That's a great looking Ranger, nice find. A few little quirks here and there of course but dang that thing looks to be in very good condition aside from someone's terrible bumper and tailgate taste. Those wheels ehh not a fan, but its not my truck. Finding a 30+ year old truck in that condition is a win, and being a manual transmission is a huge plus, the A4LD can be a problem child if it hasn't been properly cared for and/or abused.
You are right, you didn't find what you were after, although for the $800 price tag you were searching for I found my 87 Ranger Custom 4x2...a few little quirks with it too, but slowly getting things taken care of. I love my little pickup, fun to drive, yes it is, even for being a 4x2, I have my Bronco 2 and my Jeep if I need/want 4WD. I got this truck for a work truck so no need for the 4WD.
My first vehicle was an 84 Ford Ranger my junior year of high school. Worked all summer to buy it from my grandparents. Loved that truck, still miss it today, although recently found its still alive, no idea about condition its not registered as its a farm vehicle in California, but was just happy to find that its still being used.