Owner: David Jackman
Ride: 1994 Ford Ranger
Hometown: Raymore, MO
Club: Negative Camber
No, David Jackman, owner of this laid-out 1994 Ford Ranger didn't graduate high school in the Y2K, but he did take ownership of it about 10 years ago, and his 1989 Nissan Hardbody was featured here in Mini Truckin' back in 2000.
2010 is a pivotal point in David's adopted lifestyle, since he can sit back and reflect on the mark he's made on the scene he's been an avid part of since 1990.
The main reason David decided to build a Ford mini was the absolute scarcity of customized Rangers on the streets. Even though he thought the front end looked somewhat like a flaming trainwreck, he looked past the truck's flaw and saw nothing but a challenge standing in front of him. Another observation David quickly made about Rangers is just how awkward they are to 'bag. Maybe that's why there aren't too many of them rollin' low, but that was just another hurdle David was aching to take on at full speed. But before he tore into the suspension, he was having nagging second thoughts, so he actually ended up trading his Blue Oval away to his friend, Ty Zito, in return for his Mazda mini. After both parties agreed that they regretted making the swap, they pulled another switcharoo, and the Ranger was once again in David's possession. Ty had already started on the 'bag job, which placed David in a slightly advantageous position. Although he would've preferred to craft the air-ride setup himself, he did finish up the altitude adjustment with a sizeable bodydrop that plummets his Ranger low enough to make the protruding weeds seem like the tallest of sequoias.
With any monumental reunion, showing up looking like a frumpy old chump isn't going to one-up anybody, so David made sure that his Ranger was dressed to impress before stepping out on the dance floor. A fresh shave and some new threads were in order, and after a few years of sitting patiently waiting for the right hands to properly primp the Ranger's metal, David's ride was ready to boogie down.
When asked about the entire decade since his last taste of the spotlight, David offered up a great homecoming acceptance address: "I would've regretted not finishing it, and my kids would've been let down if they never could've gone cruising in it. I'm glad to have so many friends in NC who were willing to help me with advice on a truck I knew nothing about and who were down to get their hands dirty for no other reason than that I'm one of their brothers."
For more info on David's cool blue, rockered Ranger, set your sight on the Lowdown.