I know this can be a sensitive subject for some (not me—I’m not prone to sensitivity!), but I figure it’s something that needs to be addressed. Since day one (back in March of 2020 when we launched), I/we enacted a business statement of sorts claiming we’re dedicated to “domestic fullsize classic trucks,” and that’s exactly what we’ve adhered to all along.

That said, I’ve always been a pretty big fan of classic minis (Datsun, Toyota, and especially the Chevy LUV), but haven’t put a whole lot of emphasis on the square S-10s or even the early Ford Rangers (which I’m really not a huge fan of only because I’ve owned a couple and literally drove them into the ground!). And there’s also the Dodge D50, which I owned an ’87 model that was based on Mitsubishi (as the later S-10s, which I believe shared IDs with Isuzu and the later Rangers that were also Mazda B-series). So, in my cloudy eyes, the first-gen ’82-93 S-10s and ’84-92 Ranger are really the only true classic mini-trucks—am I wrong? And if this is the case, should we feature them?

Now, while the Rangers didn’t quite have that distinct “classic” look (and, thus, to me looked similar to many import minis of the era), the S-10 carries that traditional Squarebody look and styling with a bit of early OBS influence, to some degree. Though many non-stock S-10s wore a mean Pro Street look back in the day (and thanks to my pal Dino Battilana that look carries on to this day, as evidenced by the accompanying pic!), they stood out from the archetypical “mini-truck” due to that fullsize resemblance—and I’m only making these points as justification of why, maybe, they should be featured in CTP.

But, if we go to the effort of showcasing S-10s in any fashion, are we then obligated to feature Rangers, too? What about Chevy LUVs? Obviously, the early Ford Couriers were import-based, but what if they had domestic drivetrain swaps? See, I’m literally opening Pandora’s Box of worms here, which is really why I’m writing this editorial in the first place!

So, for the time being, thanks to my other buddy, John McCleod (pictured is his ’85 S-10), we’re going to test the waters with a couple-few tech installments focusing on the ’82-93 S-10 platform—the first being a bumper tuck with Brothers Trucks, followed by some suspension upgrades with DSE. Let’s see where it goes from there, shall we? In the meantime, please, by all means, feel free to voice your opinion on the matter—good, bad, or indifferent—as I welcome all the input I can get.