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Chevrolet’s S-10 has long been a popular starting point for many racers – these pickups are reasonably lightweight, can fit a small-block V8, and their track width and wheelbase also contribute to them being dragstrip-friendly. As such, they populate the staging lanes at tracks all across America.
S&W Race Cars has filled the need of many who have constructed their own project truck. The S&W catalog is filled with various products that are specifically designed around the S-10 body shell and bed; there are even multiple pages within the S&W catalog and the company’s website dedicated exclusively to the mid-sized truck.
Most noticed in the S&W offerings are the “bones” of a project, such as roll bar, roll cage, and back-half rear suspension kits. These kits offer pre-bent chassis and cage tubing and are cut to general dimensions for the S-10 regular and extended cab bodies and the S-10-based Blazer.
One unique aspect of truck bodies used for racing use is the need for brace tubing that extends from the inner roll cage, through the cab, and onto the framerails.
For the outer body, S&W also offers a race-ready product section. Many who have built their trucks prefer to modify the factory wheel tubs compared to using race car-style aluminum tubs. The tub kit extends the factory rounded wheel tub inward 17-inches to easily accept larger drag slicks. The kit is made from .030-inch steel and matches the shape and curvature of stock wheel wells.
The front frame section of an S-10 chassis is typically retained due to its reasonable weight and sturdiness. S&W has engineered its own tubular A-arms, rack & pinion kits, steering shafts, and a specialized S-10 driveshaft loop for this.
The S&W Race Cars rear framerail kits are offered bare or with either ladder bar or 4-link setups. These "backhalfs," along with roll bar and roll cage kits, alleviate many fabrication chores.
There are also some very sharp S-10 accessories offered in the catalog, such as spoiler kits that extend from the tailgate to clean up airflow. The spoiler, made from .050-inch aluminum, comes with all necessary hardware and two spoiler support rods. S&W offers an extensive line of fiberglass doors, hoods, and front doghouse assemblies, as well.
To accomplish a proper roll cage assembly, the tubing must extend through the rear window and into the bed area. S&W offers a Lexan window kit notched around this roll cage tubing. It also includes adapting plates to use between the window and tubing for a proper seal.
Like many automotive body shells over the years that reach their practical limit on life on the highway, these truck bodies are now used as “the ultimate in recycling” and converted into hot rod and race vehicles. The S-10 filled the truck market for 23 years in the states, and ended production in 2004. A truck donor can now be picked up reasonably cheap with bodies in good shape for a race truck starting point, and S&W helps take it to the next level with these kits and components designed specifically for these still-popular pickups.
