When you see a vehicle like the first-generation Chevrolet S10 Blazer pop up for sale, it can make you do a double-take. These early SUVs used to be everywhere, but now it’s more than a challenge to find a decent driver-quality example anywhere. They were used hard and put away wet, which is why even with 80,000 miles, this S10 Blazer here on eBay seems like a survivor. Bidding is at $4,600 with no reserve.
These trucks littered high school parking lots when I was still a student, as they were classic family hand-me-downs when the rust began eating away at the fenders and the engine started leaving oil deposits on the ground. They were incredibly durable trucks that suffered all forms of abuse, so the S10 Blazer sealed its own fate, so some degree. This one shows none of the tell-tale signs of rust in the arches and rides on stock steel wheels and center caps.
The interiors were not high-quality affairs, an issue that has plagued GM through the current day. The seller notes the interior is where you’ll find the very minor flaws, including some tears in the seat fabric, non-working A/C, and some wobble in the steering wheel. That’s a very small list for a truck of this vintage, especially one that has racked up some miles. The interior otherwise appears clean and usable, aside from perhaps deleting the bulbous wrap off the steering wheel.
The 2.8L V6 was a workhorse, and the seller claims he’s done some highway driving without incident. The Blazer is equipped with power steering, power brakes, and power door locks, and will come with its owner’s manuals and original build sheet. The market for these suburban mall crawlers isn’t exactly hot, but there are plenty of enthusiasts out there who are chasing nostalgia at the moment and would love to own a survivor rig like this. Are you one of them?
I told a very good friend, only VERY special vehicles will garner any peep out of me FNO, but, this is one of those vehicles that truly needs mentioning. I don’t care if you are sick of my stories, it helps me to rekindle my thoughts, before my memory goes all to haywire altogether.
After the 1980 Bronco, I needed something 4×4 that got better mileage, for my family, and pull 2 snowmobiles. I found an ’84 just like this, only white. Had a lot of miles, over 100K( 5 digit speedo), but clean, clearly not from the Badger. Initially, I liked it, right size, great heat/a/c, better mileage, but pulling a trailer, the 2.8 suffered, but I was used to underpowered vehicles, and it worked for a couple years,,,then the downward destruction began. My ex-wife, as told before was exceptionally tough on vehicles. It began to rust, and the motor( with her foot to the floor) finally gave out. The old man picked up a wrecked Blazer( at ins. auction) and I put that motor in, but it too was in poor shape. I bought a crate motor, but by then, it was so rusty, I sent the motor back. The 4.3 later was a marked improvement. I did have some luck with a 2.8, in a S10 pickup, but they require strict oil changes, something many did not do.
As usual, I really liked the truck. It still bamboozles me why everyone jumped on the Asian bandwagon, when these and the Bronco lls AND Jeeps, were great vehicles. Just ask the folks from Pontiac(Mi), Linden( NJ), Moraine( Oh) and Shreveport, builders of the S10, what they think.
howard a. you go right on tellin’ us youngins them stories!
i for one look forward to them. just ignore the cranks.
as for the s10, well it’s a surprisingly good looker. someone is going to score well here.
but man did i ever hate them 2.8s when they rolled into the shop off the ramp truck. but i sure did fix a boat load of them over and over till even i couldn’t condone patching the rust any more.
Good show 👍 Howard .
The 5sp manual 4x4s were certainly more desirable by the outdoorsman.
Howard, i’ve got a 2004 Blazer Extreme that my dad bought new. It’s now got 135,000 on it, and the 4.3 runs like a top! Other than belts, hoses and tires the only thing I’ve done to it is replace vent hose for gas tank. It’s big enough, small enough, fast enough & nimble enough to handle just about any task. Mine’s 2wd, so towing ain’t a forte, but ever since my local Walmart decided they need more parking spaces, so they painted out the old parking spaces and painted new ones closer together I drive this more than my full size truck. Adding a V8 sounds good, but for the trouble involved it just ain’t worth it. Got a new GM crate 4.3 sitting in garage for when it’s needed.
Yeah, I know it “Xtreme” not Extreme!
I drove around 160 thousand miles on a two tone black and gold 84 Blazer 2 WD.
Really great vehicles.
I did have in-front of right wheel rust spot that i cut out and welded a metal plate into.
I miss mine…. Good lick on sale
I bought an ’85 new, but it was a GMC Jimmy. 2.8/Auto. Nice commuter for someone living in the flatlands. Don’t put a trailer on it or go uphill and it’ll be just fine.
Yes. We sold our low mileage 86 jimmy with a 2.8 when we got our 88 jimmy with a 4.3. The guy test drive the 2.8 and asked what was wrong with it. Pretty slow.
4.3 big improvement
I got a new 85 jimmy, same wheels you see here and the 2.8. That thing never ran right, between stalling when cold to failure to restart if shut off before completely warmed up. Imagine shifting to neutral to coast when stalled while furiously cranking the starter.
Many trips to the dealer where this could not be replicated. Oh and imagine walking into a GM dealer service department in the 80s. You were treated as an unwanted guest – in the best cases.
Too bad as these were decent little trucks in many ways.
Serves GM right for doing an awful job stealing the Ford 2.8/2.9 Cologne V-6 design!
My 85 S-10 (first new vehicle). with the 2.8 shut off if it was over 95° out. The dealer couldn’t fix it either. I traded it for an 89 K1500 4×4. More fun with the 5.7 and a 5 speed but many many more problems. Last GM I bought.
These were just awful in the hills of western PA. Try to go up the slightest incline, and the transmission would hunt endlessly back and forth between third and overdrive. That was with the V-6. The 2.0 4-cylinder version was just about useless here.
Just add a mild HP stock SBC and all your low power problems will go away. Plenty S10 V8 conversion kits on the market utilizing the stock driveline.
Where’s it located? May be interested
The 2.8 motors were notorious for rear main seal failure. Bought my ‘85 new and the seal failed once during warranty and then again after warranty. The 4.3’s were much better in several ways.
The 2.8 V6 was one of those hit or miss engines, you got a good one or you got one that was constant trouble. I had two S10 pickups with it, both were oil drinking pigs, last one I rebuilt twice after it turned # 3 rod bearing, a common occurrence on them. A guy who worked with me had a Blazer with the same engine who never had a problem with it, put well over 100,000 miles on it. The machine shop that did the work on my block and heads, I ordered a new crank both times, said every one they got in had oiling problems. We looked at a couple of Blazers back then, but ended up with Plymouth Voyager vans, a much better vehicle for what it was.
Had one in white and like every other Chevrolet I ever owned it was a piece of junk that spent a lot of time on jack stands constantly needing something fixed. Between this and the Buick and other GM vehicles I was one of those that made AAA switch to only 3 tows a year
Had one like this bought used at 3 yrs old; complete dog for power even with 4×4 disengaged. At 160,000 rod went thru block. Had a new ‘84 Celebrity wagon with same engine; at 80,000 miles rear main seal failure. The General told me a new bullet in the box was exactly the same loser so told him it was time to buy someone else’s station wagon; new 1991 Ford Taurus. Ford fixed the notorious AT for that year for free at 70,000 miles. Trouble free to over 190,000 miles and passed it on to son. Good one!
SOLD
Winning bid:
US $7,800.00
you told us about this car yesterday
Owned a ’93 S10 Pickup (last of the square fronts) with the 2.8 and 5sp, extended cab w/Tahoe trim! Drove smooth and ran like a top. Only regret was trading it in on a because my new wife could not (and still cannot) drive a stick.
that looks more like a K-5 Blazer the two door version S10 was usually the 4 door variant of the Blazer. my late maternal grandfather drove an S 10 Blazer when I was a teenager. seeing this reminded me of going up to the tree farm in NH to tag and chop our Christmas tree every year or when he and his 2nd wife took us anywhere we always took the Blazer because there was more cargo space etc