1997 nissan pickup?? needs help

i have a 1997 nissan pickup and it has been reliable until a few months ago. i have had to replace the starter and battery. Now asi was pulling out of the street it just dies and smokes a little bit outa the hood. then it stops before i could trace it. the lights work but it doesnt crank over and it has no blinkers or stereo power. I was wondering if anyone has had a similar problem and know what caused it. i know its something electrical so ive been checing for shorts in wires and stuff like that but havent had any success.

does it not have power at all after it dies??? if it doesnt have power at all after it dies, i am thinking alternator. i have no idea what the smoking would be besides a wire or soemthing frying, which is the obvious answer. is there oil or some fluid leaking on your exhaust manifold or something that gets really hot??? by the time you get out of your car and the engine is off, the manifold would be cooling down causing the smoke to stop....

this could also be leaking on your alternator causing it to fry itself.

just guessing. give a little bit more info.