Elisha Rehrig’s Slice of Mini-Truck Culture

SOME builds come from scratch. Others come from obsession. For Elisha Rehrig out of Flippin, Arizona, it was love at first sight with a little yellow Toyota known as “Lemon Drop.”

Originally built by mini-truck veteran Michael Santella, this 1994 Toyota pickup was already making waves in the scene when Elisha spotted it. By 2021, the keys were in her hands, and she was ready to make this bright beauty her own.

Lemon Drop isn’t just another slammed Toyota. It’s a full-blown, body-dropped, sky-gazing cruiser built with love, hustle, and a whole lot of mini-truck attitude. As a member of the Acrophobia truck club (yeah, the club named after the fear of heights), Elisha’s truck lives low and proud, scraping pavement and turning heads at every stoplight.

Now, let’s talk about metalwork. The bed has a full makeover thanks to Robert Suber, including a Cali combo tailgate skin that deletes the tailgate and rear bumper, giving the back end a smooth, roll-pan look. Everything else that didn’t need to be there—door locks, door handles, gas door, and windshield wipers—was shaved clean. The factory front bumper and grille were swapped for new units from a Toyota 4Runner, and LED tails add that modern pop out back.

The paint is straight-up eye candy—pastel yellow from a 2019 Camaro mixed with Lemon Drop Pearl was laid down by Stephen Anderson and Ryan Kidd at S&R Designs. Brandon “Gooch” McCoy from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, worked his graphic magic on the body, tailgate, and dash with some killer pinstriping and old-school styling.

Under the hood, the OG 2.2L four-cylinder gets some extra pep from a Celica intake manifold and long-tube headers from LT Engineering. It’s no race truck, but it’s got just enough growl to back up the stance.

Speaking of stance, Lemon Drop lays flat thanks to a traditional body drop, a reverse four-link setup, a big step notch, and air-ride on all four corners. The frame? Fully painted front to rear by Michael Santella himself. A Monroe steering stabilizer keeps it tracking straight even when slammed to the pavement. The classic 17×7 Boyd Coddington Blasters with a 5-inch backspace look just right on this build.

This truck took a year and a half and around $15K to build, but for Elisha, it’s more than a toy; it’s a trophy, a connection to community, and proof that sometimes when you fall for a truck, you fall hard.

Inside, Elisha rides in style with Nissan bucket seats, fresh carpet, a leather wrap, and a fiberglass dash painted to match the body. A BAD Hellfire billet steering wheel and a Mooneyes shorty shifter with a yellow ball handle round out the vibe.

This truck took a year and a half and around $15K to build, but for Elisha, it’s more than a toy; it’s a trophy, a connection to community, and proof that sometimes when you fall for a truck, you fall hard.

TRUCK SPECS

 Engine & Drivetrain

• Factory 2.2L 4-cylinder
• Toyota Celica intake manifold
• LT Engineering long-tube headers

Chassis & Suspension

• Traditional body drop
• Reverse four-link rear suspension
• Big step-notch
• Air suspension on all four corners
• Accuair ENDO-VT air tank, painted Lemon Drop pearl
• Fully painted frame by Michael Santella
• Monroe steering stabilizer
• Custom aluminum fuel cell

Body & Paint

• Pastel Yellow with Lemon Drop Pearl (2019 Camaro color)
• Paint by Stephen Anderson and Ryan Kidd at S&R Designz
• Graphics and pinstriping by Brandon “Gooch” McCoy
• 4Runner grille and front/rear bumpers
• Cali combo tailgate skin with integrated roll pan
• Shaved door handles, door locks, gas door, and wipers
• Legacy Ragtop sliding roof
• LED tails
• Custom bed floor and metalwork by Robert Suber

Wheels & Tires

• 17×7 Boyd Coddington Blaster wheels
• 5-inch backspacing

Interior

• Nissan bucket seats
• Custom leather upholstery
• New carpet throughout
• BAD (Billet Accessories Direct) Hellfire billet steering wheel
• Mooneyes shorty shifter with yellow ball knob
• Fiberglass dash, painted to match exterior
• Interior work by Michael Santella

Special Thanks

Charlie Rehrig (husband), Michael Santella, Robert Suber, Stephen Anderson, Ryan Kidd, Brandon “Gooch” McCoy, and the entire Acrophobia family.