Reader’s Rig: John Kovach’s 4BT-Powered S-10

Blazer

Give this truck a few seconds and it will fit into the next Transformers movie. Look out, Bumble Bee.

No, you’re not seeing things. We are featuring an S-10 Blazer. But, this has got to be one of the wildest truck features we have ever covered. While surveying the land at the 2021 4-Wheel Jamboree in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, we couldn’t help bu notice the huge crowd building around John Kovach’s ride.

What you’re seeing is a mix of so many different parts all slammed into one vehicle. For the most part, this truck is a 1992 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer. As for everything else, we had to interview Kovach to find out. This was definitely a hot spot in the show because this is obviously different. As a judge for the show, we liked what we saw.

Blazer

Yes, you’re seeing this correctly. This thing has Lambo-style doors and a hydraulic, tilt front end.

“The truck is a 1992 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer with a 4BT Cummins engine that was taken out of a Frito-Lay truck under the hood,” Kovach said. “It has four-wheel steering, a ton of aftermarket parts, and a few custom parts that I’ve done myself in my shop.” Kovach was proudly relaying to us that this was a 100-percent home-built project.

“Behind this engine is a standard 700R4 transmission and as for the engine, it’s just stock,” Kovach explained. “I did, however, turn up the injection pump a little for some extra power, but nothing crazy.” These older 4BT engines, if you didn’t already know, feature the old-school rotary VE pump that wasn’t exactly designed for huge power, but they were adjustable enough that you could squeeze out a few more ponies.

It now features the big Lamborghini-style doors, a hydraulic front nose, and some custom interior also done by Kovach. “The rear seats are factory but they were my first attempt at upholstery. Not too shabby. The front seats are out of a Chevrolet Impala,” Kovach said. “Last year, the dash was a one-piece fiberglass unit but I found a mint factory dash and decided to go back to an all-factory look this year — with the exception of the tablet-style head unit.”

“No sponsors here. It used to be a mud truck but it just got so expensive repairing it all the time, I decided to clean it up for stuff like this. I’ll use whatever I can get my hands on. If I find it in a junkyard and it’s usable, I’ll make it work. I don’t need to pay top dollar,” he said.

Kovach’s S-10 Blazer, although it does have some factory features, is equipped with quite a bit of aftermarket goodies, too. A cut and narrowed, 5.56-geared Ford 9-inch rearend is paired with a Dana 30 front end. With military-style 49-inch tires wrapped around 20-inch by 12-inch wheels, chromoly axles were a necessary add-on. Riding on a set of Skyjacker Suspension coilover shocks and a custom-designed four-link suspension, this little truck rides well for what it is.

On the outside, the Blazer is coated with a shade of Chevrolet “dark red” paint with a purple pearl clearcoat. if the sun hits it just right, you can see the purple pearl glistening. “I love how it has turned out, but there are some things I would change If I were to start over,” he said. “These huge Bushwacker flares are too much. I’d like to go back with a thinner set that doesn’t set out so far and I’d like to revisit my four-link suspension. I’d like to make it more adjustable to provide more travel.”

Blazer

Did you notice the bug guard says “Cereal Killer”? Chuckling, Kovach explained. “Back when I used to mud quite a bit, I almost always had a box of cereal in my hand. You know, for snacks. Well, it just became a thing that my buddies came up with and I decided to call this truck Cereal Killer.”

We can’t thank John enough for taking the time to show us around his build and we hope that you and the showgoers enjoyed this as much as we did. Talk about going wild and just using whatever you can get your hands on. This is the epitome of Frankstein, am I right? The 4-Wheel Jamboree didn’t disappoint and we look forward to seeing what shows up in years to come.

For more information about the show, head on over to their website here. For more wild truck features like this one, stay tuned here to Diesel Army. What are your thoughts on this wild machine? Would you have done anything differently? Let us know in the comments below.

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About the author

Artie Maupin

Artie Maupin is from Southeast Missouri and has an extreme passion for anything diesel. He loves drag racing of all kinds, as well as sled pulling competitions.
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