Complete step‑by‑step teardown guide to gutting and inspecting a classic Chevy S10 cab interior.
Based on: Project 1987 Chevy S10 Interior Teardown: This Truck Was a Rolling Time Capsule by 1A Auto: Repair Tips & Secrets Only Mechanics Know
▶ Watch the source video on YouTube
What's actually hiding under 40 years of floor mats, ketchup packets, and curtains in your classic truck? If you've ever stared at a project vehicle and wondered where to even begin once you open the door, you already know the feeling — that mix of excitement and dread when you realize the real condition of the cab is still a mystery. Rust in the footwells, broken window channels, seized hardware, and a headliner that disintegrates when you touch it aren't just cosmetic problems. They're the kind of surprises that stall a restoration and eat your budget if you're not ready for them.
Imagine instead finishing a full interior teardown on your S10 in a single afternoon — bench seat out cleanly, door panels off without cracking them, headliner down in one piece, and a clear picture of every problem you actually need to solve. You know exactly which parts you need to order, which ones you don't, and what needs rust repair before anything else goes back in. That's the difference between a project that stalls in the driveway and one that actually gets finished.
The team at 1A Auto has decades of hands-on experience tearing down, restoring, and rebuilding vehicles just like this '87 S10. In this very teardown, they discovered that the window regulator they'd already ordered wasn't even needed — it was a broken, hardened window channel causing the problem all along. That single find saved a parts cost and hours of unnecessary labor. That's the kind of real-world knowledge that only comes from doing this work over and over, and it's exactly what this checklist captures.
This PDF checklist walks you through every step of the S10 interior teardown process — from clearing out the cab and spraying fasteners with penetrating oil, to pulling the bench seat safely with a helper, removing door panels without breaking clips, and getting the headliner down without a fight. It flags where rust is most likely to hide on these trucks, what to inspect while everything is apart, and which parts are worth reusing versus replacing. No fluff, no guessing — just the exact sequence Rob and Bob worked through, turned into a clean action list you can hold in the garage. Grab the checklist and get tearing.
Every checklist item comes with actionable notes to guide you — things like "Don't forget to do this before you start," "Avoid this common mistake," or "Set a reminder for 30 days out." Nothing vague, just clear next steps.
+ 20 more action items inside...
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