1982 Vaquero Facelift
Following the 1978 second generation, the Vaquero received a minor facelift in 1982, with most of the changes being in the inside.
Vaquero Sport
History and development
Barely 4 years after the introduction of the Vaquero, it received a minor facelift. Some changes included a re-designed front facia (new main and secondary grills) and the indicators were integrated with the main beams.
Engineering wise, the suspension were revised and now it provided both more grip and comfort, as well as a greater towing and load capacity.
The drivetrain was also revised as well, the V8 options de-stroked 4.2L Mastiff V8 engine with 135hp, the 5.0L now produced 193 horses (13 compared to the previous version) and a new L6 option was also introduced for the cheaper trim.
Vaquero Premium
The new L6 engine was refered as Grifon, based on a similar architecture to the Mastiff V8. It had iron head and block with a pushrod system. At 2.6L it was rated at 98hp and 125ft-lb using a single 2-barrel carburator.
The cheapest trim began with the Vaquero Base, including the L6 engine paired to a 3 speed automatic + crawling gear with a simple interior and a simple AM/FM dual speaker radio. This was intended not only as the base version, but also as a cheap workhorse for those who didn’t need a full size pickup. Even at its small size and power could carry or tow 1.5 tons.
Next trim was the premium, with the 4.2L V8 engine paired to a similar 3 speed automatic + crawling gear transmission and an upscale interior, compared to more premium cars, with leather seats and some wood details in the main panel, plus a decent audio system.
Lastly, the Sport trim was intended as a take to the old american Muscle car. The 5L Mastiff engine was the only option, paired to a classic 4 speed manual gearbox, while mantaining all the interior comfort of the premium trim. The direct competitor was the ADM Galgo.
Asymmetrical
Price and stats
All prices are in 1982 USD dlls
1982 Vaquero Base - $3,463.07
1982 Vaquero Premium - $5,745.02
1982 Vaquero Sport - $6,043.90