Chevy s10 possibilities as an expo?

[Richie]

That's a beautiful little truck. A buddy of mine has a Blazer of the same generation and it has been good to him. Unfortunately I don't know too much about them though.

I love the idea of keeping my ZR2 for as long as it lasts. It only has 49k miles. But the wife is wanting to have kids soon and it just doesn't have any room for little ones.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Here's the thing about that truck. It is not original paint. Grandpa used it for exploring, and expedition type stuff back in the day.. then when he passed on, my grandma had it repainted. That being said.. I am still on the fence, but I think grandpa would be proud if I used it the same way he did... I'm going back and forth still though.
Scott

well ya know... you can take it off road and have all kinds of fun..with out trashing it or modifying the hell out of it...lol

 

[poriggity]

I'm bringing this back to the top. I still have this truck, and have recently decided it was time to start getting things fixed up on the truck. I plan on fixing it and driving it, in honor of grandpa. I may even take it out to the desert and run some trails when it's up and running. Here's a list of what I am thinking it needs at a minimum. It's been sitting since 2008, so here's my plans for new parts:

Plugs
Wires
Battery
Catalytic Converter (so it will pass smog, as the current one is rusted out)
Gas tank (trying to decide if I should drain the stock tank, or just spend the $90 on a new tank, leaning toward new)
High pressure power steering hose (current one is leaking)
vacuum line (to trace cracked lines from the t case to get 4x4 working again)

Then I need to pay to have the registration current (about $100)
and pay to have it smogged ($50)

Overall, to get it road legal again, including smog and registration, I'll be into it for about $500 and probably a month of weekends.... I think it's gonna happen!
Scott

 

[Cee-Jay]

If you haven't already checked it out, http://www.s10extremist.org/forums/ is great place for info on S10s... lifts, SAS, engine swaps, etc. You should be able to fit 30x9.5s on it with no lift unless she's sagging... and the GM 7.25" IFS probably shouldn't be expected to handle much bigger than those anyway. That might be just fine for desert action... depending on what you have in mind, of course. Some Gen I Isuzu Troopers had the GM 2.8L, so www.planetisuzoo.com may also be a good source for engine information as a result. Many of those guys swap out the 2.8L for the 3.4L that appeared in some Camaros and Firebirds. I think you can buy new crate 3.4s, too. Isn't is okay to swap engines in Cali as long as the swapped engine is newer than the old one?

As I imagine you know from your experience with your Grandpa's vehicle, S10s are tough little trucks, though perhaps not the most convenient platform to build upon. Your S10 sure looks nice and clean. I still feel fondly for my old GMC Jimmy (sold it five years ago). Good luck!

 

[Mrknowitall]

My 1st car was an '86 like that- and it was a rust bucket 15 years ago. There are lots of nice things you can do. 4.3s are cool. I would probably stick with the motor group though and drop in a 3.4 long block for a camaro. Keep the tires to 235's. Add a trans cooler and remove the main radiator pass-through. Might be a nice little rig for a small pop-up camper.

 

[HenryJ]

Here is my old 1986 S-10 sport:

I did the HO 3.4L crate engine swap in 1999. Sold long ago now. I still see it around town. A local veteran bought it and loves it. He added a rack on the top and has really taken care of it.

 

[Heading Out]

My 1st car was an '86 like that- and it was a rust bucket 15 years ago. There are lots of nice things you can do. 4.3s are cool. I would probably stick with the motor group though and drop in a 3.4 long block for a camaro. Keep the tires to 235's. Add a trans cooler and remove the main radiator pass-through. Might be a nice little rig for a small pop-up camper.

I agree here :iagree:

We have a 94 Bravada, same platform as your S-10 Truck, ours is the 4.3 with an auto trans, AWD and a G80 in the rear, running 235-75-15 AT's
It's used to explore the Mojave and the Owens Valley, finding old mining sites and such.
The truck has no problems running 95% of the trails out there, although I wish it had the 4low you have, for the last section up to the mines.
The only things I'd change would be to do a small suspension lift maybe 2" just to add a little more clearance and swap in a 4wd transfercase.
The truck is small enough for the narrow places, but still comfortable on the drive to and from the trail.

I'm glad to see you decided to keep the truck. I say get it running, then decide what to change after driving it for a time.

If it was my truck I'd go 3.4 swap, as this is the same engine family as the 2.8 so no smog problems if you stay with the carb. and it's bolt in.
a good set of 235-75-15 AT's
2" suspension lift to gain a little additional ground clearance under the frame, but still keep it highway friendly
NO Body lift, 235's fit fine without any type of lift ( Body lift only gains you tire clearance, not ground clearance)
look for a G-80 rear if it didn't come with one it was an option, or if funds allow a selectabel locker like an ARB


If you're into camping add a shell like a flip-pac / wildernest.:sunny:
or you could tow a pop up trailer, drop it at camp and go explore.:truck:

 

[poriggity]

Thanks for the tips guys. My grandpa used this truck to camp from. It had a shell at one point, as well as a custom built carpet kit that formed into a bed. Sadly, that carpet kit is now long gone I have been concentrating on keeping the wife happy right now, as she is 8.5 months pregnant, and we're preparing to bring a little girl into the world. This means there is no extra money for vehicle repairs, especially for one that I don't drive often. I will keep this post updated as things go.
Scott