Greetings from Lake Superior

[PoodlePuncher]

Greetings!
Been lurking for a while, but I'm officially back in the Ranger game...

Funny story...
Back in '94 there was a dealership i would pass by on a regular basis, and out front sat a Purple Ranger, with the flashy SPORT graphics down the side.
I dreamed about that truck every night, but it was unattainable for a broke ass little punk like me.

In 1996, i left town headed for the Navy, and it was still sitting there, unloved, as if pleading "take me with you"
i vowed i would return to claim it, but life moved on, I never returned, and i never saw another one like it on the road.
it became a distant memory...

Flash forward to Sunday of this week. Almost 30 years to the day...
doing my daily scour of Marketplace, when this pops up

what are the odds, that the only one i've seen in 30 years, has been living less than 300 miles away from where my dream started?!
Probably pretty high... None the less, i jumped on it.

Exactly like the one in my memories: Manual transmission, Standard cab, NO Options.
the way all trucks should be.

--Edit--
i guess, as i've gotten older, A/C is a bit more important than it once was.
/shrug

 

[Jim Oaks]

Cool story!!

Looking forward to seeing more photos.

 

[Robert Mangrum]

Thats awesome. I've never seen those graphics. Pretty cool. Congrats on the find. Look forward to seeing more pictures.

 

[rumblecloud]

What they said....great story.
Welcome to TRS.

 

[PoodlePuncher]

Well, i ran a history report on the VIN and found out the following.
it was Manufactured in St Paul MN
Single owner
purchased new in1994, in St Paul (not my long lost truck )

There's still a Twin Cities Assembly plant (UAW) sticker in the rear window, so i'm guessing it was owned by one of the workers.

 

[PoodlePuncher]

Thats awesome. I've never seen those graphics. Pretty cool. Congrats on the find. Look forward to seeing more pictures.

Thanks.
this was the '94 specific graphic. you've likely seen some different ones from other years.
think they may have dropped them completely in 95?

Here's the blurb from the brochure

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

I see nothing wrong with you also getting the other one.

 

[PoodlePuncher]

I see nothing wrong with you also getting the other one.

not at all

 

[Uncle Gump]

Glad that came together for ya.

Keep us posted as you progress. You got 30 years of dreaming to catch up on.

Welcome to TRS...

 

[PoodlePuncher]

Sad thing is, i don't even know if i can drive this thing anymore...
had it towed home because needs a starter (on the way)...

Used to have an '85 XLT, but i was much younger, 100lbs lighter, and my knees still worked.

Regardless, we'll see what happens.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Oh I feel your pain...

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

1. Awesome truck. The Clinton era stuff is seriously underrated.

2. Brah... you gotta explain that username

 

[Curious Hound]

Please don't punch poodles. They're great dogs when treated properly.

Welcome to TRS.

 

[rumblecloud]

There's still a Twin Cities Assembly plant (UAW) sticker in the rear window, so i'm guessing it was owned by one of the workers.

I have that same sticker in my 94 rear window too. Not a worker there, it just came with the truck. Sorry fir the poor quality, I cropped an existing one - I didn't wanna go out in the haze for a better one.