Happy 16th birthday old friend.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

On Feb. 2nd, 1992, a brand new sand / mocha colored Ford Explorer XLT 4x4 joined the family. This may be my fair well to a terminally ill old friend.

Over the years the Mocha Monster had many little changes and tweaks (engine/suspension/exhaust/system the list goes on). I passed my drivers test in her with a perfect score, while all the other people in line in their rinky compacts failed to repeat that glorious performance. She has safely carried me for over 215k miles, and has covered every eastern state as well as most central states. Hauled countless soccer and ultimate frisbee players to endless tournaments in all weather at all hours, only faultering once. A second chance at life was granted when a 1993 Mazda B4000 sacraficed it's body in Delaware in 1999. So an emergency tow home from Mardi Gras to recieve a heart transplant happened. Later, during graduate school, a bad streak of head-on hits with over zealous deer's threatened again. Those were the days when the front transfer case would still engage the front wheels and we could have fun in the snow and mud. For a while she lived with a sister 5 years her junior, but with all the bells and whistles, not to mention a V8.

The mocha monster has competed in SPL for a few seasons for Salisbury Sound and Speed, never breaking the 150 mark though. The amount of wire, used and unused, still residing in the monster for stereo systems is a little disturbing. She also was a rolling apartment during the summers at the beach when it was not safe to drive home. After gradschool, another transmission failure threatened again, only to seem like certain doom when a sultry low-slung silver german strolled into town in early 2004. But no, she would not be denied. Two years later, she carried baby Arthur home for the first time from the hospital. There are so many memories that have happened in my life because of, due to, or around the mocha monster. Now with a failing alternator, bad tranny gasket leak, and dead battery, the end may be near. No one will want to offer any money to buy her and give her one last chance at life, so maybe the National Kidney Foundation donation will be the way.

If this is the end, we had a bumpy, but unforgettable run, that would not trade for the sexiest Italian land rocket. You will be missed.

[pimpedout97x 4]

wow its been a long time...i remember this from back in FXN days.

[///M5 2,833]

Good riddance. Life goes on, hopefully it will help someone with a kidney problem

[JimJ 11]

You know, I think that's the first picture of dirt on one of your vehicles that I've ever seen, if I didn't see that picture I wouldn't have believed it

[mrogowski 6]

Can I have your Orion 2500d then?

[Adrian_D 520]

Nice story and seems like a lot of good memories are tied to that car.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

Can I have your Orion 2500d then?

It has been riding with me daily in the civic for the last 8 months or so.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

Nice story and seems like a lot of good memories are tied to that car.

There are a few that were left out for good reason.

[Mark LaFountain 1,054]

Cya! buy an escalade, lol you know you want too

[Supa_c 1]

Aaron would probably roll a G55 over the lade.

Then he would call it his "brick"

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

I could never bring myself to buy a GM, even if Steveo gave me the money to do it. Also, unless something changes with our family structure, or I need to start hauling a ton of inventory for SSA, I don't see an SUV in the near future.

Ideally, a manual 6speed, AWD or RWD, wagon, 6 cylinder, would be about perfect.

[Supa_c 1]

Its unfortunate the US doesnt get the euro wagons.

But canada does

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

I saw a euro-spec E-class wagon, 5 speed, '97 I believe, imported to Canada. E500!! One of the coolest cars of all time. Guy had done the little needed saftey conversions and was planning on selling it here in the US. Would have loved that thing.

[Godsmack 361]

** Hears Taps in his mind**

My 97 Mountaineer passed this summer. Made me VERY sad.

The Nat. kidney foundation will appreciate her though.

J

[buickid 0]

Man, thats pretty sad. Seems like that truck had some pretty good times. A couple weekends of TLC along with a few bits from the junkyard and NAPA could probably fix it up decent.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

Well really only a new main seal and battery would have it functional.

[buickid 0]

Do it, you know you want to! Also, you mentioned something about the x-fer case not engaging the front axle?

I'm guessing this have the good ole 4.0L?

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

It is the 4.0, but the design was for protecting the spendy parts of the drive line under duress, so there are small engagement rings I believe that are the designed weak point of the front axle system.