S10 & Friends: Available in about as many drivetrains as you can think of
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- čas přidán 3. 05. 2024
- Welcome to Auto Chatter! Todays episode is about the Chevrolet S10, GMC S15/Sonoma/Syclone, and Isuzu Hombre...Plus a little bit of "LUV" thrown in too! These compact trucks came in a wide variety of styles over two decades, so expect the unexpected with this Chatter! I do hope you enjoy this one, and please dont forget to give me a like to let me know. Thank you for watching and May the 4th be with you!
- Auta a dopravní prostředky
Here in the heart of Nascar/ Chevy country you still see plenty of S-10's on the road, ranging from beater work trucks to shiny hot-rods with a small-block V8 under the hood. Initially the S-10 took awhile to catch on as the 4cyl was weak and the 2.8 no better than Ford's equal-sized mill. GM's going with the 'Iron Duke" didn't help that. What really launched the S-10 was the 4.3 which had power to spare, especially at low RPM's where trucks doing work need it. Nobody else had anything like it. When the Syclone came out all the hot-rod magazines tested it and were blown away with the acceleration. There were even a few of them on the road around here but it's been awhile since I saw one. I think I've seen all but the rarest variants on the road here back in the day. Yet even here in Chevy country, the Ranger was almost as popular being more rugged, having upgrades a year or two ahead of GM, and a much better 4cyl available in the 2.3L. Plenty of those still on the roads here too. Overall these were darn good light trucks at good prices which withstood some abuse and seemed to go on forever; they're still popular among the construction trades because of that but nice ones are getting rather pricey now.
The earlier LUV and Courier trucks didn't do well here as they were really too light-duty for the work they were put to. And the Isuzu 4cyl wore holes in the timing cover when you didn't maintain the timing chain (which was almost everybody). Neither love or money (pun intended) could get you a usable timing cover after awhile and I've seen several otherwise perfectly good LUV's sell for scrap metal prices because of that. The contemporary Japanese trucks were equally underpowered but reliable and long-lasting which kind of forced GM and Ford to do something better along with the importing issues. Eventually Dodge got in the game but the Dakota never kept par with the S-10 and Ranger for sales. Kind of a shame that small cheap light trucks have gone away here, especially with the rest of the world still getting them and loving their capabilities.
Do you recall the Ram D50 trucks before the Dakota? They were Mitsubishi Mighty Max pickups. I had a 79 LUV truck I bought cheap in the late 90s for a trash hauler. Did the job, but the head gasket started going out on it. Replaced it with a 84 Nissan King Cab that never gave me any trouble.
@@autochatter I vaguely remember those, not very popular here nor was the Mitsubishi. People went for the Toyotas and Nissans if they bought imports. One guy I worked for kept the old Toyota he'd bought new for a work truck for a trash truck. It smoked a bit constantly, rust was beginning to eat away at it, but it started and ran reliably with over 300K miles on the clock. It wouldn't surprise me if he was still using it for that 30 years since then. If they had a manual trans, that's where these imports really shined, giving more years of use than most of the domestics did but they tended to rust away before then up north or so I'm told.
@P_RO_ The sides of the bed on my 79 Toyota and 84 Nissan had a seem down the side where rust would often set in. Otherwise I never had rust issues. Ironically it may have been a part of the trucks built in the U..S. LOL.
S10 is one of the best trucks ever produced. If they re-released a small S10 again, I would buy it in a heartbeat. BUT NOT IF IT WAS AN EV!
They were good trucks.Buddy had a 93 Sonoma SLE club cab. He put a 350 in it. Easy swap as it had a 4.3 before. Wasn't really much quicker than with the 6 though LOL.
New to channel. Owned a 1990 S15 Jimmy Gypsy in high school. 4wd 4.3 auto. Helped move my grandparents back here from Kentucky in that thing. My uncle owned two, a 87 GMC S15 club coupe and a 93 Sonoma. Awesome little trucks 😊
That's cool! Im planning on a future S10 Blazer/Jimmy vid.
I owned a Syclone for a couple of years. Its straight-line acceleration was great and dead-simple to access. Just floor it, and it went straight, quickly. Passing on 2-lane roads was a snap. I put a good set of winter tires on it, and it went 0-60 on snow better than anything else I've driven.
Its handling wasn't great. The steering wheel was too large diameter and the steering had too much dead play on center, which made it difficult to carve a smooth arc through a turn. A lot of initial understeer, followed by terminal oversteer once the rear-end decided to catch up.
But I had some fun with it and sold it for what I bought it for two years later.
Anything you can drive for pretty much free for a few years is always good! I don't have the seat time you did in one, but I wouldn't think the handling at the limits was anywhere near how well they accelerated!
I owned three of the first gen models, an '82, '85 and '93 before buying my first Japanese car... I've never owned or considered a GM product since.
Well...Everything in my driveway is Japanese, so I can't fault you for that!
I saw an Hombre in-person yesterday for the first time in my life. It was in surprisingly good shape in terms of rust and other damage, and it looked like it was being prepped for paint
I drive by someone who has one in their driveway on my way to work.It's white and looks nice A more rare import truck is spotting a Suzuki Equator. It's a rebadged Nissan Frontier.
@@autochatter I’ve actually seen a couple Equators in person! That would be a cool truck to make a chatter about!
@MercedesW210MN I'm pretty sure they at least got a mention in my Datsun/Nissan truck Chatter. Its kind of like the Mitsubishi version of a third gen Dodge Dakota. Wasn't much different from the original and no one bought them.
American beauties 🇺🇸
I didn't think they were aging well by the early 90s, but I appreciate the styling of first gen S10s more now.
IMO, the S10/S15 lives on as the last affordable blank canvas for a hot rod. Prices for rusted-up traditional V8 cars are through the roof right now, with most not being (financially) worth the effort when comparing "the money you put in" vs. what the value would be when finished. Yet, you can still pick up workable S10/S15 trucks with bad engines for $500-1000 any day of the week. They're dead simple to V8 swap, as kits are available and inexpensive- there's not really a need to fabricate anything. You can realistically build a fun little street bruiser for less than $3k. Try that with a rust bucket Chevelle, Camaro, or anything Mopar.
PLEASE do the Colorado when you have time! Great video as always! Spent lots of time in these back in high school racing and other general mischief 😂
Thank you! Yeah I'll get to them. I just get gun shy about newer vehicles sometimes..They don't always get good views for me LOL.
I’d love to own a Syclone. Great episode as always!
Who wouldn't? Thanks Hawk!
I have actually found-( and built ) a pair of model kits in the S10/Sonoma series ( 1/25 scale AMT 94 Sonoma and 1/20 scale Lindberg 95 S10 4x4)..
That's pretty cool! I've seen some of your vids, and your attention to detail is fantastic!
@@autochatter thanks!!. I'm actually going to a Model show tomorrow so I will likely pick up a few new projects to work on...
@tomtbi Sweet! I have a MX5 RF in Soul red...Build one of those!
Trickster. Forgot the ev was fwd 😂
😉 When I saw that in the research, I knew that would be the brainteaser sneak peak! I forgot they were front drivers too!
Good information. The video was well made. A kid I went to school with had an Hombre. That was the first and last time I ever saw one in person..
I had another buddy that had the refreshed 1998 S-10. It had the 2.2-liter and he had the nerve to put Flowmasters on it.
Overall, I know these little trucks are durable. Wouldn’t mind to pick up one. No pun intended.
Yeah they were not too bad. Being trucks, a lot of people worked out of them over the years, but I still see a few. Someone has a Hombre in their driveway I see every day on the way to work. Thanks for the watch Rob! Look forward to your next masterpiece!
My first truck was a 1991 S-10 EL standard cab . Red, black interior. 2.5L. 5-speed manual manual steering power brakes. I bought new August of 1990. I had it till I think June of 1991. I had wrecked it in April of 1991. I rear ended a Ford F-150. I missed totaling by a Quarter of an inch. This ended up being the only Chevy truck I ever owned. The three that followed ended up being Rangers. A 1997 XLT standard cab (1997-2019), 1995 XLT standard cab (2019-2020) And currently a 2019 XL Super Cab. I might have stayed wit GM. But shifted over to Ford after the accident. Oh for the record I had traded my 1987 Chevette in on the S-10.
87 Chevettes were rare, I'm guessing you prob saw my Chevette vid. I knew a lot of people with S10s and Rangers in the 90s. They would often end up doing the Ford vs Chevy ribbing LOL.I found the Rangers more comfortable inside myself. Felt really roomy for a compact truck and kinda....plushy inside.
@@autochatter I did see the Chevette episode And the one on Ranger as well. I found it interesting about VW and the chicken tax. I'd love to see you do one on NOVA (Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo). And maybe one on Edsel.
@theprinceofsnj Those would be interesting to do I think! The Nova in particular I've had thoughts on...and a flop like Edsel could work!
@@autochatter Edsel would make a good short. I've been involved with Edsel for many years. The only issue I have is it being called a Ford Edsel. Edsel was its own division of FMC.
@@theprinceofsnjNamed after Fords son if my memory serves.
Thank you. You did a excellent job. I liked the touch mentioning the GM Brazil model and what it looked like. I liked how you put together great footage and photos of the trucks. I liked how you explained everything from the Chevrolet LUV and all the way up to the Colorado and Canyon. I liked how you mentioned the S-10 and S-15 sport utilities that came later. I hope you will do one of the Canyon and Colorado. I liked how you talked about the trims and and explained them. I liked how you discussed how Ford was doing it also and how that evolved. I liked how you threw in the interesting information about the trims( Durango and Tahoe). Please keeping doing your videos. You pass the "GM test" this week. One fact you might find interesting: The interior of the 1994-1997 instrumentation panel was used on the Holden Suburban. Holden ( GM Australia) sold the Chevrolet Suburban but it had the S-10 instrumentation panel. There are videos here on You Tube.
Not a mention of a Oldsmobile, and I still passed! Thanks Olds. I actually wasn't aware of the Holden but it makes sense since they were GM too.
@@autochatter No mention of Oldsmobile. LOL! I know you could have easily mentioned the Oldsmobile Bravada when you mentioned the sport utilities because Oldsmobile Bravada was on this same platform with the trucks and other utilities. I am fine with that because I watch for the content and information. I wonder why GMC did not follow up with new Syclone truck and Typhoon utility in the later generations. Yes, there was a Holden Suburban indeed.
@OLDS98 I could have gone more into the Blazer and Bravada sure, but they need their own future episode. I'm not sure why GM didn't continue with the fast truck/SUVs then. Maybe they couldn't sell enough to offset all the money spent to develop them? Maybe Chevy got mad because the Corvette was upstaged again?
@@autochatter I understand about getting their own episode. It makes sense. I do not know why either they did not continue them. It may have something to do with GM's nothing can be better than a Corvette policy. I know they got upset a Buick with the Regal, Pontiac with the Firehawk and Trans Am. This was another GM vehicle that did it better it seems.
@OLDS98 I would bet that would be the biggest reason. The rumors of the next gen Fiero being canned because of the Corvette seems probable.
First! Keep up the good work!
Yes you are and thank you!!!!
Have you done a video on the Chevy El Camino? It's a personal favorite.
You know I haven't yet, but that's a good topic.
Why did the Isuzu truck had to look so different from the Chevy and gmc versions?
They just wanted it to look more like their own thing I guess. I was selling Isuzus when they came out. It was marketed as somthing to work out of versus a fun compact truck.
Five seconds in.... I'm hitting "like".... beaucoup nostalgia incoming!!! Will edit later... as required 😎 Like, comment, subscribe and hit the all notifications bell y'all!
Edit incoming: great video! Lots of cool info on these smaller trucks from The General!
I'm going out on a limb here , and guess this weeks vid is on a vehicle you like LOL. Thank you!
@@autochatter Just like a bubblehead, eh... going out on a limb with no real info. No worries, mate... you know I love ya!
Hmmmm... I don't actually love these trucks. I'm a huge fan of The General... and a huge fan of trucks (after my very sensible naval career as a skimmer I was an OTR trucker for a a few decades) ... and I did own a first gen S10.
2WD w/ the Iron Duke and a 4 speed. As far as small trucks go - if you treated it right it was absolutely the most boring af shite possible... but bulletproof! As basic transportation... there was little that could beat it! So... do I love it? No. Would I recommend it as great, cheap and reliable transportation? Oh, yes indeed!
Thanks again for your work, lad! I'm rather enjoying it!
PS: my favourite "less than full size" pickup was the 2nd gen Dakota... had a 2000 extended cab w/3.9 and it was far and away superior to my S10.
Full size? The General all the way! Ran my '98 K2500 extended (Silverado trim) from '00 to '18... put over 500k on it.... a bloody dream! And she worked! Not a pleasure vehicle!
@haggis525 LOL...I'm glad you liked it anyway! My favorite compacts would probably be Nissan Hardbodys or Toyota trucks. A first gen 2wd Dakota with a 318 and a 5 speed is a great burnout machine though. The 90s Silverados were nice. Mother in law had a 95 ext cab 4x4 that had well over 200k miles when she got rid of it....But it about needed everything rebuilt by then.
@@autochatter What is this weird "rice burner" thing you got going? Japanese vehicles are outstanding, sure... but they just don't have the same "raw appeal" as Detroit Iron from any year before full "malaise era".... and for trucks? Forget about it! Tundra is a joke next to real Detroit Iron trucks!
In my (admittedly hare-brained Boomer opinion) anything "rice" was just trying to play catch up.... and then, with malaise, Detroit dropped the ball! I could talk for hours ..... days, actually.... about how Detroit shit the bed and gave the ball to Japan but it is what it is.
I'll still never like that horrible 350z 🤣🤣🤣... at 280 they peaked!
Peace, Auto Chatter! Sending love and support from Canada.
@haggis525 LOL...Hey..I'm in the car biz..Have been since the mid 90s. I've seen first hand what goes the distance...and what can drain your wallet. Theres been some good Domestics...and some BAD ones.. Theres a reason people are not scared of 200k miles 4 Runners or Tacomas. I've always had a thing for "rice" LOL. I had Z cars ,RX7s,or a MR2 turbo when everyone else was driving IROCs and 5.0s.
14:44 - I hated it, and both the Ranger and Toyota Pickup looked significantly better when this updated truck arrived. The melted look never appealed to me.
I dunno..I didn't mind how they looked myself.
@autochatter The pointy rear bumper, in particular, bugged me. I also didn't like how bulky/swollen the front end looked.
@@doug6191 I thought it was funny how the 97 F150 looked like a bigger S10.
Ok so where’s the Dodge Dakota video??
Yeah...Need to do one of those too!
Corrections: If I'm not mistaken...
-15:23 That's a 1998 S10, NOT a "1994"
-16:09 That's a 1999-2000 GMC Sonoma, NOT a "1996"
-19:29 That's a 2002-2004 S10/Sonoma dash, NOT a "1998"
-20:52 2004 was the last year for the crew-cab S10/Sonoma, NOT "2003"
Yeah it looks like a newer one. Sorry about that.
And I said that 04 was the last year for the crew cab ones.
Colorados are awful poor quality and kinda unsafe if you work them especially if you don't quickly replace rapidly wareing parts