The versatile and ubiquitous Chevy S 10 pickup and other variants of that worthy vehicle has been around since 1982. It managed a 22 year run as Chevrolet’s top small pickup, being replaced in 2005 by the Chevy Colorado and hundreds of thousands of them are still plying the nation’s roads, trails and other thoroughfares.

Officially classed as a compact pickup, the Chevy S 10 ran side-by-side with the GMC version known as the S 15 (and later, as the Syclone) for a time. The S 10 itself took over the small truck duties from the Chevy Luv, which was just an Isuzu KB with the Chevy bowtie emblem on the grill and a few minor cosmetic changes. Born as a result of the oil shocks of the 1970s, the S 10 was an effort by Chevy to improve fuel economy in its trucks.

Because of that effort, Chevy trotted out the truck in 1981 for the 1982 model year, introducing a 2-door SUV shortly thereafter in 1983. Chevy beat Ford to that segment of the market, though both finished behind Jeep, which had put a 2-door SUV up just before Chevy. No 4-door SUV version of the S 10 (the Chevy S 10 Blazer) was offered until 1990.

General Motors, the parent company of Chevrolet, has featured a number of compact pickups since 1982, with the SUV versions being around in 2 or 4-door skin for over 25 years. The S 10 itself is a favorite of do-it-yourself mechanics, particularly its early model years, which were relatively easy to work on.

Given the initial desire by Chevy to feature what passed for good fuel economy in those days, the debut S 10 featured a standard 4 cylinder powerplant, which was an Isuzu carryover engine from the old Chevy Luv. It kicked out 84 ponies which, by today’s standards of power and economy, would be considered anemic but which was actually fairly good in 1982. It also offered 101 pounds-feet of torque.

Optional mills in the little Chevy truck were mainly of the V6 type. From ‘82 to ‘85, it was a 2. 4 liter with a 2-barrel carb from Rochester. This combo put out 115 horses and 148 pounds-feet of torque that gave the truck so get-up-and-go from standing start. There was a diesel i the line from ‘83 to ‘85, but it died a well-deserved death.

Over the life of the S 10, Chevy continued to offer both 4 and 6 cylinder plants and also worked to add more horses and more torque as the truck matured. Originally offered with a normally-aspirated fuel-feeder setup, Chevy eventually tossed the carburetor for variants of a fuel injection system, including sequential port, multi-port and throttle body set-ups. The Chevy S 10 also featured 3 and 4-speed trannies in the first generation (up through ‘93) and even a Borg Warner manual in 5-speed dress.

Second generation S 10s (’94 to 2004) continued to improve, adding to the fun factor with even more 2 or 4-wheel drive versions. Larger, more powerful and more fuel-efficient engines also were offered, even including a hot SS type that came with a 4. 3 liter engine that kicked out from 180 to 195 horsepower. Improved graphics packages and a lowered profile on 16-inch rims complete the set-up. It was discontinued, however, in 1998.

The Chevy S 10 was an almost iconic small pickup in the General Motors lineup for a very long time. It’s still out there in many driveways, streets and roads. Known widely throughout North America, it filled a needed role back at a time when American automakers desperately needed a small truck that could get decent gas mileage and deliver steady sales to the maker.