We knew there had to be guys out there who were both prerunner enthusiasts and S-10 lovers. We get plenty of letters from people who are wondering how to build their S-10s...but until recently, we didn't have much info for them. 'Turns out we had just been looking in the wrong places. After a Web search led us to the Dezert Dimes forum-frequented by a large number of certified S-10 maniacs with prerunning on the brain-we knew we'd found the right place. In fact, we enlisted their help for our Almighty Dime S-10 project build (you'll see more of that in future issues). After meeting some of the guys, we hit the desert with Bruce Barnes, the owner of a 2000 S-10 built with equal parts fun and reliability in mind.
The fiberglass fenders came from Hannemann Fiberglass, and the front bumper was built by f
Bruce built the truck on a small budget, but wanted to make sure it was solid enough to take on desert roads at high speeds. He enlisted the help of a fellow Dezert Dimes member, a mad fabricator known only as Metul Munky. Armed with a welder, Metul Munky proceeded to build a number of parts for the truck during the following months, including a bumper-and-skidplate combo, upper and lower control arms, a front-end center link, and a bed cage. A number of other mods were designed and built to fit the functional-but-low-cost theme, created by Metal Munky, as well as Bruce, himself.
We watched Bruce blast through the desert near his home in Barstow, California, and launch the truck skyward several times. Sure enough, the thing works well. A 20-year Army veteran who earned the Bronze Star for his duty in combat missions in Iraq, Bruce embodies the kind of truck owner we like to meet: enthusiastic, innovative, and endowed with a heavy right foot. Long live the Barstow Bomber!
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Bruce fabricated the spare tire carrier himself. The rear axle was taken from a ZR2-packa
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Here, the Metal Munky-fabricated 4130 tubular upper and lower control arms are visible, as
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Metal Munky created the front-end upper mounting kingpin and perch, as well as a fabricate
Specs
Vehicle:
2000 Chevrolet S-10 2WD
Owner:
Bruce Barnes, Barstow, California
Chassis:
Stock Chevy frame, reinforced with custom fabrication by Metal Munky
Engine:
4.3L V-6, AEM cold-air intake
Transmission:
Stock Chevrolet
Metal Munky also fabricated the bedcage. Dual spares are always kept mounted in the bed,
Suspension:
Front: Custom long-travel kit fabricated by Metal Munky; includes upper and lower control arms, 2.0 Fox 8-inch stroke shocks, FOA 2.0 x 2-inch hydraulic bump stops, coil springs.
Rear: modified stock spring pack with 2.0 Fox 14-inch stroke shocks, Metal Munky-fabricated bedcage.
Steering:
Factory Chevrolet and fabricated parts
Brakes:
Factory Chevrolet
Tires/Wheels:
31X10.50 tires (various make, depending on environment), 15-inch American Racing wheels.
Interior:
Stock with custom fabricated light-switch console
Other parts:
Metal Munky fabricated front bumper w/skidplate. ZR2 rear axle with limited slip differential.
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The S-10 has 14 inches of front wheel travel, but is strapped at 12 inches to keep the coi
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The ashtray was removed to free up some dash space, and Bruce fabricated a light-switch co
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Bruce lives on the edge of the desert in Barstow, California, and can actually run the des