Chevrolet's 454 SS truck hit the streets in 1990. It was powered by a massive big-block V8, delivering up to 255 hp. On sale until 1993, the 454 SS made truck fans go oooh and aaah while the oil barons smiled from ear-to-ear as the 7.4-liter truck guzzled gas faster than an aircraft carrier. In 1994, the thundering 454 SS was replaced with the S-10 SS. In the new SS, the vintage 454 V8, originally hailing from 1970, made way for a more modern 4.3-liter V6.The more compact and lighter V6 engine delivered "only" 191 hp, but the S-10 SS was only marginally slower than its big-block V8 predecessor. A total of 11,312 S-10 SS trucks were sold between 1994 and 1998. Amazingly, this SS also seems to have been relegated to the "S-10 what?" folder, as most folks have apparently forgotten that it ever existed. This is its story. Chevrolet Brings The (V6) Thunder TheGarage.com.brThe Chevrolet S-10 SS truck made its debut in 1994. It succeeded the 454 SS, which had been powered by a 7.3-liter, big-block V8 producing up to 255 hp, combined with 405 lb-ft of torque. The big 454 V8 had been around since 1970, and had seen service in numerous performance vehicles in the General Motors stable. So the S-10 SS got a high-output, 4.3-liter V6 Vortec engine, producing up to 1951 hp. The engine was combined with a four-speed automatic gearbox, transferring the power to the rear wheels via a limited slip differential with custom ratios.The S-10 SS was only available with rear-wheel-drive, and the modifications added were all intended to offer better on-road performance. The Chevrolet truck was available with 4WD in non-SS models.Bring a Trailer Demonstrating its finely tuned on-road performance credentials – and thanks to the lighter engine and the trick rear differential with its shorter ratios – the V6 SS was only marginally slower in getting to 60 mph than the 454 SS. Here are the vital numbers:On the road, the 454 SS truck's massive amount of torque, available from idling speed, ensured that it was like a raging bull in a porcelain shop, smoking its rear tires at every opportunity, and with very little effort required from the driver to do so. It was, truth be told, a truck that could make small children cry and shake building windows. A mean old muscle truck, if ever there was one.TheGarage.com.br The S-10 SS is a much more civilized thing. Here's what sets it apart from other S-10s. You could have the S-10 SS in any color you wanted, as long as it was Onyx Black, Summit White or Apple Red.It came with bespoke 15-inch aluminum wheels (later upgraded to 16-inches), topped off with chrome center caps. It also has the factory SS badging, and front fog lamps were standard fare. From 1996, the SS came standard with the ZQ8 sports suspension upgrade. This included a 1.5-inch lower ride, Bilstein dampers, beefed up sway bars at the front and back, there was also a new damper between the rear axle and frame, and it got a faster steering rack for improved steering wheel feedback.On the outside, the SS got a color-coded grill and bumper, along with the unique SS decals. The SS was only available in regular cab and short bed format.TheGarage.com.br The Chevrolet S-10 SS was in production until 1998, and just over 11,300 of these trucks were sold over a four-year cycle. The S-10 SS V6 was never a massive sales hit for Chevrolet, but it just about matched Ford's performance truck offering of the 90s, the F-150 SVT Lightning, in the sales department. Get You Some SS! TheGarage.com.br The Chevrolet S-10 SS V6 may not be top of mind when folks start talking about iconic 1990s performance trucks, but today it offers plenty of bang for not a lot of bucks. According to the Bring A Trailer classic car auction platform, you can have yourself a pristine S-10 V6 with just 26,000 miles on the clock for less than $18,000. On the other end of the scale, you can pick up an SS V6 in good condition and with relatively low miles from as little as $10,000. In short, it offers a lot of truck for the money.Online forums warn of some generic issues that you need to be aware of if you are in the market for the SS V6. Well-maintained examples with a full service record are obviously first prize, but on older models with a possibly dodgy service record, check on oil leaks on the V6 engine, and possible issues with the four-speed automatic gearbox (third and fourth gears are apparently prone to failure). Other factors to watch out for are electrical gremlins that may affect fuel level sensors, while some rust problems have also been reported.TheGarage.com.br In the cabin, the SS version was optionally fitted with two sport bucket seats, decked out in grey cloth trim, along with a center console. If you suspect the truck you are looking at is not an authentic SS straight from the factory, you can check the product sticker in the glove box and double-check the VIN number, according to the online S10 Connection community. Bigger, Better, Faster! Bring A TrailerThe world of the performance truck has moved on since 1994, in every way. Take the 1994 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, for instance. Hailing from a time when folks had not even heard of the term electric vehicle, NCAP safety records, and other such serious matters, the F-150 Lightning – just like the 1990 Chevrolet 454 SS – was all show and go.The Ford is powered by a 5.8-liter Windsor V8 producing 240 hp, and it will blast to 60 mph in just over seven seconds. A four-speed automatic gearbox sends the power to the rear wheels, and the classic Ford performance truck has become quite a collectible classic, selling at up to $40,000. Ford Authority recently reported that a 1994 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning will go up for auction in April at a Barrett-Jackson event, and it has just over 400 miles on the clock. That will surely fetch more than $40,000.We refer specifically to Ford here because the company is still in the business of making fast trucks. Stupid fast ones, actually. But the focus of this "fastness" has shifted quite a way.Ian Wright/CarBuzz/ValnetThe latest Ford F-150 Raptor R is powered by a supercharged version of the brand's famed Coyote V8 engine, and it produces 720 hp and 640 lb-ft. That is 480 hp more than the 1994 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning! This Raptor will blast to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds, and top speed is limited to 114 mph, for safety reasons.This is where the modern performance lines are slightly blurred. In the 90s, car companies created high-performance trucks for the road. So all the modifications were designed to provide a better driving experience on asphalt, and not on dirt. Modern performance trucks are more tailored by far and large towards off-road performance.In other words, instead of a street racer, the modern performance truck is a Baja-style racing truck, and it can tackle tough off-road conditions at speeds that were previously only the reserve of the fastest off-road racing vehicles.For this purpose, the Raptor R gets a beefed-up suspension with Fox Racing Dual-Live internal bypass dampers, controlled by the latest electronic control system.Ford The Raptor R is simply amazing. But thankfully, there is some good news for street performance trucks, too. Ford offers an aftermarket performance kit for owners of the latest F-150 to turn their trucks (all variations) into a street-legal truck with up to 700 hp in the game. The Ford F-150 FP700S Package retails for an extra $13,250, and is available from Ford parts centers. The price includes a supercharger, intercooler, an engine calibration tool and all its bits and pieces to turn the V8 engine into a 700-hp monster, as well as plastic bits and bobs, along with graphics, to add to your F-150.
