I want you to take a good, solid look at the vehicle here. Study it’s details, note it’s positive traits as well as it’s negatives. Since I know the first question is probably “What IS that?”, the answer is difficult. It started life as a 1994 Chevrolet S-10 four-cylinder pickup, but as you can tell with your eyes, very little of the stock truck remains. It’s easy to write off the build as an S-10 rat rod build gone wrong and be done with it…and I’ll admit that my first instinct was to do just that. These aren’t my kind of builds at all, and I’ve seen a lot of them where they just remove the fenders and front clip, graft some metal on and try to go for the “hot rod”-ish look.
But reading through the Craigslist listing shows that thought and craftsmanship were involved with this build. Most hacks wouldn’t go to the trouble of sticking a Mustang II front end underneath an S-10, or bother putting a Dana rear end out back. They might chop the roof, but taking eight inches out of an S-10’s roofline and putting it back together like this takes talent. The colors are actually tasteful, the wheels…well, to each their own, and the seller is honest about what he has: a unique vehicle that “rides like shit” but is a great conversation piece. From where we sit, we will still critique the interior and the cut-down steering wheel, but for all of the marks you can notch up against it, there’s plenty that show promise.
Don’t just judge this truck-rod alone. Think about people and projects you know…where is that fine line between crazy genius and insanity? How far is too far? The builder of this S-10 is, as far as we are concerned, balancing on the line. But maybe you feel differently…let us know below what you think!
Craigslist Link: 1994 Chevrolet S-10 truck-rod build
(Thanks to Tardis454 for the tip!)
Yet again – a Chevy-based barf wagon!
Insanity hints that there is at least some brain activity taking place whereas this thing was built by somebody who in fact had no brain whatsoever…
So baseing it on a Hi Lux would be OK then? WTF has the original maker got to do with it?
If it had a Ford engine it would be just as ugly but slower.
BMT… Find a duplicate and wear them as roller skates! 🙂
Drive it to the the salvage yard, they might take it.
“Award winning rat rod”! I’d be embarrassed to even have that in my driveway! Showing that as art is just poor taste.
I am no fan of the “Rat Rod”, but I can appreciate some skill and creativity in the build of many of them. But something like this is just a total waste of effort IMO, total waste of time. :p
Just needs one final touch. Tie Chevy hatin’ mad Geordie on as a hood ornament… and I’m spent!!!
After all that’s said and done …… ” There is only { ONE } rule in this sport / hobby of ours ” and that is ” there are no rules ”
” Unique is what we seek …. Bizarre is what we are “
That thing leaves you with the same sour taste that geordie’s comments do.
Was having a convo about things like this….I liken it to art. An artist for the most part are creating for them and if someone else happens to dig it great and if not so what. What one person sees as a bunch of crap splattered on a canvas others view as something exciting and passionate or solemn…whatever they see is what they see. Who am I to tell the artist what to create….however, I do not have to like it…and I don’t…it’s effing awful…however I can see come creative uses of parts and design….Beauty is in they eye of the beholder…or beer holder I guess.
Sadly, art has degenerated to the point where some alleged works of art are literally a bunch of crap splattered on a canvas. That is only succeeding because nobody in the art world is calling them out and instead they’re saying that the emperor is merely endorsing a clothing optional lifestyle. Thankfully car guys are a bit more willing to speak their minds.
This one reminds me of an Internet meme picture I saw lately where the caption read, “I haven’t seen your kind of crazy before. But I am impressed by your total dedication to it.” Even though I don’t really get what he was trying to achieve, the bodywork skills are impressive. The rear suspension geometry, though, looks absolutely terrifying. It doesn’t look like the axle is fully located.
I dont like the front end but would rock the rest.
stick the front body work back on and it would be alright. Then you have a nice wall light for your livingroom. It’s not as bad as some of the rusted out death traps I’ve seen. I’d run it for a summer
Seller writes – must leave an extra 15 min’s for BS time.
Funny, does he me bullshit time or the other BS ?
I guess there is good in everything so I’d take the shifter knob and junk the rest.
That’s the type seller that people make up lies to get away from. They Expect you to sit around and waste two hours talking about things other then what you bought. If you happen to be unlucky enough to sell that person something getting them to leave is more painful then being robed.
You know, when I guy goes this far off in left field, everyone will have an opinion, and while I don’t really dig this thing much, I give him credit for trying. I, for one, am sick of staus quo builds that are done to death. If no one pushes the envelope, it’s the same old same old.
Some things I like, and some are just… Yeesh! That front end would have to go, without a doubt.
What a pile of garbage. To take a S-10 and throw away a great chassis is idiotic to start with. The rear end looks like it’s from a Jeep Grand Cherokee or worse a XJ. It’s likely a Dana 35 which fails more then the S-10 7.5 ring gear 10 bolt.
A lot of people ‘bag’ S-10’s, with out going to mustang II front suspension.
Also someone at the title office F’ed up on the out of state inspection. That windshield is NOT legal in Ohio. A state trooper can impound that vehicle, confiscate the plates until a legal windshield is installed.
I also don’t like beer cans, liquor bottles, or other wear items used as catch cans/overflow jugs. If you find a hand blown Glass oil resistor for a motorcycle it will be 8-10 times thicker then a liquor bottle. Beer cans are roughly 2 times the thickness of aluminum foil. A small plastic milk ‘chug’ bottle has more strength.
As for wasting S-10’s, Rangers, and other 80’s-2000’s trucks. Who cares. Plenty to go around.