Junkyard Find: 1987 Chevrolet S-10, Cassette Tape Cladding Edition

When you know you're a vehicle's final owner, why not glue stuff all over it? During my extensive international junkyard travels , I've documented plenty of examples of this type of art car . Here's an early Chevy S-10 , found in a Denver car graveyard with a generous coating of cassette tapes and bottle caps.

May 27, 2025 - 16:05

When you know you're a vehicle's final owner, why not glue stuff all over it? During my extensive international junkyard travels, I've documented plenty of examples of this type of art car. Here's an early Chevy S-10, found in a Denver car graveyard with a generous coating of cassette tapes and bottle caps.

junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

All you need to make a Cassettemobile are a fully depreciated vehicle, a hot-glue gun, and a bunch of thrift-store cassette tapes. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

The discarded "glue stuff all over it" art cars I've found over the years include a 1985 Toyota Van, a relatively well-known 1969 Ford Mustang, the Groovalicious Purple Princess of Peace Ford Taurus wagon, a 1992 Toyota Corolla, a Volvo 740 Turbo and an apocalyptic Chevy Tahoe. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

The first generation of the Chevrolet S-10 small pickup was built for the 1982 through 1993 model years, replacing the Isuzu-made Chevrolet LUV. These trucks have become very rare, especially the early-to-mid-1980s ones. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

This is a fairly ordinary rear-wheel-drive/long-wheelbase S-10, though it does have the optional EFI-equipped 2.8-liter V6 engine. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

There's a musty, dusty camper shell out back. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

The cab was well-gutted by the time I arrived. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

The cassettes are heavily weathered, with many missing (scrapbooking-grade hot-glue isn't rated for highway use). junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

I wanted to take this Stray Cats tape home, but once I pried it off it became clear that its innards were toast. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

Following behind this truck on the highway probably involved cassettes bouncing off your windshield. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

The dirt surrounding the truck was littered with cassettes. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

The official name for this type of tape is Compact Cassette, and it made its debut all the way back in 1963. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

I own some mixtape cassettes that I recorded before this truck was built and they still play well enough. An important part of preserving your cassettes is storing them out of the elements. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

Any theories about what this bracket on the hood was used for? junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

Early S-10 body parts are so hard to find in junkyards that someone bought a cassette-coated fender. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

Having seen a Celica with a Texas flag made of Shiner Brewery bottle caps completely covering its hood, I'm not terribly impressed by this use of bottle caps as truck decoration. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

1987 Chevrolet S-10 art car in Denver wrecking yard. junkyard find 1987 chevrolet s 10 cassette tape cladding edition

1987 Chevrolet S-10 art car in Denver wrecking yard.

[Images: The Author]

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