Keep it in the Club: Jesse Chomick’s ’87 B2200

Jesse Chomick, Alberta native, began his days as Minitrucker north of ten years ago. He had grown up in a family of hot-rodders and bike builders, always loving customs himself. Around the same time, Brandon of Severed Ties in Canada, began the back-half portion of his 1987 Mazda B2200 project. Fast forward a decade and Brandon had his hands full with a few others. He opted to pass along his project to his younger club brother and Jesse found himself the proud owner of a ready-to-build rolling chassis. Over the course of 4 years, Jesse poured more time and money into the truck than he cared to count. But all with a singular purpose in Mind. Jesse is not one for trophies or awards. His passion for building comes from a love of the community and experience. Building something badass to share with friends, to cruise, to park hard, and keep the scene alive and well.

Words: Michael Phillips | Photos: The Dub Dynasty

Jesse’s B2200 has an entirely custom back-half. The frame was chopped just behind the cab and built from scratch by Brandon. The custom chassis was buttoned up by Jesse and altered a bit for his plans. He repositioned the transmission cross member for his unique drivetrain. The mini uses Slam Specialties RE7 airbags for both the front and rear. The double-billows work in tandem with CPP drop shocks. Together the suspension components provide more than enough support and travel to take full advantage of the custom frame. This includes the 3/8-inch walled flat bar in the rear just for dragging.

Also taking full advantage of suspension travel are the 20-inch Lexani LSS 11 wheels. The forged rollers are squared at 8.5-inches wide. Their multi-spoke faces are finished in gloss black, contrast cut along each spoke. The hardware and lips are chrome finished. The Lexanis are matched with Falken Azenis FK453 tires measuring 235/30/20 all around. The contrasting finish and multi-spoke design create a mesmerizing blur in motion. Just behind sit the upgraded disc brakes. The big brake kit from Canadian Chassis Components makes use of 12-inch Wilwood rotors, 4-pot Wilwood calipers, and dual Wilwood master cylinders. The massive upgrade in stopping power is a welcome addition on account of what’s underneath the hood.

Rather than the original Mazda-made four-cylinder, or a more common modern engine swap, Jesse opted for a true hot-rod power plant. The B2200 is powered by a 383 stroker Chevy small block. The V8 was built by D&W Custom Engines and by Epic Rod & Customs. It features an Edelbrock performance series intake manifold and Patriot S10 headers, modified to fit. The headers hook to a custom 2.5-inch exhaust ending in a Hooker Aero Chamber muffler. The SBC sends its ponies through a 700R4 automatic trans, to a Ford 8-inch rear end.

Now in today’s world, the aftermarket has grown considerably. New technologies and the ever-lengthening reach of media has expanded in the industry ten-fold. When it comes to tech, “There’s an app for that.” When it comes to customs, “There’s a manufacturer for that.” In the custom car and truck scene at large, there are bolt-on solutions for just about everything. But a few words #TeamSlamd never forgets, “You can’t spell custom without the cuts.” Jesse’s Mazda is set apart by its genuinely custom, one-off body mods. The kind that made the Minitruckin scene unique in the first place.

First up to bat is the bobbed bed. A total of 7-inches has been removed from the box creating seriously cool proportions with the extended cab. Furthering the cause, the truck has been wide-bodied in the front and back. The B2200 gained an extra 4-inches in width all around. The wide-body is subtle enough to go undetected, but the overall effect is to further emphasize the custom proportions. The rear section is smoothed out entirely. The bumper has been replaced with a Grant Kustom’s roll pan. The functional tailgate uses hidden hinges. And the raised bed-floor is glassy sheet metal.

The front of the Mazda sports some equally impressive body mods with an fully custom front fascia. First off, the stock hood has been ditched in favor of a newer B2600i hood. The headlights have been converted to that of a Ford Ranger, the B2200’s American twin. Finally, a custom-fit Toyota 4-runner bumper finishes the look. Jesse’s truck boasts an impressive 3.5-inch body-drop. The combined effect of the custom cuts and truly Slam’d stance are eye-popping, to say the least. The final piece to the visual puzzle was a healthy coat of Catalina Dream Teal from Axalta Paints.

The interior carries over the same seriousness with which the exterior and frame were handled. It doesn’t skip a beat showing off the true beauty of a Mini. The B2200 seats were replaced by Ranger buckets and custom refinished in black leather with diamond contrast stitching. While the original dash remains in place, its been heavily modded to stand-out. It now sports a set of Speedhut gauges for the 383-stroker. The center section was cut and fiberglassed to house an iPad Mini. The flush-set tablet acts as center for entertainment media. A custom sheet metal center console runs through the cab. It features the shifter box, cup holders, speakers, and the air suspension control unit. In the console, there are two Kicker Audio 5-1.25-inch speakers. Twin 6×9’s hide in cab’s back panels. The entire cabin is wrapped in custom upholstery giving it a singularly cohesive look.

While the aftermarket continues to explode, true customs remains limited. That is why its so important to celebrate builds like Jesse’s. And to celebrate club-brothers passing their projects along to each other. This Mazda B2200 with its small-block heart and host of body mods is one of the last of a dying breed. Hats off to Jesse and company for what they have put together. We hope it inspires more to aim this ~~high~~ low!

Special Thanks from the Owner:

“First off I want to thank Brandon from my chapter for giving me this truck and letting me finish what he started 10 years ago, all the guys in my chapter, my parents for letting me build it in their garage the first little bit, all my friends that have helped along the way, Sam at Epic for the countless help he’s given me with this build, Corey for helping me wire the truck, Cam for letting me borrow his trailer a bunch of times to get it places to get things done to it or take it to shows when it wasn’t running yet, Chris at Lange’s Shop for the body work, Gary at Auto Marine Custom Upholstery for the interior, and anyone that pushed me to get it done. I have a huge thanks to Mike and Jesse from The Dub Dynasty for shooting the truck and always being down to hang out and bullshit about vehicles. I’m sure I’m missing people.”
– Jesse Chomick