Dear '87 Trooper owner in Dayton ohio....

[incusus]

Dear 1987 Trooper owner;

I was driving down I-75 this weekend when I spotted your red trooper in the breakdown lane with a flat.  I pulled in as every Isuzu owner does when they see one of their own kind on the side of the road and was suprised to find no one about.  Surely you left a note on your faithfull companion?  But alas, no note.  When I peered in the window, I noticed that your truck is a manual, and the many pictures of your child.  How wonderful!  A female who drives not only a very-cool-truck, but a female who drives a manual-gearbox-very-cool-truck.  I waited about a few moments, then with a puzzled, sympathetic pat to the hood of your stranded companion, I went my way, sure you were to come back to fix that simple flat.  I was sorry I couldn't help you when it happened.

Tuesday, I'm on my way to work, and as I come up past the route 35 interchange I see ahead a forlorn sight!  Your faithful Isuzu sits still awaiting its simple fix!  I felt bad, really... your once proud vehicle humbled by such a simple thing, kneeling on its drivers-side front mud-terrain a day and a night!  There was a white sticker in the back window, probably a warning from the ohio highway patrol or perhaps the moraine police department asking you to please relieve your Isuzus embarassment and either repair it or remove it from the roadside.

Wednesday, lunchtime.  I see the Trooper standing proudly above the concrete divider on the freeway, obiviously ignoring both its own flat tire and the disdainfull looks of the passing Insights and Prius's, knowing it comes from a higher bloodline alltogether.  I see the unfortunate addition of yellow stickers to its windows, at once the promise of both the embarassment of confiscation and the relief of its roadside misery.   Wednesday I pulled in again and left a note on yur windshield:  Do you want to sell your Trooper?" it reads, along with my name and contact info.  I look about the passing traffic; expecting, implausably perhaps, to see you pulling up behind from the rush of traffic to perform a quick patch to the injured tire, maybe bringing a spare wheel and tire in the trunk of some blank american sedan's trunk....  but the traffic continued like an unbroken river.  I went my way regretfully back to work.

Thursday, another note, pinned next to the first under the windshield wiper.  Perhaps you are a single mother, driving this vehicle for cost considerations, not aware of its proud heritage far from this river of steel and glass?  Perhaps you cant afford the simple repair to get your transportation back on the road.... and thats understandable to you maybe, but all this week your faithfull Trooper awaits its simple repair, wondering where you are, crouching on its now completely flat front tire and not deeming to meet the flashing glances of the econoboxes as they whizz by.

Today is Friday, in a few hours I'll pass that strech of highway again.  I hope you have returned for your vehicle, I hope you've read the notes and warnings
and decals left for you by me and all the local law enforcement.  I hope you contact me today, I'd love to give your faithful ride the home it deserves where it would be appreciated for its rust-free body and frame, oversized M/T's, manual transmission, clean interior, and Isuzu heritage.  You see, I think you left an old, out of date, worn-out looking twenty-plus-year-old truck on the side of the highway because you don't think its worth the minor expense of even a simple tire plug.  I've been by every day this week to beg you to sell it to me for ten times the cost of your tire plug because I do appreciate those things and you aren't there to even read the notes.  We're out of time:  You can contact me at the number I've left  on your windshield, or  I can scout the local police auctions over the next couple of months.  One way or another, I'm determined to give your faithful Trooper the home, repairs, and updates it deserves.

Oh, I promise to return the picture of your kid and anything else you may have abandoned inside your 1987 Isuzu Trooper along I-75  

[BigSwede]

That Trooper deserves a good home!

[incusus]

amen, brother!  Too bad the truck wasnt there... and no call for me.  grrr.....   its too damn nice to be stuck in a metal crusher

[bobtheman]

Yikes, keep an eye out for that one!

Nice monologue.   

[Cronk]

Darn shame. Wonder what would have happened if you changed their tire?

[boonie45]

Well written!  I'm always curious to know the story of those vehicles that are just completely abandoned with a flat.  I mean...you can usually go to a local tire shop and buy a used tire mounted on a crappy wheel for the same amount that gas to/from the tire place would cost!

[incusus]

*sigh* no, it was gone that next day, and I have no idea who took it:  no call for me, and no notice on govdeals.com for montgomery cty or moraine ohio...   
maybe, just maybe it want back to a good, but down-on-their-luck owner, but I doubt it.
Dang that truck was awesome.  I would have loved to have had it.....

[boonie45]

Welcome to the front page!  (this story is very Dear Penthouse - without any of the things that make those letters epic...)

[SAS]

This is the best thread I've read on any forum in a long, long time.

God bless you, Incusus!

[incusus]

Just wanted to post a final note...   I never saw this truck on any of the local government auction sites, nor did I find it in any of the local used car lots (trust me...  I look   ).  i can only assume that finally the owner was able to return and recover their trusty Isuzu and make the necessary repairs to keep it on the road.

As much as I would have wanted it as a project vehicle (a perfect-condition manual gearbox early 4wd Trooper??? no not ME... wipes away a tear...*SOB* ) I'm somewhat relieved to know that somebody who actually isn't an Isuzu nut is probably still driving and enjoying that truck.  You and me and everyone else who is a member here knows its practical value and would love it for the sheer fact that its a really cool 'Zu, but its strangely nice to know a "normal" person is still able to intrinsicly know its value and enjoy it as well without being one of "us".

Maybe one day I'll find another early manual Trooper, a late 2dr Trooper RS, or maybe, just maybe a LHD swb Bighorn/Jackaroo (hey, I can hope eh?) .

Until then... Go Farther!  and see ya on the trails in what I've got.

[BigSwede]

Personally, I wouldn't want an 87...I would get one a year or two newer, after they went to the 10-bolt/12-bolt axles (sometime in 88 I believe). An 87 would have the 8-bolt/10-bolt combo.

[correction] Apparently the switch to the stronger axles occurred sometime in 87, not 88...

[SAS]

Maybe one day I'll find another early manual Trooper, a late 2dr Trooper RS, or maybe, just maybe a LHD swb Bighorn/Jackaroo (hey, I can hope eh?) .

My brother-in-law has the '88 two-door Trooper (LWB) I bought in 1993 and sold to him in 1999, if you're interested!