The Art of the Teal — my low-mileage '94 4.0 2WD [📷 heavy]

[XLTeal]

After owning it 3 months, finally making a thread for my beloved:

1994
Extended Cab XLT
4.0 OHV RWD
Cayman Blue Metallic / Opal Grey

Mileage as of July 2024: 48k

I worked for a manufacturer for 10 years before this and for the last several years I have driven several cheap employee leases of current model-year luxury sedans. I left that career in April and wanted a cash vehicle that wasn't trash so I started following auctions and decided I wanted a small truck. Don't tell an admin but I was also on the look out for an S-10/S-15/Blazer/Jimmy and would have been happy with one in similar condition to what I ended up with.... but as soon as I saw this posting on Bring a Trailer I texted my pops, "It will be mine":



I brought this thing with 43k original-owner, garage-kept, west coast, rust-free miles. Carfax is Grandpa ➡ daughter ➡ granddaughter ➡ my seller.

Day 1 off the trailer:

Framed the window sticker and warranty card (poorly) because I am a dweeb:

Replaced the tie down anchors (rubber was crumbling on the original ones:

Replaced the 14" alloy deer-hoofs with OEM 15"s with the painted inlay + Firestone Destination LE3 tires (feels like a completely different truck, in the best way):

Not-actually-green-Ranger in my not-actually-green-Ranger:

Replaced audio:
Kenwood KDC-BT282U
Focal Drivers/Tweeters
2x 10" Kicker Subs w/ dedicated AMP
700W


---
To Do:
- Remove + sell CARB cat / overhaul exhaust (considering Spintech 6000 + Borla or Flowmaster resonator)
- Electric fan

 

[RobbieD]

Nice truck!

Yep; I think that you got a teal on it.

 

[SenorNoob]

I think that you got a teal on it

Really?

 

[XLTeal]

At the gas station today someone asked me what I paid for it then offered 12. I told him to grab an ice cube from the drink machine inside, put it on the sidewalk and if was still there in a week I'd consider it

Can't wait unteal I see more teal puns ITT

 

[Terrys87]

Nice truck you got. Sarah n tuned on youtube restored her grandmothers truck same color. I think it is a standard cab and she did a great job on it if you want some tips and information that she did for parts and such.

 

[XLTeal]

Thanks @Terrys87 — yeah I've consulted a video or two from that series for various visual references but I haven't watched the whole playlist. I wish it was 10 videos instead of 40...

Her gma's is Bright Calpypso Green with much cooler decals. Not to "well-achshually" you.... her's is just cooler

 

[RobbieD]

I brought this thing with 43k original-owner, garage-kept, west coast, rust-free miles. Carfax is Grandpa ➡ daughter ➡ granddaughter ➡ my seller.

The hard reality is, is that there's simply not many of these 31-year-old trucks left, with such low mileage, that have been as well maintained and well-kept (garaged, even) as this one.

The used truck market is what it is. I don't think that 10k is out of line at all for an example this nice. Yes, I too miss these trucks being dirt cheap and for sale everywhere, but those days are gone with the wind.

Look at it this way- if what you really, really want is damn nice 30 year old truck (dare we say "classic"?), you'll either pay for repair and/or restoration on a cheap tired truck, or pay up front for an uncommonly nice original example. Another important thing- a truck can only be original once.

A dream truck is like a lot of things in life (like food, tools, guns, etc.), paying for quality going in is more cost-effective than buying cheap and taking your chances.

 

[XLTeal]

It being the OHV contributed substantially to the decision to bid on it. If I were looking for a toy/non-daily it would be different and I'd be fine playing with a SOHC and not worrying, but I feel confident that with attentive upkeep and not being a dumbass, this could last me hundreds of future Ks with whatever life throws at me.

On the other side of the coin, financing a lightly used Kia-whatever or Hyundai-that, with an arcane effeciency-turbo'd ticking time-bomb that could get unhappy at any point and I'd have to depend on a dealership to figure it out, navigate tarrifs/shortages, whatever; and which would almost definitely be WUBERG (white/black/red/grey)..... sounds pretty gross in comparison!

 

[Kira]

What is the axle ratio? Regear it for Texas!
Good luck with it.