Actually there is more to this desire of mine.
The day my parents bought me my very first "proper" American pro deck was a day I will never forget. We drove to Burke's cycles in kilburne and I was so beside myself that I was gonna get to choose any deck I wanted off what seemed like a huge wall of colourful master pieces.For some reason my choice came down very quickly to two. Contestant one was a Powell-Peralta Ripper in pink and white stripes (the deck that this mini is based on) and a Sims Pharaoh in a beautiful green/blue stain with the gold screen printing (not the yellow version).
I was leaning toward the Powell and at the time I didn't know a thing about either company I was choosing on raw looks and feel alone. Then two things happened: a/ my Dad didn't really like the skull graphic (and still doesn't like skulls etc to this day) and b/ the sales guy told me that they had sold heaps of the rippers.
I guess to most kids (I was 12 or 13) that would have made them buy the Powell but it did the exact opposite to me.
I was into skating BECAUSE no one else was....I didn't wanna be like everyone else so I bought the Sims.
Now to anyone who knows anything about vintage 80s skate decks you will know that I did the right thing as I am one of the very very few people who can claim to have owned a Pharoah, a board that is amoung the most rare and most expensive to get in mint condition today. (don't ask me what I did with mine...I don't like talking about it! lol)
However I have always had a soft spot for the classic striped Ripper and this Mini would become a cherished part of my collection.
next payday I think...
