Every car scene has its originals — the day ones who have seen it all and done it all, yet remain humble all the same. In Ontario, Geoff Mayes is undeniably one of those individuals. He’s been an integral and respected part of the Ontario car community for decades.
Geoff wouldn’t self-proclaim his OG status, but he’s at most events, always willing to help out another enthusiast and has become an irreplicable part of Vanfest, one of Canada’s largest minitruck events.
While he recently picked up an air-cooled Beetle to play with, Geoff will forever be tied to minitrucks thanks to his blue Mazda that has stood the test of time. As a Mazda owner myself, in the early days of this site, Geoff was one of the rare few I would see at both minitruck events and Mazda events.
As a result I’ve been fortunate enough to document a number of the more recent versions of this truck. However his history with it goes all the way back to 1995, when I was still building scale models and lusting after nitro rc cars.
Back then, the Mazda was static and paint hues changed from green to copper. Eventually, he settled on blue paint around the time he decided to also put it on air ride.
As the years went by, Geoff’s modifications grew increasingly more involved. The door handles, badges, and antenna have all been shaved, giving the truck a cleaner, smoother appearance.
Though it looks like a 1990s new-old-stock piece, the hood is actually a one-off Mayes custom fitted with a Ford Gran Torino scoop Geoff sourced from a pick-and-pull yard.
The front bumper, however, is a discontinued piece from the Mazdarossa kit. Geoff tracked down the now very hard-to-find part by buying an entire second truck with the kit already installed. That donor truck was too far gone to repair so he took what he needed and parted out the rest.
Recently, in a move that surprised many of us locals, Geoff ditched the bed topper the truck was always known for in favour of a more streamlined ARE tonneau cover. Surprisingly, this piece was sourced locally and in remarkable shape.
While doing the switch to the truck’s most recent shade of Nissan B16 blue, the tonneau was painted to match, and the graphics added below the belt line.
Mazda’s choice to equip the B2200 with a 6×5.5 bolt pattern can make wheel selection difficult, but over the years, Geoff has managed well. Before the current 18″ Eagle Alloys, he ran polished Nissan Pathfinder wheels, Prymes, and Hammers. The 18s help bridge the gap between ‘old school’ minitruckin’ and the new.
Like the rest of the truck, the suspension has been refined over time. Torsion bars and lowering blocks worked for a while, and for a brief period, air shocks and a compressor were installed when he needed a little more clearance on the fly. As time and technology evolved, he decided to make the switch to a proper air set up.
For this modification, he was determined to do it right—once. Up front, the truck retains its factory upper and lower control arms, while the rear features a step notch and a four-link setup paired with a Ford Courier rear end.
Taking the time to install the air ride system correctly has paid off—Geoff says it’s been incredibly reliable. Aside from routine maintenance, he’s never had to revisit the setup since completing it.
One of the truck’s most notable features—after its tilt bed, of course—is the Targa roof, a modification not for the faint of heart. Despite taking a next-level amount of commitment, these conversions were, at one point, very popular. Those who did them soon found out that most off the shelf conversions fit poorly and had a tendency to leak.
For a proper fix to these issues, Geoff turned to his long-time friend and fellow minitrucker, Tim Atkinson of Atkinson Customs. Tim crafted a new removable roof section entirely out of metal, ensuring both durability and ease of use.
Now more like OEM hardtop quality rather than an aftermarket modification, the roof sidesteps the downfalls of the previous design.
Tim also lent his expertise to the truck’s interior. The dash has been refined with the removal of the package tray and wrapped in premium leather, elevating the cabin’s overall feel.
Acura EL bucket seats have replaced the factory Mazda equipment, and these, too, are wrapped in matching leather for a seamless look. Flame-gauge faces serve as a nostalgic nod to the mid-’90s, complemented by an APC steering wheel from the same era.
Even after decades with the truck, and several different looks, Geoff is the first to admit it isn’t “finished.” As times and trends evolve, he’s never been afraid to make revisions to suit the moment.
One thing that won’t change, however, is that the truck will always carry the ‘Mayes’ name. His daughter, Sam, absolutely loves it, though she’s still a few years away from driving age. Geoff knows it won’t be long before she starts asking to take it for a cruise.
Geoff’s time in the spotlight was long overdue, and I’m happy to have this platform to show this OG the respect he deserves.
