383-Stroker 1989 Chevy S-10 Street Truck Draws No-Reserve Bids on Hagerty Marketplace

A checkered-flag-liveried 1989 Chevrolet S-10 packing a 383-cubic-inch stroker V8 is chasing no-reserve bids on Hagerty Marketplace, where twelve bids have already pushed the price to $7,600 with several days left on the clock. Built as a dedicated street truck rather than a numbers-matching survivor, this long-box S-10 pairs a stroked small-block, a narrowed rear axle, and a houndstooth-trimmed cabin with body modifications that go well beyond a simple paint job.

Chevrolet launched the S-10 for the 1982 model year to give buyers a right-sized alternative to full-size trucks, and the compact, rear-wheel-drive layout made it an almost instant favorite with drag racers and street-truck builders. Because the engine bay and chassis could handle a small-block V8 without much fuss, first-generation S-10s like this 1989 long-box became a common starting point for exactly the kind of budget-friendly performance build seen here, decades before compact trucks became fashionable collectibles in their own right.

Under the raised cowl hood sits a four-bolt-main small-block reportedly stroked to 383 cubic inches, topped with a Holley Brawler carburetor, an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake, aluminum heads, roller rockers, and a solid camshaft, with MSD ignition, an aluminum radiator, and dual electric fans keeping things running cool and consistent. Power routes through a three-speed TH400 automatic fitted with a manual valve body and a 3,200-rpm stall converter, then out to a narrowed 10-bolt rear axle riding on rear coilovers. The seller also mounted a fuel cell and a nitrous bottle in the bed, though the nitrous system is listed as incomplete, missing its solenoid and wiring, and a Taylor kill switch and relocated battery round out the safety equipment.

The bodywork carries just as much attention as the drivetrain. Shaved door handles operate through a remote entry system, the tailgate handle has been shaved and the tailgate itself molded into the bed sides, and a frenched license plate sits inset into a custom rear roll pan alongside Cadillac taillights. The orange paint and checkered-flag graphics ride on 15-inch Weld Racing wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro tires, while inside, black bucket seats with orange houndstooth inserts pair with a wood-rimmed steering wheel, AutoMeter Sport-Comp gauges, a Z-gate shifter, and an Alpine head unit backed by a JVC subwoofer. A CARFAX report accompanies the sale, and the seller notes a handful of imperfections, including a title branded "not actual mileage," a speedometer that sticks near 80 mph, a visible paint mismatch between the hood and fenders, and a gear selector in need of adjustment.

Hagerty's Valuation Tools do not track the compact S-10 as its own line the way they do full-size GM trucks of the same era, which says something about how this market still runs on build quality and bidder enthusiasm rather than a printed price guide. For context, Hagerty's guide pegs a 1989 Chevrolet C1500 half-ton short bed with a factory 350-cid V8 at roughly $14,800 in #3, or Good, condition, and its forecasting tools separately track rising interest in the broader 1988-2000 GM truck family, a trend that has clearly spilled over into scrappier, budget-built platforms like this S-10. At a $7,600 high bid for a truck with a built stroker motor and this much custom work, the current numbers still look like driver-quality territory rather than show-truck money.

This S-10 joins a wave of budget-built street trucks that have been popping up in the collector market lately, from a custom "Cadi-Klysm" 1990 Chevy C1500 that blends Cadillac styling with street-truck attitude to a cleaner, more mild-mannered 2001 Chevy Silverado 1500 LS street truck. It also follows a modified 1968 Camaro currently drawing bids on Hagerty Marketplace, another sign that no-reserve online auctions have become a go-to venue for driver-focused builds, a shift we've covered in our look at how online and in-person auctions are reshaping collector car buying. Bidding on this 383-powered S-10 remains open, with the no-reserve sale set to close August 3.