With my existing '97 S10 2wd coming up on 400k and moving to Denver where it's more likely I'll be in more snow in the wintertime I felt I needed a 4wd beater. It's not that the 2wd S10 can't be driven in the snow, as I've made it to work driving it when others couldn't. It's more that I want something more sure-footed and different from the truck I spent two hours a day commuting to a job I no longer work at. To get down to it, I just need a little change. Besides 4wd, I wanted it to also be a 5-speed and not a full size in order to keep the thought of fuel economy still within a little reach.
Enter the ZR2. While the new Colorado ZR2 is a very nice setup with electric lockers on each end and the fabulous multimatic shocks I didn't want the expense of a new or couple-year-old ride. They are great trucks but I'm going to be the one doing the work on this truck. I don't want to be tied to a dealer. Ultimately I don't want a monthly payment. I've always had a soft spot for the original S10 ZR2 anyway. Back when I started out with Workhorse I almost bought a new ZR2 for my company ride, but it was wildly impractical for the family. So there is a bit of nostalgia in the mix as the ZR2 had been around since my college days and I wanted one then too. There was one in Chevy's booth at SEMA that I drooled over when I went with my college booster club in '95.
The search had been ongoing since before I moved just to get an idea of what the prices were. Also in the mix was a Blazer ZR2 as I like the oddity of that body. The trick here would be finding one that was in my price range with a 5-speed. Local prices ranged from $2500 on the low end to $9000+ on the high end for both the S10 and Blazer versions.
Naturally many turds were found. Blown engines. Dead 4l60e's and generally clapped out rides. On the other end were highly optimistic individuals with 100k mile units with the label *RARE* were especially optimistic. I found a '02 Blazer ZR2 with 5-speed over in the San Luis valley that was quite cherry, but the guy wanted $9,000 and it was black. I've had 3 black cars in my life and I was set not to have another. The need for a manual thinned the heard down a bunch. I did find a clapped-out '01 Blazer version with a manual in pewter for $3000 but it had house paint all over the interior. It was a little too rough for my taste. Still, the hunt was on.
Eventually, I found a '98 S10 ZR2 that was checking the boxes. Price was in the middle, mileage was in the middle, it had the 5-speed and it was really clean. I messaged the guy and made arrangements to go check it out. The day I was planning on looking at it, the seller messaged me to say it didn't pass the emissions but come check it out anyway as he said it would pass before the transaction was made. @Capt Ron came along for the ride and he looked it over while I talked to the seller. The story on it was that he was the third owner. The carfax he gave me proved it. Ron found the failed emission test while I was talking to the guy. Mechanically, the truck was solid. It had some leaks from the common zones on a 4.3, none of which were puking, but more at the state of oozing more than anything. It ran and stopped well. No ill handling. The shifter was a floppy bit because the detent spring in the shift housing was broken or collapsed. The 2nd owner (also a buddy of the seller) apparently had a habit of always wagging the shifter back and forth in the neutral gate when he was stopped. Having the identical trans in my 2wd S10 it's not hard to know the gates by feel, but I'll say the slop was enough to make a SM465 feel tight in comparison. Cosmetically, the truck had nicks and bruises but no major dents. The paint has the typical checking for a darker color (indigo blue) on the horizontal sections of the hood and roof. As a bonus, it did have a fiberglass topper, but it did have a home brew ladder rack made out of diamond plate and uni-strut. It's functional, but looks like hell. The front has a fugly grille guard and as expected the ZR2 specific flares have some cracks up front and some horribly applied bedliner on the rears.
Overall I really liked it a lot. The guy assured me his mechanic was going to get it to pass emissions. I told him I'd take it, and we'd stay in touch on the progress. Funny thing about that progress. It took about 4 weeks and multiple runs at the emissions shop to get the thing to pass. Unfortunately, I think his mechanic must be related to my former techs at the dealership because he literally shot the proverbial parts cannon at the truck. Started with lower intake gaskets, EGR, plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Still didn't pass. He put the newer style injector spider that omits the central injectors and plastic poppet valves for actual injectors in the runner. Still didn't pass. Ended up putting a y-pipe/catalytic converter assembly on it. Finally passed. He spent almost $3000 getting it to pass. He did not pass that cost onto me.
Here's how it looked when I got it home. With all the ugly still on it.
The rack really was sturdy, but just flat out fugly.
I pruned the rack off yesterday and spent some time with some rubbing compound and a microfiber to clean up the paint where the rubber pads were between the mount brackets and the top.
I've made a couple of boneyard runs and grabbed a couple of things. All the center caps for the wheels were missing. I've got a set on there now that are pretty banged up, but some smooth replacements are inbound from Amazon. Typical of any GM center console, the interior plastic was busted up from years of elbows getting jabbed into it. The defroster vent was busted and poorly glued back in place. Both parts are available through Dorman's HELP line and matched up perfectly.
I have been driving it all week. The check engine light has come on a couple times. Setting a O2 heater code and a MAF sensor code. I can clear them, they eventually come back so I'll have to dive deeper into both. Next up is pulling and selling the Grille guard and the broken hood deflector. I'd like to find some clean used flares at the boneyard but that's going to be like finding hens teeth. I might bite the bullet and buy a complete set through a site that sells replacements. I'll give that time to find.
I'll find some other stuff to do, but its pretty dang good so far. Just need to continue pulling the ugly stuff off of it.
Enter the ZR2. While the new Colorado ZR2 is a very nice setup with electric lockers on each end and the fabulous multimatic shocks I didn't want the expense of a new or couple-year-old ride. They are great trucks but I'm going to be the one doing the work on this truck. I don't want to be tied to a dealer. Ultimately I don't want a monthly payment. I've always had a soft spot for the original S10 ZR2 anyway. Back when I started out with Workhorse I almost bought a new ZR2 for my company ride, but it was wildly impractical for the family. So there is a bit of nostalgia in the mix as the ZR2 had been around since my college days and I wanted one then too. There was one in Chevy's booth at SEMA that I drooled over when I went with my college booster club in '95.
The search had been ongoing since before I moved just to get an idea of what the prices were. Also in the mix was a Blazer ZR2 as I like the oddity of that body. The trick here would be finding one that was in my price range with a 5-speed. Local prices ranged from $2500 on the low end to $9000+ on the high end for both the S10 and Blazer versions.
Naturally many turds were found. Blown engines. Dead 4l60e's and generally clapped out rides. On the other end were highly optimistic individuals with 100k mile units with the label *RARE* were especially optimistic. I found a '02 Blazer ZR2 with 5-speed over in the San Luis valley that was quite cherry, but the guy wanted $9,000 and it was black. I've had 3 black cars in my life and I was set not to have another. The need for a manual thinned the heard down a bunch. I did find a clapped-out '01 Blazer version with a manual in pewter for $3000 but it had house paint all over the interior. It was a little too rough for my taste. Still, the hunt was on.
Eventually, I found a '98 S10 ZR2 that was checking the boxes. Price was in the middle, mileage was in the middle, it had the 5-speed and it was really clean. I messaged the guy and made arrangements to go check it out. The day I was planning on looking at it, the seller messaged me to say it didn't pass the emissions but come check it out anyway as he said it would pass before the transaction was made. @Capt Ron came along for the ride and he looked it over while I talked to the seller. The story on it was that he was the third owner. The carfax he gave me proved it. Ron found the failed emission test while I was talking to the guy. Mechanically, the truck was solid. It had some leaks from the common zones on a 4.3, none of which were puking, but more at the state of oozing more than anything. It ran and stopped well. No ill handling. The shifter was a floppy bit because the detent spring in the shift housing was broken or collapsed. The 2nd owner (also a buddy of the seller) apparently had a habit of always wagging the shifter back and forth in the neutral gate when he was stopped. Having the identical trans in my 2wd S10 it's not hard to know the gates by feel, but I'll say the slop was enough to make a SM465 feel tight in comparison. Cosmetically, the truck had nicks and bruises but no major dents. The paint has the typical checking for a darker color (indigo blue) on the horizontal sections of the hood and roof. As a bonus, it did have a fiberglass topper, but it did have a home brew ladder rack made out of diamond plate and uni-strut. It's functional, but looks like hell. The front has a fugly grille guard and as expected the ZR2 specific flares have some cracks up front and some horribly applied bedliner on the rears.
Overall I really liked it a lot. The guy assured me his mechanic was going to get it to pass emissions. I told him I'd take it, and we'd stay in touch on the progress. Funny thing about that progress. It took about 4 weeks and multiple runs at the emissions shop to get the thing to pass. Unfortunately, I think his mechanic must be related to my former techs at the dealership because he literally shot the proverbial parts cannon at the truck. Started with lower intake gaskets, EGR, plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Still didn't pass. He put the newer style injector spider that omits the central injectors and plastic poppet valves for actual injectors in the runner. Still didn't pass. Ended up putting a y-pipe/catalytic converter assembly on it. Finally passed. He spent almost $3000 getting it to pass. He did not pass that cost onto me.
Here's how it looked when I got it home. With all the ugly still on it.
The rack really was sturdy, but just flat out fugly.
I pruned the rack off yesterday and spent some time with some rubbing compound and a microfiber to clean up the paint where the rubber pads were between the mount brackets and the top.
I've made a couple of boneyard runs and grabbed a couple of things. All the center caps for the wheels were missing. I've got a set on there now that are pretty banged up, but some smooth replacements are inbound from Amazon. Typical of any GM center console, the interior plastic was busted up from years of elbows getting jabbed into it. The defroster vent was busted and poorly glued back in place. Both parts are available through Dorman's HELP line and matched up perfectly.
I have been driving it all week. The check engine light has come on a couple times. Setting a O2 heater code and a MAF sensor code. I can clear them, they eventually come back so I'll have to dive deeper into both. Next up is pulling and selling the Grille guard and the broken hood deflector. I'd like to find some clean used flares at the boneyard but that's going to be like finding hens teeth. I might bite the bullet and buy a complete set through a site that sells replacements. I'll give that time to find.
I'll find some other stuff to do, but its pretty dang good so far. Just need to continue pulling the ugly stuff off of it.
