Happy and Sad pics from Port Aransas Texas

I just was sent some pics that kinda tore at me and thought I'd share.

Last summer I traded my sharp but well-worn 93 S-10 for my 88 Cutlass with my buddy Rich out in Fredericksburg. Rich is a huge car nut, he bought my old Olds Custom Cruiser a few years back. He always has nice stuff and takes care of what he has, so I knew my little S-10 was going to a good home.

ANYWAY I love my Cutlass and do not regret doing the trade, but seeing the below pics...man. This S-10 is the only vehicle I ever bought brand new. I bought it from Central Chevrolet in Jonesboro Arkansas, on my way back from Texas to NJ for summer vacation after my freshman year of college. It was on the showroom floor, gorgeous, all black, with the 4.3 and loaded out. I had them install a deep tinted sliding rear window, a bug guard, and exchange the rubber floor mats for carpeted Blazer mats.

I was SO proud of that little truck. It was never dirty, always waxed and glowing. I used it through the rest of college, moved into my first apartments and homes with it. Towed trailers and boats and hauled tons with it. Went on the first date with my now wife in it. Camping and fishing and beach trips, and to work every day for years and years. So many memories it hurts to think about.

In 2000 I gave it to my Dad in exchange for help with the down payment on my first house. Dad drove it to work every day too, it always started, but Dad worked at Home Depot, his retirement job, and the little truck got dinged up in the parking lot, roasted in the sun all summer, and was starting to look it age.

Also with over 200K miles on it, it was feeling pretty loose. No rust, but all the door seals were cracking, the dash cracked, paint faded and such. The steering was really loose and the 4.3 puffed smoke on start up. I still drove it all the time, we never swapped titles...it was "our" salvage yard runner, ranch runner, the EVERYTHING truck. And we'd still have it if I didn't fall into that 97 S-10 when a co-worker was ready to trade it in....

Anyway....the truck truely lived up to it's Like a Rock brochure add.....which I still have. Ha.

Well Rich loves the truck. He was originally going to let his girlfriend's son drive it, but after messing with it decided to keep it for himself and not let the kid touch it. That made me VERY happy when I heard that!

Rich has been doing a lot of work on it, and to celebrate he and his girlfriend Robbie took it camping on the beach down at Port Aransas this past weekend. I had not seen it in a long time... The pics hurt.....it looks GREAT! I'm really happy it found a good home, but really sad it's not mine anymore.





On the upside I have first dibs to buy it back if he ever goes to sell it!

-Mike

Something told me that the truck would be beautiful when Mike started his story and I was
right.Got your message buddy and thanks a bunch.Looking forward to doing some major
work on both of them this weekend and the grill will be after I do some paint work along
the front edge of the hood where the grill mounts.Sure wish I had your drive and knowledge
when it comes to detailing these big wagons.
Thanks
Jim Gordon

I want pics from you Jim!

Good luck with it and hope you like the grill!

-Mike

Wow, that's not how I thought that was going to end. Good story.

I really need another one of those.

My buddy Ben in New Jersey bought a 91 S-10 4x4 pickup after driving mine. He loved the truck, it was very reliable, but I don't think GM did a very good rustproofing job on these. It rusted like crazy above and around all four factory fender flares. Not surface rust, but HOLES. Scary stuff.

Thankfully my 93 never saw that crap!

I'm itching to take a motorcycle ride out to Fredericksburg for some good German food and a Street Dreams fix, and will stop and visit my old truck...oh and Rich and Robbi too. Ha!

Robbi, his girlfriend, is a DJ on Texas Rebel Radio. They're neat folks to hang out with.

Such fun!

-Mike