nor cheap. Only the truly committed are capable of customizing a mini truck.
The customization doesn't end at the lift. For those who can afford it, these trucks can be given what is called a "dancing bed." That's to say a fancy hydraulic kit is installed in the bed, allowing the truck to hop and bounce about.
Perhaps the most important thing about any mini truck is the paint job. This is where the truck's individuality really shines. Most owners opt for brighter colors with an eye-popping design. The graphic design can transcend decades.
We've seen everything from racing flames all the way to intricate lines that scream Ed Hardy. If it would make for a cool tattoo, then it would probably look great on a mini truck.
Will '90s mini trucks make a comeback?
MORE: 5 Most Popular '90s Cars
In a way, mini trucks never completely disappeared. They've been kept alive by die-hard fans. One of the reasons why we see fewer now than in the '90s is due to a lack of stock trucks available to customize. That may be changing.
Ford is just about to release a new small pickup, the
Maverick
. The Maverick sure is reminiscent of a previous generation Ranger, making it ideal for mini truck customization. The Maverick isn't the only small truck that's about to launch, as Hyundai has its own in their Santa Cruz. We'll just have to wait and see if these new small trucks can revive the mini truck movement. Save money on insuring your mini truck
You might be waiting for the right mini truck, but one thing that you shouldn't wait on is saving money on car insurance. That's where
Jerry
can help. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy.
