One of the many wonders of the automotive community is how each vehicle is seemingly destined for a different route. Some are destined for cruising, autocross, drag racing, drifting, car shows, or a mixture of all. When it comes to which path a vehicle will go down, the vehicle’s destiny is definitely in the eye of the beholder (title-holder, to be more specific). From the first turn of the key, the first turn of the steering wheel, and the first drive home; a car’s destiny becomes intertwined with our will, and we know exactly what we need to build to make it so. Michael (Mike) Kost has known for over 18 years that his 1992 S10 was destined for burning rubber, pulling the front tires, and quarter-mile passes.

A mostly innocent-looking S10 that’s capable of 166mph in the quarter mile.

With his S10’s path decided, Mike plotted out how he wanted to make it come true. This is where things start to get fun. Mike set his mind on running a small-block Chevy, but not just any small-block. He reached out to the notorious nitrous wizard, Dave Acker, aka Mr. NOS, to sprinkle his magic pixie dust throughout the S10’s engine. Dave assembled a small-block 427 for Mike, and of course, it was backed by a serious bottle-fed punch. With the added nitrous system, Mike’s 427 engine rattled the dyno with a whopping 757 all-American horsepower.

Now for what you’ve all been waiting for, the quarter-mile time of this rowdy S10. Mike’s best time, to date, was made up of a 1.20-second 60-foot, 8.14-second quarter-mile, and a trap speed of 166.98 mph. Part of his accomplishment is due to the great team over at Cecil County Dragway taking such excellent care of the track.

Another part of Mike getting his S10 down the track so quickly is due to the rest of his S10’s components transferring all the truck’s available power to the asphalt. Bolted to his 427 is a Transmission Specialties ProGlide with a full Reid case. At the other end of the driveshaft is a 9-inch rearend. Inside that, there is a Strange aluminum center section, 3.70 Motive Pro gears, and 35-spline axles.

Who says your ride can’t go fast and look good?

Supporting the power and weight transfer are Calvert Racing CalTracs with split mono-leaf springs, Santhuff shocks, TRZ upper and lower control arms, and a Mustang II steering rack. Mike wasn’t playing around with any aspect of building his 1992 S10. He means business and his suspension handles the wheelies flawlessly due to that.

Despite buying his 1992 S10 in poor condition over 18 years ago, Mike saw the diamond in the rough. He let his passion guide him, and he is now an 8.50-index racing legend with one of the rowdiest S10s around. His journey from a humble beginning to the roaring finish lines of drag strips is not just a story of horsepower and speed, but of vision, tenacity, and relentless passion.

Mike’s wild ride reminds us that with dedication and heart, any vehicle can be transformed from a simple machine into a legend. To every enthusiast out there: keep wrenching, keep dreaming, and remember, every drive could be the beginning of an epic story.

Let’s See Your Chevy!

We love to see other enthusiast’s rides, no matter where they are in the build process, finished, or if you’re simply enjoying them in their current state. The best part, all we need are a few photos and some information about you and your Chevy. That said, the more info and images you submit, the more we can show (and talk about) your car to the rest of our readers.

We’re looking forward to seeing what you are doing to keep the Chevy Hardcore lifestyle alive. If you want to see more cars built, and owned by our readers, send us a few pictures of your car showing the engine, interior, and exterior, along with all the pertinent information so we can include it in our Reader’s Ride section. You can send your submissions to [email protected].