Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

I read on another site that CUCV's used a trailer wiring harness for a 1983 C/K truck. I ordered one for an '83 and it plugged in behind/under the left tail light as advertised.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

It's a pleasure to read threads like this. I really enjoy seeing a build on a working man's budget scale. Definitely subscribed.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Have you tried the harness on an actual trailer yet?

I've read somewhere and was of the impression that the CUCV harness is an odd ball in itself and if you use something like the Hoppy harness plug you will need one on each side and then have to to "T" those outputs into a single trailer plug other wise you will only get lamps on one side of the trailer...hope I explained that correctly.

I could be all wrong just haven't got that far on mine yet.

Hoppy 41105:

http://images.outdoorpros.com/images...2958-63346.jpg

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

If your Blackout Lamps still work you might be able to splice your backup lamp in that right bumper black out lamp circuit and operate it from the dash switch

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Thanks Kevin.

That is the plug style I used and I have not tested it yet. Ever notice how sons can be scarce when you need them? I've read some of the hoops guys go through just to get trailer lights to work with a CUCV so testing them is certainly on the list. I'll get one of my boys to help me check them this evening.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Ok, I've got left side brake/turn/running lights, so I guess I'll need to order another plug. I hate to "T" into a wire, its so hack. I guess that's what liquid tape is for.

Thanks for the warning, I have an outing coming up with my sons and had confidence in the plug. If there is a cleaner way to splice them together, let me know.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

How long are the pig tails? Are they long enough to run to a central plug that could be soldered or attach by set screws?

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

They are long enough to meet in the middle between the hitch and the tank, I'll just T the right side into the left I guess.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

I like the plug n play hookups available these days. If the connector you now have doesn't fully work maybe there is only a bad connection at that point or trouble in the right side harness. Weak grounds are common causes of lite problems. It can makes lights do wierd things.
Also being a military vehicle I'm sure it's wiring is somewhat different than standard civilian vehicles.
How much of the truck operates on 24 volts? Starting system only maybe?

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Only the starting system is 24v on the CUCV Chevrolet trucks. The wiring harness on these is special because of the compatibility with the military trailer harness plug where all circuits are separate for tail, stop, left, right, blackout etc.

Here is another cheap solution I found on Steelsoldiers:

Or you can buy a cheap flat 4, and a complete 3-pin weatherpack connector (1 male end, 1 female end) and build your own adapter that will plug in right where the military trailer plug connects to the wiring harness. You can switch between military and civilian wiring in about 30 seconds.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthr...l=1#post932493

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Thanks for that link. It's some good reading.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Sarge is looking good!

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Thanks dude! We'll see if you still think so after the cruise in next Sat.:lol: My excuse for having this one is to tow our MX bikes to the trail head, so I've spent this weekend cleaning dirt bike carbs and put a new clutch in one of them. One needs a new battery and mine needs the muffler wrapped, then hopefully we can make good use of the new-found sunshine and good weather. I'm still working on the truck, but my boys are ready to ride. On a side note, I'm thinking about calling their beds leg-stretchers instead - both of them will need something bigger this year.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Cool build! Thats a mean looking machine too

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

cool build! i like what you did with the stencils on the leafs! I think CUCVs are awesome, they have awesome paint and capabilities.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Thanks! I told myself I was going to refurb the doors (hinges/felts/rubbers/vents/strikers etc) and then work on my 2wd truck awhile. But I have a 4-speed manual for this truck that might happen sooner than I was planning. Two projects at once probably isn't the best idea but I'm never short something to do, that's for sure.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

im looking forward to seeing it this saturday (april 5th)......and my 86 needs alot of work just to make the drive to the parking lot saturday....lol

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Looking good. I enjoy watching your progress and approach to things.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Thanks man, I appreciate that. I'm just trying to do things I've learned here to make this a livable truck.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Is there any update on this?

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Yes, there is, and it is good news to me. My oldest son asked for this truck as his first car. He just turned 14, so we have time to do whatever he wants, so it will become nicer than originally planned - it will get painted now. But I told him to at least let me get my new engine/trans in my 2wd 79 first and then we'd start back on it. I'm kinda excited he asked for it yet hoping he doesn't lose interest. We'll have fun finding out, I guess it will be my job to keep it entertaining.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

John, that is good news! I wish my oldest was 14, he just turned 7. I've got a long way to go........... I was hoping to save the 68 Camaro for him, but that may not happen. (NOT as a first car, as more of a graduation from COLLEGE gift.) :chevy:

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

For starters it means the front grille will have to come back off, it'll have to have AC now. I wanted to put one of these in: Old Air under dash kit, now its a must. I'm also thinking about swapping the doors for some with power windows/locks, just so it has the minimum level of creature comforts.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

How about some interior pics?

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Here's a few from dying the visors, door panels and adding some ebay map-pockets. I have a set of Cabela's camo covers on the orginal bucket seats that I don't have a picture of. The interior is otherwise original and bare but we will put a full civilian interior in it.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Cool!

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Dang, I've got spare 78 blazer seats exactly that brown....newly upolstered too...btw john...i just got a 88 k5...love it!

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

i have the drivers mounting brackets too

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Those do look nice. I saw where you bought the K5, congrats! Start a thread w/pics!

This one has been down a few weeks. I got the doors stripped bare for new weather stripping and general refurb, then it dies. First the fuel filter was sucking air then the injection pump died. I finally got it all sorted out and running again. I'll update soon.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

cool. yeah, i wish mine was a 2wd. it's nice and has a new motor and came with 11k of receipts on mechanical stuff...best part is it has a softopper and a shell. the softopper is nice....2 mins to drop and 5 mins to put back up.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

pm sent

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Enjoying reading this. Looking forward to your next upgrades.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Thanks Bill. I have the glass and seals out of the doors and I'm trying to rebuild the vents. Hope to have an update soon, whenever I get those buttoned up again.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

I'm overdue an update here. Here's a pic from where I left off. Stance enhanced, but body still beat. The paint doesn't bother me, but the doors... You can see all the paint has burned off the vent window frames down to brown. The mirrors are dented and door handles could use some attention. What you can't see is all the missing weather stripping, worn hinges, and worn strikers with the bushings long gone. You had to slam the doors to get them to shut. They needed serious help all around, but the slamming part needed attention first. I considered getting some used doors so they'd be straight for paint, but when I ran that by my son he said he didn't want to paint it. To quote him, "Why bother?" Works for me. Out with the cherry picker.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Given the paint status, I didn't have a problem using a sharpie to make a few reference marks on the doors to mark the position of the hinges, so it wasn't hard to get them back on. Cutting the pins out took more time than anything. I'd previously tried to powder coat the new strikers but couldn't get it to stick. So I gave them a shot of black just so I wouldn't have to watch them turn brown. So with new hinge pins/bushings and strikers/bushings, wow. The doors shut normally. I won't put that job off ever again. So with more time left than I expected, I gutted the doors. Well, not entirely - I left the latches and interior door handles in so you could still use them. But the exterior handles, locks, mirrors, vents, and door glass came off or out. Purty strikers posing provocatively.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

I have factory GM pins and bushings for hinges if you need
Thing looks cool. Keep it up :)

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

I got a little side-tracked with mechanical issues. First it was hard starting. I'd recently replaced my fuel filter and didn't see the invisible "do not disturb" sign. When I broke the seal it was done. Diesels just don't run when air starts getting in the fuel lines. Or so they told me at dieselplace.com. I didn't know squat about diesels except they sound cool. Anyway, with their help I got that part fixed. I tried to rebuild the stock filter housing, but you can't get those seals anywhere. Not that I could find anyway. So I installed the Napa spin-on setup every else recommends. So it's running again.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

At this point, the doors are mostly hollow but they shut good, and my sons were itching to get the motorcycles out. So we hooked up the trailer and headed out. No windows needed for this trip. We made it about 10 or 12 miles from the house when the engine just nosed over and slowly died. I keep a AAA membership, so they took it home for me on a roll back and wifey came and got me and the boys and the MX trailer. I wasn't kidding about not knowing anything about diesels. I'd heard there were lift pumps and injection pumps in there somewhere but I didn't know one from the other. There's a hard core group of 6.2 guys at dieselplace.com, they walked me through proper diagnosis and repair. Bad injection pump. These are not cheap and there's some labor there that's pretty intimidating at first. But I had all the online help you could ask for, so I gave it a shot. Out with the bad pump, swap the lines over, get the new assembly in. More to it than that, but nobody was more surprised than me when it busted right off and settled down into pleasant diesel clatter.

Re: Sarge's rattle-can rebuild
 

Do you have any details to share on the spin on filter conversion you did? My friend's M1009 has been getting worse with starting since I sold it to him. Plan is to get his and my injector pumps rebuilt this summer, but I think it would be a good time to get rid of the poor original design. I guess I could go look on Steel Soldiers....