Which generation of S10 is better and right for you?

[brandonstclair]

I saved a 85 s10 from the crusher. Short bed single cab 1.9 4 speed. Was sitting on the dock at the scrap yard waiting to be crushed. Bought it for $400 and it runs like a top after upgrading to a Weber carb. Luckily after jumping through some hoops I got a title for it.

[karltaylor]

I prefer the gen1 with the 2.5L iron duke. That is what I'm using right now. With a 5 speed transmission.
No power windows. No power steering. No a/c. No cruise control. No cigarette lighter.

[frankhernandez]

The glove box cup holders are for when your parked at a drive up diner or picnicking inside the cab. 91-93 are the best

[edwardharrison]

Hands down first generation square body

[johnk]

I drove a 1996 green 5 speed for 14 years. Loved that truck. I have a Colorado now but I miss the S10.

[geraldscott]

to me the styling of the first gen is just WAY better than the second gen. It's nice and square, like a truck should be. The first gen S-10 came out in 1982, back when GM was still making the square body full sized trucks. They made those from 1973-1987. I own a 1993 S-10, which was the LAST year for the first gen. I bought it brand new 31 years ago, and it's still new, sort of. I bought it as a standard cab, 2 door, 2 wheel drive, short bed Tahoe. There is not much left of the original truck. I de Tahoed it. I removed all the side molding (without damaging the paint) replaced both the front and rear bumpers with solid chrome ones, with no rub strips, replaced the chrome grille with a gloss black one, from a Chevy dealer. I don't know what model it was originally made for, but it is a genuine GM part. I did keep the chrome fender trim.I replaced the huge truck mirrors with the smaller ones. I replaced the stock hood with a 2 1/2" cowl hood, complete with '72 Chevelle COWL INDUCTION emblems, racing stripes, and hood pins. I replaced the stock rally wheels with '70s style rally wheels. 15x8 rear, 14x6 front. The rears were for a C3 Corvette, the fronts were for an early '70s Camaro. They are identical other than size. I put 225/70-14 BFG RWL Radial T/As in the front, and huge 275/60-15 Radial T/As in the back. I put a black vinyl Xtang tonneau cover over the bed. But the most important thing is under the hood. It came with a 2.8L computer engine (EFI) and a 5 speed. I built my own engine for it, a carbureted 383 V8 stroker, using an original Chevy block, but everything else is aftermarket. I DID NOT just stick an LS engine in it. I HATE the LS engine. I'm a vintage car guy, and didn't want any electronics on my truck. I replaced the 5 speed with a 1969 Muncie 4 speed "rock crusher", which I had completely rebuilt and beefed up. I replaced the rear axle with a modified 8.8 Ford 3.73 Trak-Lok. A complete dual exhaust system out the back with no cats. A Hurst T handled shifter. Chrome three spoke steering wheel. Custom gauges. Stereo delete, and a bunch of smaller stuff. But the light tan paint is original except for the hood, and looks brand new. It shows 37, 000 miles on the odometer, and has been garaged its whole life. I had it appraised and insured for $18, 000, but I have over $35, 000 into it.

[shadymaint]

Currently on my 3rd and 4th S10. First was a 91 2.5 5 speed.Second was a 99 Sonoma 4.3 auto. My current daily is a 02 2.2 auto. Also have a 94 that was originally a 2.2 5 speed but am in the middle of 5.3/ 4l60e swapping it. My 94 is a wierd mix of first and second gen stuff. Second gen body but it has a first gen steering column in it.

[eightbll]

I had a first gen short bed when I was in my teens. It was lowered. Custom paint. I put 5 star wheels on it. I traded a 5.0 mustang gt for it. Now I wish I had them back.

[InTime-xj]

I got a 2000 s10 I wish they had tilt steering. Nice little truck. I will keep it for as long as Im alive.

[joeywallace]

that 97 s10 is sweet. I have similar rally wheels on my 03 sonoma on cooper cobras. victory red single cab longbed 2.2

[ASSOL]

got a 91 s10 tahoe and much prefer the gen 1's for the rigid feel and motor. over a decade i've had it and many cars have come and gone in between, this iron duke is the best. Still all factory and looking into what i can do to keep it strong if not make it stronger. Bow ties for life baby

[Bargle]

I had an '82 S10 that unbeknownst to me was a frankentruck. It had the 2.8 and the OD auto trans. Had a regular miss I was never able to get rid of. The final straw was the inline 2 barrel carb went to crap and I was getting only 8 mpg. Bought a '98 second gen with the 2.2 and a 5 speed. It had been my company work truck and I knew it had been maintained and repaired when necessary. I bought it when it reached retirement mileage. It had 311, 000+ miles on it and still ran fine when I got side slammed on the interstate and totaled it. Just recently bought another '98. One note on your video. The 2nd gen truck's bumper was changed in 98. Became one piece steel like the first gen.

[Drago]

The second gen pre face lift truck looks like its just isuzu to me.

In my mind as far as the design is concerned there was 3 gens of this truck. The facelift had a different intake and shroud design with more room. The new grille, tailgate no longer has the chevorlet logo on it, came with a all new interior with honestly a better seat design, like the 60/40 bench with better fabric. The newer second gen looks a lot like the other chevy trucks, just a little different of the modern side. The first gen is definately cool, but the new second gens were my favorites. There was a lot of stuff shared between gens though, if memory serves, the frames are even the same since the 1st gen models.


I do like these interiors have no chrome. The charcoal grey one is the best color though. And mine is reasonably quiet aside from my dash bezel cracking that I need to replace.

[cxf]

I love the square bodies. I got two S10 blazers. 1990s 4.3

[Peter-pvxx]

I had a 1984 S10 2wd 4.3, it was noisy rattled and had an awful vibration, it was an automatic. In 1997 my girlfriend at the time bought a brand new S10 LS 4.3 2wd extended cab, , a year after she got it she bought a nice fiberglass cap for it and not a cheap one, she eventually left me to become a nun and in 2004 I bought it from her, I still have it, she has 154, 000 miles and runs like new, she does need a paint job, I've been the only one who ever worked on it, i don't know what I'd do without it shes been reliable and no matter if she sits for a month or two she always fires right up with no problems, even in the coldest weather.

[mikehall]

I inherited my Dad's 2000 S10 after he passed away. 2.2 5-speed short bed with now 206, XXX miles. Haven't really done anything to it other than wear and tear items (brakes, hoses, belt, water pump, alternator, starter, both O2 sensors) and regular tune-ups and fluid changes. Drive it most every day, 5 speed is fun, 2.2 is not very peppy but hey, it gets the job done. Ice cold original AC, super hot heat in the winter. Has been one of the more trouble free vehicles I have owned, it just keeps going!

[thsarethbreaks]

I've got a 92' shortbed 4.3 that is, for the most part, original. The rear bumper on mine has a 500lb tongue weight compared to the later models like this one in the video with a 300lb tongue weight.

[robertlyman]

Had an 85 converted into a Syclone copy with V8/ford 9”. Buddy had a newer body style with a 383 stroker. Fun stuff

[lonewolf-ocvr]

In 2015 I bought a 99 king cab with 4.3 auto, it was a good little truck no problem with it

[frederickbooth]

I have driven both versions long beds.The newer version does not have as tight of turning radius. We found this out in my brothers driveway. Pulling our tandem axle trailer I could do a U turn without backing up. A friend of ours with his newer S10 puling a single axle trailer could not make the U turn we could! The only disadvantage of both trucks is they require a LOT of body maintaining work. We have had the body of our 1984 rebuilt 3 times while the 2.8L engine went 233, 000 miles before rebuild.We now have 276, 000 miles & were going good still. Hauled 3/4 ton of grass clippings for our Thoroughbred herd yesterday.