BLOOD, SWEAT & GEARS
Home-Brewed Stout
SWIMMING OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM, AS THE OWNER DESCRIBES HIS BUILD STYLE, IS A SPOTON DESCRIPTION OF THIS ’65 TOYOTA STOUT BUILD. Robert “Odd Rob” Zoller, as friends know him, has a penchant for coloring outside the lines. His signature ratty style has been worked out through years of jumping from one unique project to the next. The Gilbert, Arizona, resident has enjoyed his creative freedom of expression with his most recent build the most. One of his motivators is to leave other enthusiasts with a one-of-a-kind product to admire that inspires.
Odd Rob took ownership of the increasingly hard-to-find Toyota while attending the Bonneville Speedweek in Southern California. The previous owners had customized the Stout with a similar vision in mind, which created a clear goal and direct course of action when Robert took over. He used the special platform to display his own creative preferences and style by replacing nearly all of the moving parts.
Beginning with the chassis of “Toyolet” (Toy-oh-lay), the frame has been shortened and the rear suspension converted to a
WHILE THE HYBRIDIZATION OF THE RARE TOYOTA STOUT, CHEVY TRUCK AND MUSCLE GOODIES IS PLENTY UNIQUE, WHAT TRULY SETS ROB’S TRUCK APART IS ITS ‘RAT-ROD-ESQUE’ VIBE.”
triangulated 4-link. The front uses the factory control arms from a Chevy S-10, with drop spindles to minimize ground clearance. All four corners of Toyolet are suspended with
Air Lift Dominator airbags. The ’bags are fed from a single 5-gallon tank mounted in the bed along with dual VIAIR compressors and an Accuair
EXO Mount setup in the bed.
Rolling with ease by way of the custom suspension is a set of Natural Finish US Mags Rambler wheels sporting a dramatic lip. The fronts sit at 17 inches tall and 7 inches wide, and the slightly staggered rear measures 1 inch wider. All four are wrapped in Kumho low pros. The fronts are 215/45R17, and the rears are 256/47R17. The wider rear rubber does its best to effectively put down Toyolet’s power and is backed by a front and rear disc brake conversion.
Underneath the Stout’s tabletop hood is a Chevy Vortec 350 making 425 hp and 465 ft-lbs of torque. The American motor makes use of a roller cam, lifter and rockers. The heads also are finished with a full port
THE COMBINATION OF THE ROUGH, RUSTY, ORIGINAL BODY PANELS WITH THE ONE-OFF CUSTOM FEATURES AND SINISTER STANCE MAKE FOR A TRULY PERSONAL AND EXTRAORDINARY TRUCK BUILD.”
and polish. The Holley carb breathes through a custom hood scoop as the hole in the hood serves as the first visual cue that the truck has been properly hot-rodded. However, it’s far more likely that the Stout will be heard long before it’s seen. The beefy power plant exhales through Hooker headers and a custom dual exhaust ending in a pair of Dynamax mufflers. The power is sent through a TH350 trans equipped with a B&M shift kit to a Chevy rearend with a
3.43 gear ratio.
While the hybridization of the rare Toyota Stout, Chevy truck and muscle goodies is plenty unique, what truly sets Rob’s truck apart is its “rat-rod-esque” vibe. The style is complete with the truck’s original red patina. The simple top-chop of the inner fenders is a brash alternative to the usual tubs, and further cutting reveals in detail the rear suspension configuration. The interior features hand-made bomber-style seats with aluminum backing. The backs are embossed with the “American Powered” and Toyota icons. The seats are upholstered in custom vinyl for a comfortable cruise, and a single driver’s seat combined with the dual passenger bench is an added measure of customization for the interior. The door panels are armed with matching riveted aluminum, while the dash is equipped with a Squeegee’s Custom steering wheel, Socal Gauges and custom 3D-printed switches for the air control.
The combination of the rough, rusty, original body panels with the one-off custom features and sinister stance makes for a truly personal and extraordinary truck build.
Odd Rob’s work in taking over a unique platform is indicative of his entire life as an enthusiast. His efforts to give people something different to look at are far from wasted on this project. The final product is an exceedingly strong case for the excellence of proper rat trucks. Whenever a project is backed with as much creativity and passion as this, it’s sure to produce unparalleled results.