Any tips on how to make my truck stylish?

I was walking through the school parking lot today and noticed all the "tricked" out trucks. Being myself, I thought "Gosh, I wish I could throw some awesomeness in my truck's general direction." No, I didn't really think those exact words, but it gets the idea across. Here is the important details. I have a 97 Nissan hardbody/Frontier. It's paint isn't bad so no rattle can there, it's the Pacific blue and has the "premium" stock 14 X 6.5 inch alloy rims. I just needed a vehicle at the time so I have less than 1000 miles on the new tires. I was thinking maybe trying to make the truck look meaner but on a serious college student budget. I was thinking gritty looking if that helps. My dad said to just buy another set of rims. I was thinking of painting them matte black or whatever. He was thinking I should get some black wheels from a pick n pull or where ever. Can I use a bigger wheel on tires designed for the stock wheels? Stupid question but I really don't know. Or, wait there is more, would it be smarter and CHEAPER to paint the wheels themselves? I would like to do some other cosmetic fixes too it but I don't want to push myself into a stereotype. I was wondering what ideas this board would suggest. I'll try and help. I don't want to change the ride height, I like the travel and I like the handling of the truck so no lifting either. Does this sound stupid, a few of my cycling buddies were joking saying I should try to make it have a race car livery just using bike manufacturer stickers. Even though there are a handful of stickers barfed up on it already haha. I don't know since the truck is mine now I want to give it that "it's mine" look while still being a bit unique from the normal "cool boys and their trucks." Thanks in advance.

Truck nutz

or if you really want to man up trade it for a miata

I think you won't find much support here for "looks for the sake of looks."

A nice set of wheels can transform the look of a vehicle. But that also usually involves (in my mind) wider wheels and often larger diameter than stock.

I don't typically do anything solely for visual cues. Rather, I do them for performance and assocaiate the look with the performance, and that's why I like the look.

Form follows function, you know...

Clem

Paint the wheels flat black with chrome center caps, flat black the grill, and a roo/push bar out front, with a budget 1in front lift. Add off road lights to the roo bar and bingo, tough and gritty looking. Add a locker to the rear diff and you can actually off road it a bit, to get to those off the beaten path places to ride.

oops saw the no lifting clause, coil spring isolaters up front for the lift, just enough to level it a bit.

If it's a 97, it's a Hardbody.

To make it look scary mean, you're going to have to use some either flat black paint or some primer. If you're wanting male enhancement, look for another truck.

Flat black the grille. It pulls off with a good tug. Do the same to the front bumper.

If you have an XE, you have chrome wing mirrors (as opposed to "dumbo ear" mirrors). Flat black those. Matter of fact, flat black ALL of the chrome.

Now, do you want to lift the truck or lower the truck? To lift, you need either lift shackles or you need to re-arch the spring packs in the rear, and crank the torsions in the front. Lowering is easier. You can re-drill the front leaf spring hanger to a higher spot and pull the overload spring from the spring pack. You're still cranking torsions in the front.

Not to Canoe, but I think you're looking for www.infamousnissan.com . Their info will be much better than what you'll get from here. Beware that they're a minitruck site, and seem to be on the lowering side of things, but there are a few offroaders there.

Truck Nuts

Turret

Flat black paint with day glow yellow frame

(I am just poking you BTW)

Get a buzzcut or a buzzlet (buzzcut with a mullet aka rat tails), wear plaid shirts, blue jeans, a wallet on a chain, converse and a nasty expression on your face....

Oh wait, you were asking about the truck.

If you look around at the mini-truck sites you might find some lowering spindles and rear spring shackles to drop it a bit. You might find the wheels can be interchanged with another Nissan, like say a Z car, etc that might help open cheap wheel options (take offs from people upgrading their cars, etc)

Put a 0.50 cal in the back on a pintle mount. Or a 0.30 minigun.

Is it a 4x4, or 2WD? 'Cuz the look is usually different for an offroad machine, than it is for a street rod type truck. Cheap upgrades are nice new headlights, tail lights, fender flares, rims, custom grille... those things can usually be found on ebay or truck forums.

Ixnay on the allsbay... mine are under the hood

"Any tips on how to make my truck stylish?"

GRM sticker and a Jesus fish = WIN!

Marty! Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.... wrote: "Any tips on how to make my truck stylish?" GRM sticker and a Jesus fish = WIN!

GRM sticker and a FSM emblem = WIN!

If you have a 2wd and you want to lower it, crank the torsions on the front and get 4x4 shocks, they're shorter.

Per Schroeder wrote:

Marty! Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.... wrote: "Any tips on how to make my truck stylish?" GRM sticker and a Jesus fish = WIN!

GRM sticker and a FSM emblem = WIN!

oh snap, its deity deathmatch time!

My imaginary friend is better than your imaginary friend?

Sorry, but the kid of folks "looking to make my truck more stylish"....in my mind anyway, don't get it. I mean, that trucks already have a style. It's sort of like wanting to make your vintage Nash Metropolitan look more cute/girlie.

Having said that, yesterday I saw a new Frontier that was almost totally black. The wheels were black, the grille was black, the only shiney/chromey looking bits were the headlights (the guy had some kind of aftermarket LED conversion headlight, and they had a little bit of chrome or white....not sure which). Unfortunately, when I saw the driver walk towards his truck I almost got my ass stomped by suggesting he was too old to drive such a tough looking truck.

Per Schroeder wrote:

Marty! Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.... wrote: "Any tips on how to make my truck stylish?" GRM sticker and a Jesus fish = WIN!

GRM sticker and a FSM emblem = WIN!

LOL as soon as I read the first one the FSM emblem was my immediate thought. Can't wait to meet you someday.

In the realm of form follows function and personalization, what do you use the truck for?

When I had my F-150 it was a tow pig and parts hauler and it reflected that. Rhino lined the bed (you could do that yourself) and some of my car stickers (GRM of course).

My van is a motorcycle hauler (but still has the GRM stickers). I mounted some Cibie lights in the bumper, raised white leters and I want a safari rack I can climb on mounted on the roof for watching races.

You mentioned bicylist, if you're a 2 wheeler, find some awesome support vehicles and emulate them. My buddy did that with his Volvo wagon years ago, made it his Cannondale support car. Looked neat.

Or you can find a set of Pathfinder SE wheels and do this;

Box flares make everything more awesome!

Do this. If its 2WD, lower it.

Probably gonna get banninated for posting such idiocy that came from myself, but here's what you shouldn't do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9P33J1MuD8

I'm working on getting it reliable. The scary car thread here is my inspiration, and I had the truck sitting around.

The black Frontier I saw, looks very much like the truck pictured above, just in black, and WITHOUT that tacked-on looking hood scoop. Looked sharp, but was driven by a guy in his late 30s.....looks more like an update of Marty McFly's truck, by Nissan.

Appleseed wrote: Do this. If its 2WD, lower it.

That thing is TOUGH looking! I like it!

oh and Marty's truck was a Taco!

Keep it simple ! don't make it look like the auto zone 5$ bin threw up on it . Satin/flat black , rims , mirrors, bumpers, handles, and a cherry bomb that dumps in front of the rear pass. tire. Get a rear lsd or a locker so your not peg legging it . Huge off road lights in the grill. Don't gay it up with tint or play show tunes.

Nissan & Stylish can only equal Fourez

The Pathfinder SE rims look very stout, even if it did not include the paint scheme.