1997 Chevy S10 with LS Power is Sweet-Sounding Sleeper

Chevy S10 has the key performance parts, now it just needs a paint job and a new home.

While flipping through the LS1Tech Marketplace, we came across this 1997 Chevy S10 pickup. Listed by “ACLR8R”, this truck features an LS-based LM7 engine that has been built to yield solid power, but the seller made other changes in order to transform this compact pickup into a reliable race truck. In fact, his long-term goal was to install a nitrous setup and run 10-second quarter miles, but life got in the way and he is selling the S10 instead.

As a result, someone could score a 1997 Chevy S10 that has the suspension, chassis and engine upgrades to performance like a muscle car, but with some simple body work, this could be a great, high performance daily driver.

The Introduction

When the OP listed his 1997 Chevy S10 for sale in the marketplace, he provided the single picture shown above, an extensive mod list and a quick rundown of the key upgrades.

Truck runs great and is very quick. Fresh Dyno tune by Aaron from All Out Tuning. Made 359rwhp ad 335 rwtq on a 2nd gear pull. Tuner said it would be about 5% higher in 3rd. Was planning on running a 200 shot, and running in the 10’s but life happens.

Will need some finishing touches to be perfect, but is a great driver as is. Almost ready for paint, but I was happy with the primer.

Under the hood is a 5.3-liter LM7 V8 with pistons from a 4.8-liter engine, a Torquer V2 camshaft, rebuilt 706 cylinder heads that have been shaved, ceramic coated headers and an assortment of other components needed to produce the power numbers mentioned above. That power is sent to the rear wheels by means of a 4L60E automatic transmission with a 3,200 stall convertor and an 8.8-inch rear differential with 3.73 gears.

Sweet Street Truck

As you can see in the sole picture and the two videos, this 1997 Chevy S10 isnt the best looking truck on the street, but it seems as though it has been properly built and that is what matters the most. With a decent paint job, this would be a sharp-looking compact pickup with upwards of 350 rear-wheel horsepower, but even in primer, it is a cool Chevy S10.

While the lumpy idle will reveal this truck’s secrets to most challengers on the street, this is the kind of pickup that can go head-to-head with just about any average performance car on the street or the drag strip with a real chance of running. Of course, this is especially true if the new buyer adds nitrous and achieves the 10-second goal set forth by the seller.

If you have been on the hunt for a turnkey LS-powered S10, this could be the truck for you.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com