Grizzmakes: RUMBLEGRIZZKIN Chevy S10 truck gets a new coat.

New Tonneau bed cover for my truck.

A random small report on a BIG WIN tonight.

I bought this Chevy S10 4.3 litre V6 truck two years ago. It was a bucket list vehicle for at least 10 years before I saw the right colour and configuration advertised during Covid19 lockdown in 2020 and just before a hard lockdown was again about to be enforced, so I went to see it with my buddy PaulY as he is a hard judge to please and he gave it the thumbs up.

ENGINE SPECS – 4.3L V6 5MT (193 HP)
CYLINDERSV6 DISPLACEMENT4293 cm3POWER142 KW @ 4400 RPM
193 HP @ 4400 RPM
190 BHP @ 4400 RPMTORQUE250 lb-ft @ 2800 RPM
339 Nm @ 2800 RPMFUEL SYSTEMElectronic Injection FUELGasoline
TRANSMISSION SPECS DRIVE TYPE RWD AUTOMATIC
BRAKES SPECS FRONT Discs REAR Discs
TIRES SPECS TIRE SIZE235/70 R15 DIMENSIONS LENGTH 205.3 in (5215 mm) WIDTH 67.9 in (1725 mm) HEIGHT63.4 in (1610 mm). FRONT/REAR TRACK57.2/55.1 in (1,453/1,400 mm)WHEELBASE122.9 in (3122 mm). AERODYNAMICS (CD)0.5 WEIGHT SPECS UNLADEN WEIGHT 4083.7 lbs (1852 kg)

I agreed the price with the seller, based on a fresh MOT certificate that was issued on the afternoon of the 23rd December.

And collection was a few days later on 31 December, with neighbour Mickey driving me over to collect. After the deal was completed I filled the truck and drove it home from Essex. 27mpg @70mph felt very comforting. It was a great feeling to have a dream car, one that had only done 38k miles, been pampered and lived indoors most of its life. Everything worked, the engine was eager and the overdrive final gear was slick as anything.

So when I got back home, I stopped and filled it up into the neck again, in order to calculate the fuel consumption fairly accurately. 27mpg was a good reason to smile.

Over the last two years I have spent a lot more cash on the truck than makes sense, adding a new set of tyres on fully restored factory original ZQ8 wheels.

It turned out that I had bought a factory special when you read the build sheet

G80 and ZQ8 are posi track rear and sport suspension

G80 is the LSD, nice.

ZQ8 is a code and a trim package, so your truck is a ‘ZQ8’

They had a factory lowering kit, around 2in or so, springs and leafs. A tighter steering box and some other nice things. The Xtremes got the same setup but got a body kit and some badges.

This is kind of an aside since you're curious about rpo codes, but the guys who have the super sport S10’s look for the B4U code. SS trucks were the first to receive the ZQ8 suspension in 96 until they stopped the SS in 98. The ZQ8 then became its own trim package so to speak

That is the rear end. I think the codes that start with G are the gears for the rear. Not 100% but I think that's what it means. And G80 is a locking or semi locking rear end if I remember right.

More

GU6 = 3.42 gears

G80 = POSI limited slip

L35 = v6 4.3l vortec

M30 = 4spd overdrive transmission

ZQ8 = Sports suspension package

Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma

The ZQ8 option suspension package comes standard on the 1999-2003 S-10 Xtreme and 1996-1998 S-10 SS models, but was also available as a sports package on either the S-10 or GMC Sonoma. The package included a total lowered ride height of approximately 2" over stock (1.5" from suspension, ~0.5" from shorter tire diameter), thicker front sway bar (33mm), rear sway bar (23mm), quicker ratio (12:1) steering box, upgraded Decarbon or Bilstein gas shock absorbers, and a frame brace. Some ZQ8 models were also equipped with a frame to axle "anti-hop" shock.

The lowered stance was achieved using front coils with a different spring rate, and a 3-leaf rear spring pack.

Wheels and tires were also upgraded to 16" x 8" cast aluminum rim with 235/55/16 Goodyear Eagle GA tires. The Xtreme package used a different style rim than a standard truck equipped with the ZQ8 option. There are 2 versions of "ZQ8" wheels - 1996-2000 (also standard on 1996-1998 SS trucks), similar in design to 3rd generation Camaro wheels, and 2001-2003 (also used on Blazer Xtremes from 2004-2005), which bear a resemblance to an IROC Z28 wheel. Another variation among different models was in the center caps. S-10s and Sonomas used a grey center cap with the exception of the 2002-2003 S-10s, which featured a chrome center cap.

Over the last two years the EXTANG BLACK MAX vinyl tonneau cover had degenerated and a few weeks ago, I managed to tear it while refitting it after collecting a free lawn tractor in Poole, Dorset, which resulted in a 320 mile trip in atrocious weather at speed limit, all the way, delivering 22mpg which was nice to see.

A 20 year life from a tonneau cover is not bad, despite its pampered life.

Just before Christmas, I was chatting with good friend Craig about visiting him to help with a few jobs he needed extra hands on. I mentioned that the cover had stopped being made in 2018 but I wished I could find one. He did a search and next moment … BINGO ! !

He found one (last item) at Jegs in Ohio, on Ebay.

Checking the size was correct for my odd shaped, Extra-Cab truck bed, I ordered it on the 23rd December, not really the right time to buy stuff, but I am patient. Through EBay International shipping a delivery date was given for 12 January. Including duties, taxes and shipping it came to $203.00 which was a good price, whichever way you look at it.

Imagine my surprise when the courier rang the doorbell the 4th January and delivered it.

A cold day, so I waited for the next day to fit the cover after removing the old one.

After fitting this unobtainable cover to the truck I actually went out to look at it and grinned four more times.

Sometimes things just fall into place and this time, I was saved by a friend who just went in and did the same search I had done more than once on various platforms over the last 19 months, possibly changed something and came up trumps.

Loving the result.loving this truck.