The 1990s were a fantastic time of growth and development for performance trucks. Factory modified pickups were popular, and they were selling. While performance trucks weren’t new at this time, they were widely popular for the first time in a long time. GM got in on the trend in 1990 with the 454 SS, and Ford with the Lightning in 1993. GM then introduced the Syclone and Typhoon in 1991, based on the S10 and Blazer respectively. These two were all-wheel-drive and were known for being able to put the hurt on a variety of challengers! This example could use some cosmetic touch-ups, but only has 43,000 miles on the odometer. Find it here on eBay in Wisconsin with an asking price of $14,500.
The Syclone could be had with cloth, but this truck has been redone in leather. This truck was meant to appeal as a performance vehicle, and the leather certainly helps to separate this one from a “regular S10.” Interestingly enough, the gauge cluster is from the Pontiac Sunbird Turbo, which was discontinued in 1990 just before the Syclone was released. Aside from usual wear and age, everything looks nice, clean, and intact. It looks to me like the leather could use some rejuvenation, but other than that this is a cruise ready pickup!
The real fun in this truck is in the engine bay. The largest engine available in S10 variants was the 4.3 liter GM V6, which shares many attributes of the classic 5.7 liter/350 cubic inch Chevrolet V8. Naturally, the Syclone was outfitted with the largest engine that would easily fit, but of course that wasn’t enough to make it a performance truck! The Syclones were also outfitted with a turbocharger, and AWD, meaning that this truck REALLY pulls when you put your foot down. To quote the seller, “The AWD is amazing and this thing pulls hard even upwards of 80+ mph,” and I don’t doubt it.
This truck isn’t perfect, but from the ad it sounds like it has always been maintained properly. The only real issue is that it has a rebuilt title from a minor accident a previous owner was involved in, but the seller claims it was rebuilt with authentic parts. These trucks were only built for one year, and only 2,995 were produced. I understand why a rebuilt title might be a deal-breaker, but finding one of these for sale can be a challenge in itself (even though there is another one on eBay right now!). Would you drive it as it is, or make it show-ready perfect?
Syclones never had leather, even the ad says they were redone in leather.
Whoops, that’s what I get for trusting my memory there. Thanks, I’ll correct that!
Rebuilt titles, always worth 50% less than a clean one. Cool truck though, I remember them and the Typhoons back then.
Typhoons is the Chevy version and with so many salvage titled cars these days, the discount is closer to 15% max, not 50%.
Your opinion is 15, mine is 50. To each their own.
Chevrolet never had a version of these. The Typhoon was GMC’s SUV version.
Typhoon was GMC also. It was just built on the Jimmy body instead of the S15.
Percentage slap fight aside – Typhoons were the SUV version, not the Chevrolet version. Both (Syclones/Typhoons) were GMCs
“Auto and insurance industry sources report that the decrease in value of a vehicle that has a rebuilt or salvage title is typically between 20 percent and 50 percent, depending on the type of vehicle and its age.”
https://www.carinsurance.com/value-rebuilt-title-vs-clean-title.aspx
Thank you Karl, Merry Christmas.
John, I say the Bluebook places state 50% values on Salvage Titles, which are right in line with my opinion.
Try keeping up.
I owned a car lot for over fifteen years selling primarily rebuilt and classic vehicle’s The real world difference in price is about twenty percent, not fifty. Even insurance companies seldom deduct more than fifteen percent. I do agree that rebuilt vehicle’s are less desirable with high end collectors, but even without a salvage history, this one would not fall into that category.
We seem to be forgetting that there’s a whole lot of people who couldn’t afford a clear titled version as the admission price if comments are to be believed is prohibitively expensive & also it’s now a vehicle that you can actually use not keep as a garage queen?
A friend of mine bought one new back in the day. Beautiful truck..we added an open air filter and aftermarket exhaust (both were homemade ). We broke a lot of hearts with it..Buick GNX uhhh couldn’t keep up. Camaros, Mustang no problem. That truck was scary fast
The GNX would obliterate this truck.
Jay, It’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. I buy/sell them all day long. Find me some 50% discounted salvage titled cars and I’ll pay you a finders fee for each and every one of them.
You bored Jim? It’s funny that most blue book places state “fact” that salvage titles are worth at least 50% less that what a clean title goes for. Yet, you’re saying “15% max”, Good Lord, be happy you’re not trying to sell me something, lol! Furthermore, good luck getting an insurance company to give you full replacement at time of loss on a Salvage Title. Better yet, good luck even being offered physical damage with insurance, on a Salvage Title vehicle. I’m simply stating, armed with these FACTS, you’d be lucky, to get 50% of bluebook value, from me, for a vehicle with a Salvaged/Rebuilt Title.
So your “opinion” that it’s 50 rather than 15 is now a “fact.” And where it was previously 50 it’s now “at least” 50.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you in this nutshell, the year 2017.
I’m never bored pal, I have way too many fires going at all times. The fact that you use KBB for values of these cars as a rigid guide tells me that you’re one of those guys that’s just pissed the sport has ran past you like a freight train. Good luck buying a vehicle that has any kind of following, especially a muscle related car, for 50% of it’s value because of a salvaged title after it’s been repaired. Of course there’s always the poor unsuspecting individual seller that has idea of value that you can rip off and get that great deal by showing them your KBB value guide. Like I stated prior, you find me cars like this that I can buy for 50% of their value because of a salvage title and I’ll buy every one of them and pay you a finders fee.
Jim, let’s put it to rest. It’s Christmas, you’re now boring ME with your ridiculous babble. I’d never invest in a collectors car that has a Salvage Title. Sorry I’m blowing the whistle on your “lucrative” body shop business. Salvage Titles would never get more than 50% of BB value from me. Sorry I hurt your feelings and I’ve lived rent free in your head for a day…it’s time to get over the it.
You just need to stop while you’re behind, go spend some time with family, the body shop will be there tomorrow.
Merry Christmas
Jay, yeah, I’d say put a sock in it pal. Not taking your passive/aggressive bs banter and lack of real world experience. I don’t ever remember mentioning anything about a “lucrative” or any sort of body shop business pal. All my cars are part of my personal collection, I build custom homes for a living in Newport Beach, CA, this is just my hobby. You couldn’t afford the rent in my head and day dreamers like you never spur an additional thought beyond the response I give. I can always tell when I hit a nerve with the keyboard dreamers when they deflect to personal attacks and ignore my challenges. By the way, you really out yourself when you speak of classic cars and KBB.
Almost 30 years old, and deemed a future collectible? Better clean that crystal ball, because if it isn’t by now, it probably won’t be.
Whew tough crowd
I always loved these but think this one is over priced.I would never,ever buy a salvage vehicle.
My approach to salvage vehicles is to ask the owner for photos of the damaged car prior to the repair. These days an older car can be totaled for a tap on the bumper strong enough to knock the deck lid out of adjustment. If the “before” pictures aren’t scary, I would be happy with a 20% discount. If the car looks like James Dean’s Porsche, I walk away.
I agree with Fred on the salvage title issue. When I bought my 2005 Honda Accord from Copart with 59,000 original miles on it last year, it had been totaled out because of a damaged Fender hood and front bumper cover which all unbolted and new ones bolted on without any pulling of any structure. Picked the car up for $800 plus lot fees paid $300 for body panels from LKQ and now I have a beautiful 2005 Honda Accord that will last me a long time for a fraction of what they go for. And do I care if it’s worth a little bit less, no, because I’m going to keep it forever and yes, I did take pictures of the damage before I put it back together. Merry Christmas everybody!
When I sold rebuilt vehicle’s I always took before photos, so the customer could see what had been done. Sold over 450 of them in 15 years for 60-75 percent of high (NADA) value. Sold them as fast as I could get them ready. Always disclosed salvage history. They sold because I was cheaper than everyone else, who sold theirs at 80-85 percent of NADA. Most of the cars I sold needed very little work done ($1-2k).
The value of anything is determined by the price one wants to pay for it. I have a salvage title but now fully now restored to new by another who paid a very high price. Merry Christmas!
Pretty cool. I would prefer a Typhoon, but pretty cool.
Who said this is a tough crowd, ” You Think ?” A couple of comments , I have a friend who has had more Cyclon’s, than I can count. Since the first one he bought new and all the ones after, he bought the lowest mileage he could find, put 80k plus on it, then sell it, and goes and gets another one. He is still driving one ,but its getting hard to find a low mile replacement. I have driven his Cyclon’s many times over the years, and yes they are scary fast, and super fun. He buys them because of the all wheel drive in the winter, and he is a car guy, and can also afford it. In nice weather he has a super fast driver, and in the snow he can still get where he needs to go.
As for collectable’s and salvage titles, we could fight those two topics out for years, and still not agree.
Probably wore them down a good bit too smh. No offense but damn ur friends love for them. 😢
To bad the truck has a salvage rebuilt title. $2500 to $3500 truck. Don’t understand why people waste money on wrecked vehicles.
Bunch of scrooges!! Have a syclone in the garage, number 185. Paid 6k, no rebuilt title. Very quick. Merry Christmas.
I’d buy it to simply see if the dry rotted hoses would do any engine compartment damage as they blew off during full boost!
Seems like the interior is wrong.
Took a quick look on-line and saw many different levels of reported mileage and a wide price range. Also saw a lot of “rebuilt turbos” listed in the ads implying most of them were treated like rented mules. Seems as if a buyer had better do a lot of research and be very careful. Tough crowd indeed.
there are “rebuilt vehicles” which are daily drivers, and there are “rebuilt vehicles” which are collector cars. I’m sure you can get 80% for a rebuilt or salvage Honda Accord, but probably not a collector car, unless the car is 50 years old. No one cares if your restored 2002Tii has a rebuilt title…but a Syclone or GNX etc…there are just too many others out there for sale to pay 80% retail and then have to drag that title around forever. I say if you have no plans of ever selling it, then you won’t be upset when you overpay for a salvage vehicle. If you plan to DD it into the ground, then make sure it was repaired correctly and pocket the difference. But for a collector car…no way, ever for me.
Since it is a GMC I would say they are based off the S15 and Jimmy, not the S10 and Blazer.
It’s the same platform though, so its technically based on all of them. Splitting hairs my friend!
Un-bunch those panties Jay & Jim, you’re both right….and both wrong…..but nobody cares either way
And conversely so, I don’t really care what you or others think. If I had, I wouldn’t have achieved half of what I have in life.
bring back the thumbs down for J&J…
I’m not a GM/che**y guy but the 4300’s a great motor.
Titles and books be damned. They are only what they say they are…guides, and not effectively that. Rule number one….a vehicle is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Rule number two……..see rule number one!
I’m pretty sure that the true value of the vehicle is EXACTLY what someone will pay for it & not a cent more?