The Chevy S 10 Throughout The Years
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Living with the utilitarian Chevy S 10 has been a fact of life since its introduction in 1981 as a 1982 model. This compact pickup lasted as the top small truck in Chevy’s stable of vehicles for 22 years until it was replaced for 2004 by the Chevy Colorado. Today, there are still countless numbers of the little truck on America’s highways and byways.
Officially classed as a compact pickup, the Chevy S 10 ran side-by-side with the GMC version known as the S 15 (and later, as the Syclone) for a time. The S 10 itself took over the small truck duties from the Chevy Luv, which was just an Isuzu KB with the Chevy bowtie emblem on the grill and a few minor cosmetic changes. Born as a result of the oil shocks of the 1970s, the S 10 was an effort by Chevy to improve fuel economy in its trucks.
From that search for a fuel-sipping alternative to the gaz-guzzlers of the time, the S 10 came forth. Its debut as a 1982 model showed the promise that was inherent in the truck — which was a regular cab 2-door version, though crew and extra-cab models would evolve eventually. The S 10 also beat Ford to the 2-door SUV market, becoming the Blazer S 10, though no 4-door would be available until 1990.
General Motors, the parent of Chevrolet, began to put out a number of small trucks and SUVs beginning in 1982. The S 10 itself was a well-liked and mechanically proficient model for well over 25 years, and for a time was a favorite of backyard do-it-yourself wrench types due to its relatively straightforward engine/transmission setup.
Engines in the Chevy S 10 have been of the 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder variety for as long as it was around. The initial 4 that was offered was a carryover engine from the Luv. Back then, the 84 horses the engine offered was considered fairly good, along with the 101 pounds-feet of torque. Again, for 1982, there was not much complaining from a public used to truly mundane engine performance due to environmental engine controls.
Chevy also offered a 2. 4 liter V6 optional engine from the start and through 1985. It had a 2-barrel carburetor that helped to up engine outpower to 115 horses and added 148 pounds feet of torque to the mix. This gave the little truck a bit more off-the-line power. There was even a diesel engine from ’83 to ’85, though its 58 horses and 98 pound-feet quickly doomed it to irrelevance.
Over the life of the S 10, Chevy continued to offer both 4 and 6 cylinder plants and also worked to add more horses and more torque as the truck matured. Originally offered with a normally-aspirated fuel-feeder setup, Chevy eventually tossed the carburetor for variants of a fuel injection system, including sequential port, multi-port and throttle body set-ups. The Chevy S 10 also featured 3 and 4-speed trannies in the first generation (up through ’93) and even a Borg Warner manual in 5-speed dress.
The second-generation S 10 that ran from 1994 up through 2004 added to the fun, with even more 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive models, larger and more powerful engines and even an SS package with a hot 4. 3 liter V6 engine that put out from 180 to 195 horsepower. It had lowered suspension, 16-inch wheels and other cosmetic changes and was only available in a regular cab version. It was discontinued in 1998.
The Chevy S 10 is still a ubiquitous sight on the roads, highways and trails of North America. It was an extremely popular little truck, and came to be thought of as a vital part of Chevy’s effort to bring reliability and economy to the truck segment in the company’s lineup. As a chord in the Chevy ‘Heartbeat of America’ theme’s music, it played its role well.
