---
title: "Off-Road Recovery of Chevy S-10 Stuck for Three Years Was Never Going to Be Easy"
description: "Cold weather, ice, mud, and difficult-to-cross terrain were just a few obstacles."
date: "2021-03-14"
modified: "2021-03-14"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin V. Shaw"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kristin-shaw"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/39768/off-road-recovery-of-chevy-s10-stuck-for-three-years-was-never-going-to-be-easy"
categories:
  - "Chevrolet News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "Chevrolet"
---

# Off-Road Recovery of Chevy S-10 Stuck for Three Years Was Never Going to Be Easy

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2021/03/Wrecker-HERO.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Near Trego, Wisconsin, the BSF Recovery Team travels around rescuing broken and extremely stuck [4x4s](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/39228/the-us-armys-largest-4x4-ever-the-gigantic-1000-hp-larc-lx-amphibious-vehicle>) strictly for entertainment. They catalog their work on the [BSF Recovery Team YouTube site](<https://www.youtube.com/user/recoveryteam/videos>) in detail, and this year’s big adventure has been pulling a [Chevrolet S-10](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/31349/forget-the-cybertruck-get-yourself-a-factory-1997-chevrolet-s-10-electric-pickup>) from a frozen swamp.

Apparently, the truck had been stuck in place for three years and was buried up to the frame. The team loaded up Eric Huttner’s trusty 1986 [GMC K30 wrecker](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/39028/you-can-buy-a-new-square-body-chevy-truck-with-650-hp-and-period-correct-4x4-style>) with all the tools they expected to use for the extraction and headed out for the rescue, which was about four and a half hours south of BSF headquarters in southern Wisconsin.

![message-editor%2F1615740135548-wreckerinline3.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1615740135548-wreckerinline3.jpg>)
**Screencap BSF Recovery/YouTube**

Huttner told [Offroaders.com](<https://www.offroaders.com/readers/rr1600.htm>) that his tow truck was not in great shape when he bought it. He installed eight inches of lift and 37.5x12.50r16.5 Hummer tires; the front wheels are two-piece H1 rims with run-flats and bead locks, and the rear wheels are stock. The GMC’s engine is a mild 350 with a Weiand Stealth intake, and Huttner says the truck also contains a 600 CFM [Holley carburetor](<https://www.thedrive.com/reviews/32175/best-aftermarket-efi-system>), TH400 transmission, NP205 transfer case, and Dana 60 front axle. It has a Nomar wrecker box with a Ramsey 8000-pound winch, and the electric front winch was built with a starter motor from a B29 bomber. Now it’s a wicked tow truck made for escapades like this.

Typically, the BSF team puts the wrecker away for the winter, but this was a special case. Because the S-10 was stuck at the edge of a swamp that was impossible to traverse in the summer, Huttner opted to try a winter recovery. As it turned out, it was one of the coldest weekends of the year to that point; it was about five degrees as they recorded the recovery.

First, they had to create a path in the snow, cross the river, and get to the swamp via some seriously hilly terrain. Not surprisingly, nothing was turning on the S-10. The team had to push and drag the whole thing, which is making me tired just thinking about it.

Huttner said they seriously considered leaving the S-10 in the corner of a field because of the difficult hills they had to climb to get out. They brought a Jeep Gladiator along and chained it to the wrecker to pull it through the snow and mud.

“I’m just glad we didn’t sink it too,” Huttner said. “That wrecker’s heavy.”

*Got a tip? Send the writer a note: kristin.shaw@thedrive.com*

## Author
Kristin Shaw is the former Weekend Editor for The Drive and a current freelancer in both the automotive and aviation worlds. She’s a big fan of anything car-related and calls on her technology background on the corporate side to explain engineering and high-tech concepts. Now living in her sixth state (New Jersey, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, and now Texas), she is thrilled that working from home is now mainstream.

### Author social links  
[Facebook](<https://facebook.com/DriveModeShow>)  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/KristinVShaw>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/KristinVShaw>)