A real delemma, help.

[ChevyDude]

My 72' K-10 paint change is underway and I am ready to dismantle the cab and remove it from the frame. Here's my deal... this K-10 is my daily driver and I know it will be apart for a month or two while it's blasted/primed/painted and then put back together. So I need another truck to drive while this is going on. I'm thinking an inexpensive S-10 4x4 (Colorado snow to deal with). Are there any years to look for or to stay away from. Anybody else come up against this delemma when restoring your daily driver? Any ideas of input is greatly appreciated....maybe just lease a new one??? I'm not really sure what to do. And no I can't drive the Prowler while this is going on.

[bow-tie-bandit]

I think before I'd lease a new car you might want to check on a car rental. That way you are not locked into a lease. Just my 2 cents.

[Primered_69]

I would try one of those rent a junker places. Rent one for a month or two and go with it.

[griesel72]

if it were me, i'd use it as an excuse to find another 72 4X4. you could always restore it later or sell it (it won't lose any value) You already know about these trucks and, let's face it, you can never have enough.

David

[shuttermutt]

I normally take the opportunity to go find my next project!

Seriously, see if you can dig up another vehicle that you might want to toy with when you get your truck back on the road. Even if you lose interest in it, you can most likely find someone willing to take it on as their project. That or find a klunker and thrash the hell out of it for a couple of months!

[kdubaz]

Yeah I'll post my 2cents on this one.

I have this 3 car rotation that I work on. Right now its kind of in limbo, but you'll get the idea.

First there's the show car. In my current situation, its underconstruction, but usually its full paint and the whole deal. Once I get the new bed on my '01 GMC I'll be good to go.

The second is my project. It gives me something to do, and keeps me going. Right now that's my Astro, that's currently for sale.

Then there's the driver. Ironically enough mine doesn't drive right now, but in my case it's my '69 that I just got from Charlie & 68Suburban here on the board.

What I do is once I get the project done, I decide whether to sell the show ride or the recently completed project. Whichever way I choose, I sell it, then I move the driver to the project column, still have a show ride, and I go shopping for a new driver that will eventually be a driver.

Would've worked out great if I hadn't sold my last show car before the van was done.

[BLACK AND BLUE 67-72]

I don't think he's wanting to lease one, more like buy an inexpensive 4x4 S10. I've heard that the older ones had several problems, and the very first change over body styles also. My sister has the 1994 GMC Jimmy and has put 187,000 on it and has had no major problems out of it, other than routine maintence and a small problem with the digital dash (Fuel Gage). Now my brother had (Keyword HAD) a 1995 Chevy Blazer and it only had 40,000 on it and he had nothing but problems out of it. The mirrors actually just BROKE off from driving down the road and were hanging by the wires that control them, that was a $170.00 replacement, he had to put two new calipers on it due to them locking up for no apparent reason, the ABS kept blowing fuses and finally just melted the harness instead of blowing the fuse, driver's side caliper locked up again the brake line had an internal break in it so it would allow it to apply but not release, he put 3 4x4 incoder motors in it, you could push the button and all it would do is flash and not engage, he put 3 water pumps in it, and 2 idler pulleys on it, 2 alternators, 1 power window motor, a new A/C compressor because the old one locked up, and finally it started pushing transmission fluid out of the check tube and down onto the hot manifold, it had the proper dipstick with seal and the red handle that locks also, even the dealer could not find the problem. So he finally got rid of it with 70,000 on it and has never been happier, he said he will never own another '95 S10 of any sort, but said he wouldn't mind owning a '94 like our sister has. Now I don't know if the trucks have the same problems or not though, but it might give you an idea.

[Primered_69]

88-92 trucks could be had with a 4.3. Would be cheap initial buy and you could always at a later date swap in a 350 and a s10 blazer rear to have a fun beater for winter. Older body style would be cheaper and you would not mind putting it to the elements.
For more info
try http://www.s10forum.com/
or http://www.s10v8.com/forum.php

[lukecp]

S10 4x4's make great winter rides. I had a '91 ex. cab. 4x4 with a 4.3 and 5-speed...i loved that truck. When it snowed, only me and one other guy on my road could get out (the other guy had a fullsize F150 4x4). I would stay away from the 2.8...they are a pretty weak motor in the power department. The 4.3 is far better. It is basically a 350 with 2 cylinder lopped off the front, and are rated at 160 hp. With the 5-speed that mine had it would move along pretty nicley, and squeak the tires going into 4th gear. The only things replaced on it were an alternator and water pump in the 165xxx miles we had it. I finally blew up the 4.3...only took 40 in 1st gear so many times
But you could proably find a rusty one that runs good for around a grand, and beat the heck out of it in the winter, and have alot of fun with it.

[bobbys1967]

I have a '92 S-10 blazer that I'm trying to sell, and I live in Arvada. I'm asking 3500 obo. It has 170k (mostly highway) miles but it still runs and looks great. The ones that I've seen for around 3k weren't in nearly as good of shape. I recently replaced the fuel pump, and the fuel injector, which are the two main problems that these blazers have at higher milege. PM me if your interested.

[ChevyDude]

I really appreciate all of your input. I'm leaning towards getting an S-10 of some sort. I've got to kick it around with the wife. Thanks also for the Blazer offer.... but because I'm a contractor I cannot be without an open bed, just won't work.