Category: 1983

1983 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer SUV

“Tough Chevy trucks are taking charge”

1983 was the first year for Chevrolet’s S-10 Blazer SUV (along with its sister, the GMC S-15 Jimmy). Intended as a smaller complement to the full-sized K5 Blazer that had been in production since 1969, the S-10 Blazer found a ready market. Styling was good—derivative of the K5, but clean and appropriate for the size.

For 1983, the S-10 Blazer’s standard power was provided by the LQ2 83 bhp 2.0 liter/122 ci inline four with a two-barrel carburetor. Optional power was quite a step up: the $243 LR2 110 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with a two-barrel carburetor was available (and very popular) and required power steering (an additional $247). Mileage with the V6 and the four-speed automatic transmission was 17 city/23 highway by the day’s standards (15/22 by today’s measures). With a 20.1-gallon fuel tank, a Blazer owner could expect a range of between 335 and 360 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

The S-10 Blazer buyer had a choice of two or four-wheel-drive, with four-wheel-drive costing an additional $1,194. The four-wheel-drive versions came with the all-new “Insta-Trac,” meaning the driver could shift into (or out of) four-wheel-drive High at any speed. Selecting four-wheel-drive Low (for very slippery, rough, or steep terrain) required stopping the Blazer.

Cover of the 1983 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer brochure
Cover of the 1983 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer brochure

Three trim levels were offered: base, Tahoe, and Sport. Standard equipment on base version ($9,423 with four-wheel-drive or approximately $30,900 in 2025 dollars) included P195/75R15 tires on 15-inch wheels, a heater, high back vinyl bucket seats, and color-keyed rubber floor mats. For $576, moving up to the Tahoe trim upgraded the truck with chrome trim, wheel trim rings, carpeting, and a gauge package.

At $944, the top-of-the-line Sport trim included features such as wheel trim rings, two-tone paint, color-keyed bumpers, reclining front seat backs, a console, a Sport steering wheel, a gauge package, and additional sound insulation.

Options & Production Numbers

Optional equipment included air conditioning ($690), cruise control ($185), a tilt steering wheel ($105), the Operating Convenience Package ($300 for power windows and power door locks), and an AM/FM stereo cassette ($555). Mechanically, you could get the Off-Road Package ($571 with the Tahoe or Sport trim), the Heavy-Duty Trailering Package ($193), and the Cold-Climate Package ($69 with the upper-level trims and air conditioning).

All of these options meant you could make an S-10 Blazer rather pricey—I fairly easily configured a four-wheel-drive Sport with the V6 and the four-speed automatic transmission to $15,039 or about $49,000 in today’s dollars.

First-year S-10 Blazer sales were quite strong, with over 106,000 sold of an all-new model that dropped over 1,500 pounds in curb weight compared to its big brother.

The View From 2025

You rarely see S-10 Blazers for sale in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds. They are more prevalent on eBay Motors, but seeing one that has not been significantly modified is unusual. The advent of Bring a Trailer has brought more stock S-10 Blazers to the fore.

Make mine the Cinnamon Red/Sable Black two-tone—just like the one on the brochure cover.

Other 1983 Chevrolets I’ve written about include the Caprice Classic sedan, the Cavalier CS sedan, the Malibu sedan, and the Monte Carlo SS Sport Coupe.

Last updated April 2025.

1983 Pontiac 6000 STE sedan

“Enter the realm of the senses”

The 6000 STE was Pontiac’s 1980s attempt to make a car that could effectively compete with the BMWs and Audis of the age. Of course, Pontiac had been trying to do this for at least a decade, including two different generations of the Grand Am (1973-1975 and 1978-1980). Though hampered by the fundamental constraints of the front-wheel-drive A-platform, the 6000 STE was a committed attempt.

For 1983, the 6000 STE‘s power was provided by GM’s Chevrolet-built corporate “High Output” LH7 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with a Rochester E2SE two-barrel carburetor, rated at a respectable for the era 135 bhp, but the only transmission available was (oog) a three-speed automatic. 0-60 came in about 9 seconds in the 3,000-pound car. Mileage was 19 city/24 highway by the day’s standards (17/22 by today’s measures). With a 15.6-gallon gas tank, range was an unimpressive 275 to 300 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Improvements over the standard Pontiac 6000 (and the other A-platform cars—the Buick Century, the Chevrolet Celebrity, and the Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera) included a special steering rack and suspension tuning with a self-leveling rear air suspension. Four tungsten halogen headlamps paired with two inboard driving lamps gave the 6000 STE a distinctive and relatively unique face.

Pages from the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE brochure
Pages from the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE brochure

The 6000 STE came comfortably equipped for a sedan in 1983. Dual rectangular halogen headlamps, Soft-Ray tinted glass, power rack and pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and 195/70R14 Goodyear Eagle GT tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch aluminum wheels were standard. Standard interior features included 45/45 reclining front seats with a six-way manual adjustment and lumbar support, air conditioning, a rear window defroster, power door locks, power windows, power mirrors, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel, rally gauges with trip odometer, and a Delco-GM ETR AM/FM stereo radio with a cassette player and four speakers.

Options, Pricing, & Production Numbers

The only significant options available were a $295 vista vent roof and leather seating surfaces.

In 1983, 6,719 buyers paid around $13,572 (about $45,000 in 2025 dollars) for a 6000 STE, and it managed to make Car and Driver‘s 10Best Cars that year and the two following. The STE gained multi-port fuel injection in 1985 and various interior upgrades just about every year through 1989.

The View From 2026

Over time, the initial positive opinion there was of the 6000 STE seems to have faded—the most disparaging comment I’ve ever received on this site is about this car.

6000 STE‘s only occasionally show up in either the Hemmings Motor News classifieds or eBay Motors, and when they do, they are often not in the greatest of shape. Bring a Trailer has yet to feature a 6000 STE.

Please make mine the same Light Brown Metallic/Dark Brown Metallic two-tone as there is in the brochure picture above.

Other A-platform cars I have written about included the 1985 Chevrolet Celebrity Eurosport coupe, the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera sedan, the 1986 Buick Century sedan, and the 1989 Chevrolet Celebrity sedan.

Last updated February 2026.