By Marcal Eilenstein
If there’s one thing I like, it’s pickups. If there’s two things I like, it’s pickups and racing.
Ignore my paltry use of the English language for a moment and focus on this fun S-10, which has been built for road racing. What we have here is a full-on tube frame race car with the body of an S-10 tacked on. Keep reading to check out the details because the list of modifications to this machine is long. I’ve tried to distill it to just a few major points.
NASA/NASCAR PRO TRUCK S-10 PRO TRUCK BODY, BUTLER BUILT RACING SEAT WITH HEAD RESTRAINTS, G-FORCE PRO SERIES 5 POINT HARNESSES, PARKER AIR PUMPER, AUTO METER GAUGES AND TACH WITH SHIFT LIGHT, ON BOARD FIRE SYSTEM, WINK MIRROR, CONVEX RACING MIRROR, NEW OPTIMA BATTERY.
9″ FORD GRAND NATIONAL REAR-END WITH EATON DETROIT TRUETRAC DIFFERENTIAL, 325:1 GEAR RATIO,
4 SPEED JERICO TRANSMISSION
500+ HP 385 STROKER WITH 11:1 COMPRESSION,
Again, the list of modifications is extensive. This guy has put a lot of work and money into this truck, and it shows; this appears to be a high quality machine, and very fast. If you look at the Craigslist ad, be sure and check all the pictures he posted. When you’re finished looking at the pictures, drop a line in the comments and let us know what you think. I don’t often see compact pickups built for racing, although I remember when NHRA ran a Pro Stock Truck class. Rangers vs. S-10 vs. Dakota – what a brilliant concept. Remember those?
Anyway, back to you. Would you spend $12,000 on a turnkey racer? Would you spend just $6,000 and drop in your own motor and transmission?
[Source: Seattle craigslist]
Ross Ballot 
Jeff Glucker
How about Jeeps and racing?
<img src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/308044_265265310170335_3151346_n.jpg"width=500>
This one is a SCCA Solo II autocross national champion. It has since moved to Georgia and was at the Georgia Tech Autoshow last weekend. I need to upload my pictures. It has a 400hp 2.0L turbocharged Ecotec.
I'll take this instead, lawnmower handle and all.
<img src="http://images.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_0801_01_z+1965_ford_ranchero+.jpg">
<a href="http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_0801_1965_ford_ranchero/viewall.html” target=”_blank”>http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_0801_1965_ford_ranchero/viewall.html
That's awesome.
Alright so a little off topic but it is an S10 and it is Truck Thurday…
The area of town I live in is home to a dozen or so food stands that are basically small trailers pulled by small trucks. Specifically I always spot a first-gen Pathfinder, a first-gen Tacoma and an S10. Now these are older but admittedly appear to have a lot of life left in them so my thought turned to what they would use to replace them? Lets face it, the small pickup is becoming a relic of the past, thanks to CAFE regulations. Doesn't something like a ute make sense to fill that void? Not to mention you would could have a kick ass ute racing series. I know utes are starting to die in Australia, I think they could manage to live on in the US.
Ford answered that question when the Ranger died and 'replaced' it with the Connect.
I talked to a contractor driving a Transit Connect a few weeks ago. He had previously been driving an Astro.
He said the Connect is a piece of s***. He said it's poorly built, too small, and flimsy.
And so you're screwed if a Connect and a Crossover are useless, and an F-150 is too big for your needs.
I feel like this (in comparison to a Connect) is the automotive equivalent of saying, "that's not a knife…THAT'S a knife."
<img src="http://cdn.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/2008fordfalconutebase.jpg" width="600">
More or less. Dealers are still selling 2012 Rangers, I imagine for a really good price.
Although you're totally right, I'm just thinking down the road…that and the ute is my latest automotive obsession.
They are pretty cool, no doubt about it.
A driver who delivers for a company my bindery deals with drives one. I asked him how he likes it and he said he thought it was a big improvement from his previous vans. Didnt get much more detail than that.
I figured delivery guys especially would appreciate the low, flat load floor and big doors. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
It's not that the small pickup is a relic; the big manufacturers have simply moved on to better markets, especially Asia. If the compact pickup comes back to the US, it will be an imported version, such as the global Ranger.
Will be needing that and a pre-smog LUV to donate a VIN so I can register it for road use.
SCCA had a sem-pro truck series back in the late 80's. basically a Showroom Stock type of class for small trucks. They used it as a support series for TransAm at the time.
http://youtu.be/ZnSYj1hAPs0
https://www.google.com/search?q=scca+sport+truck+…
This is exactly the opposite of Three Pedal Mafia's mid-'90s-S-10-based LeMon…
<img src="http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/576527_392679954085782_100000313416424_1340122_266160822_n.jpg" width=600>
Personally, I'd like to know the story of the Datto in the background…
I'm interested in the 325:1 differential gearing. A top speed of ~2mph at redline in 4th gear.