What happened to all the S10's

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TPISly-C10

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Sly
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1986
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C-10 shortbox
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LQ4 6.0L
Canyon/Colorado take the place of S-10...i know not pretty as those S but still! ;)

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Battlac40

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New Mexico
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James
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1981
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K1500 Sierra Classic
Engine Size
350
I still daily a 99 short box, manual window, 4 bangar. Just rebuilt (overbuilt) the trans in hopes of a 5.3 or 4.8 swap in the next couple of years. She is a pretty truck, I get compliments and purchase offers daily.
 

Craig Nedrow

NADAR UNDER THE RADAR
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1973 (have two), 1985
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K10, K20, C20
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350, 454, 6.2 Detroit
Bought one for my Grandson, Kooper. Been installing a .030 over 327 and a 700R4. These pics are still the 4cyl 5 spd My Bride,Kooper and Macie
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Perry, Nice trick, and WOW, nice shop's.
 

Octane

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Atlanta
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Eddie
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1977
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K10
Engine Size
350
In 1986 I bought a 87 s10 w/4banger and a stick,three days into ownership totaled it.Got anoter one,same equipment.Drove 19k traded for a 88 s10 with 2.8 auto.Ran good and traded at 72k for a 90 model,4.3 auto and loaded.Put 330k wonderful carefree miles on it and was rearended and totaled.Always got good service out of them but 3 out of 4 trucks were pretty badly damaged in collisions with other trucks,cars and motorcycle.I changed paint colors and still no luck...blam! another one bites the dust!Wish I had another one...I live dangerously I guess,but not my fault.Each one I bought brand new.
 

78C10BigTen

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pennsylvannia
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Ted
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10 BIG TEN
Engine Size
350
In 1986 I bought a 87 s10 w/4banger and a stick,three days into ownership totaled it.Got anoter one,same equipment.Drove 19k traded for a 88 s10 with 2.8 auto.Ran good and traded at 72k for a 90 model,4.3 auto and loaded.Put 330k wonderful carefree miles on it and was rearended and totaled.Always got good service out of them but 3 out of 4 trucks were pretty badly damaged in collisions with other trucks,cars and motorcycle.I changed paint colors and still no luck...blam! another one bites the dust!Wish I had another one...I live dangerously I guess,but not my fault.Each one I bought brand new.
Sounds like you made a good step up every trade lol
 

Catbox

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Peter
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1979
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C20 Silverado Camper Special
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461
My first vehicle was a fully loaded 1982 GMC Sierra Classic S-15.
It was a plush little truck that I drove all over the place, rebuilt the engine in high school shop class, and then finally blew the engine.
I was fairly mean to that little 2.8, but it took most of the abuse.

Here it is when I first got it and then as it was when I sold it to a neighbor...

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Octane

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Atlanta
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Eddie
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1977
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K10
Engine Size
350
Sounds like you made a good step up every trade lol
Yep,that's right.I got my credit established and a good job; I was the first one in my immediate family to own a new vehicle.
 
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RecklessWOT

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Kevin
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1987
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V10 Suburban Silverado
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350 TBI
Canyon/Colorado take the place of S-10...i know not pretty as those S but still! ;)

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sure when they first came out. But they're HUGE now, totally not even a comparable truck anymore. These new "mid size" trucks are friggin bigger than full size trucks used to be
 

idahovette

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Weiser Idaho
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Perry
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1975-1979
Truck Model
K20-K10
Engine Size
350
My 4 door short bed 2017 Colorado is longer than my 2015 Tahoe!
 

Raider L

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C10
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355
The thing about these trucks was they were built by GM for the "Young Set". Like "Brats" and the one that Dodge had, can't remember the name, "Side Kicks and all of that type. GM probably figured they were going to drive the heck out of them, then after college they'd dump them for a real car, so GM didn't spend much money on the metal prep, and a get-by engine and trans. They would hold up just long enough to the time for the "young " to get rid of them. They weren't supposed to know anything about taking care of them, not like most of us older guys who grew up with grandfathers and uncle's who taught us to take care of these cars and trucks because, 1. They cost alot of money and you may not have that come around again, 2. You better take care of it as long as you can, and if you work real hard maybe you can buy another one, one of these days, and it has to last until then.
The "young" of the '80's never got the memo! So they didn't taker care of them and that was okay because they weren't built to last that long anyhow. All the people I knew back then who had a S10 drove the living hell out of them, and worked on them all the time. They were either running or they weren't.
But, boy, talk about a beat around little truck. You could do stuff in those little trucks you wouldn't dare do in a full size truck. Just thrash them!!
 

Raider L

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@bucket,

Is that a used Camero car lot near your house? Ohhhh, those are your cars! D-a-n-g!
 

Octane

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Eddie
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Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
350
The thing about these trucks was they were built by GM for the "Young Set". Like "Brats" and the one that Dodge had, can't remember the name, "Side Kicks and all of that type. GM probably figured they were going to drive the heck out of them, then after college they'd dump them for a real car, so GM didn't spend much money on the metal prep, and a get-by engine and trans. They would hold up just long enough to the time for the "young " to get rid of them. They weren't supposed to know anything about taking care of them, not like most of us older guys who grew up with grandfathers and uncle's who taught us to take care of these cars and trucks because, 1. They cost alot of money and you may not have that come around again, 2. You better take care of it as long as you can, and if you work real hard maybe you can buy another one, one of these days, and it has to last until then.
The "young" of the '80's never got the memo! So they didn't taker care of them and that was okay because they weren't built to last that long anyhow. All the people I knew back then who had a S10 drove the living hell out of them, and worked on them all the time. They were either running or they weren't.
But, boy, talk about a beat around little truck. You could do stuff in those little trucks you wouldn't dare do in a full size truck. Just thrash them!!
Some folks put 350s in them and they fit well enough since the 4.3 was same bore,stroke etc with the two cylinders left off anyway.S10s imo were fuel efficient and with the 4.3 had very good power.Wasnt built for hauling heavy loads as a fullsize truck was. I've never cared for a four cylinder in any vehicle and those early engines in the first S10s I heard were crap.When the trucks moved to tbi from those crappy carbs they were a lot better trucks,and the mini,small and midsize dodge dakota were all the rage back in the earlier years especially.I liked the first generation bodystyles but never have liked the next ones that came out very much.Just small trucks but some contractors etc worked the heck out of them like they were a big truck.In the South anyway.I used mine like it was designed mostly and the 700r4 and the v6 held up great.Even in the fleet vehicles
 

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