Cucv 4 me

[stillsmokin]

I have decided to buy a CUCV, all brutal, no bling. It was a decision that I have pondered since I first worked on one at a GM dealer 10 years ago.

I am going to try to buy a running M1008 or M1028A (if I am lucky) and rip the whole powertrain out when time permits. I'll swap in the 468/4 speed/NP 205 from my 73 K20 that I just finished tearing apart. I think I'll leave the 4.56's in it, go to a more agressive solid lifter cam, and ditch the organic disk in the Hayes truck clutch for a 12" button clutch disk.

I was thinking about going 4" lift and to a 33" maybe a 35" tire, I curious how much more the front lift springs will sag with the big block VS a small block. I don't really need/want a soft ride. I just want a rust free pure function truck, that I can use and take care of that is going to last me as long as I keep it away from road salt.

The rest of the military equipment will stay on the truck, for a very mean look.
Hummer beadlocks ought to round out the package nicely.

[munger]

that will be sweet but i thought they had 6.2 diesels in em

[Patriot]

Originally Posted by munger

that will be sweet but i thought they had 6.2 diesels in em

They do. All the ones we had in the Army were diesel.

[stillsmokin]

Originally Posted by munger

that will be sweet but i thought they had 6.2 diesels in em

Yes, they do for the most part, but I have seen 1 with a 454, 24V Nato that the town over bought derectly from uncle Sam.

What's the point anyway? If you don't like something about an 73-87 you just change it. They're like lego blocks.

[74 C-30]

im pretty sure 33 will fit fine with no lift, and give it a badass look

[msgross]

I've seen some military K-30 crewcabs that were gassers, but the original CUCV's were alwarys diesels... There are some odd one's out there with A/C and such. I bet the local maintenance shop put that 454 in the CUCV, then it just went to the DRMO for sale at a later date...

They are one heck of a tough truck though.

www.steelsoldiers.com has tons of info... I think that you can run 33's with no lift and 35's with 4". The 35's will let you run a little faster on the highway, CUCV's only run about 60MPH with the diesel whining pretty loud...

If you buy one from auction look for one that states "does not run" or "missing keys" since they usually go for a little less. www.govliquidation.com has the auctions. search for M1008 or M1024 as stated....

They look awesome lifted, the first one is 33" with 4" lift

[stillsmokin]

Those are both good looking rigs msgross. Those pics help me visualize what I'm going to have. I was worried about rubbing loaded, we sometimes go off the beaten path to get parts.

The 86 K30 dually reg cab 24V NATO 454/400/205 cucv is weirdly factory, I assume its a very odd M1031? The emission label is for a 454 on the air cleaner, on the radiator supoort, and the spid label in the glove box. It has shackle tie downs and had the brush guard with the bridge plate. It's sad the town has it, it is a plow truck and salt spreader now. It is a really rare machine.

I think I'm going to buy my cucv from the us government directly again, that's how I got the crew cab. It was running and driving. I drove it home that day (NO EUC wait) with a title like form and "in transits". Heck it even had brand new tires, front shocks, and front brakes. Govt liquidations has had a bad rap lately, seems like alot of what is there is the bottom of the barrel.

My 86 K30 crew is ex USAF isn't a cucv, but does have some weird stuff on the build sheet. GM actually painted the "US AIR FORCE, FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY" on the doors for example. It is also blue. It is supposedly a looking glass/eye in the sky crew truck.

[GM72K10]

There were no factory big block CUCVs, they were all 6.2s, however that doesn't mean somebody could have modified a truck along the way to LOOK like a cucv or put a big block in a cucv while it was still in service. Last week I bought 2 CUCVs at a GSA auction that also had an 86 US Army Crew Cab, SRW, that had the CUCV bumpers front and back , cucv grill with nato hook up, 6.2L, NP205, (the doors even worked with the CUCV key) etc.and had US Army written on the door, but somebody "made" this truck as the paint didn't match, etc. and there were no CUCV crew cabs. The kicker is that the truck only sold for $300.00! What a steal! There are all kinds of "modified" CUCVs out there, still in govt. use, I have one that even has rain gutters on it but I know they didn't come that way. I saw one at the Memphis auction that looked normal except it had SINGLE exhaust. The M1028a2-3 duallys are actually "kit conversions" that the army bought to modify M1028s and M1028a1s into duallys. There is a ton of information on all of this on www.steelsoldiers.com.
Whatever you do its your truck, build it the way YOU want!

[Gemp]

Any pics of the USAF crew? I would like to get my hands on one of those someday.

[stillsmokin]

Originally Posted by Gemp

Any pics of the USAF crew? I would like to get my hands on one of those someday.

Here are some pics of the USAF crew cab. It was a stripper. I have changed to stainless mirrors, chrome edged taillight lenses, threw on some wheels and tires from another project, and put in a tool box I had laying around. Plus repaired or fixed a laundry list of problems. It had a high top camper on it when I bought it (edited by staff ).





Yes, it too has a chain to lock up the steering. Most of the truck's issues are from the sun on the runways where it spent it's entire life. Edited by staff

[stillsmokin]

Originally Posted by GM72K10

There were no factory big block CUCVs, they were all 6.2s, however that doesn't mean somebody could have modified a truck along the way to LOOK like a cucv or put a big block in a cucv while it was still in service. Last week I bought 2 CUCVs at a GSA auction that also had an 86 US Army Crew Cab, SRW, that had the CUCV bumpers front and back , cucv grill with nato hook up, 6.2L, NP205, (the doors even worked with the CUCV key) etc.and had US Army written on the door, but somebody "made" this truck as the paint didn't match, etc. and there were no CUCV crew cabs. The kicker is that the truck only sold for $300.00! What a steal! There are all kinds of "modified" CUCVs out there, still in govt. use, I have one that even has rain gutters on it but I know they didn't come that way. I saw one at the Memphis auction that looked normal except it had SINGLE exhaust. The M1028a2-3 duallys are actually "kit conversions" that the army bought to modify M1028s and M1028a1s into duallys. There is a ton of information on all of this on www.steelsoldiers.com.
Whatever you do its your truck, build it the way YOU want!

I was assuming the army/national guard didn't modify any of the trucks to that extent, but I stand corrected. Apparently the city has a civilian K30 that has met a pile of cucv parts and some paintwork while the army had it.

I have had the armed forces "TM" manual for CUCV's on CD here for years and finally pulled it out and looked through it some last night. It actually covers the differences in options between each truck.

I was curious about the CUCV keying of the CUCV's. Do I need to change the ignition lock cylinder as well as the door cylinders? So the truck can be secured in the civilian world?

I think I read about your $300 crew cab score over on steelsoldiers (it was not running), I was wanting to be a member but it seems to be blocking new registrations?

[thirdstreettito]

Why are you taking out the 6.2?

[stillsmokin]

Originally Posted by thirdstreettito

Why are you taking out the 6.2?

I won't do it right away, but eventually I will put in the steel crank 468 I have here. Probably will go to a 4 speed/205 setup as well at the same time.

The 6.2's didn't live well with 4.56 gears, and unless the 24V starter and associated parts are cheap/readily available they are a drawback out in the middle of nowhere.

[thirdstreettito]

Originally Posted by stillsmokin

I won't do it right away, but eventually I will put in the steel crank 468 I have here. Probably will go to a 4 speed/205 setup as well at the same time.

The 6.2's didn't live well with 4.56 gears, and unless the 24V starter and associated parts are cheap/readily available they are a drawback out in the middle of nowhere.

Convert it to 12 volt, pretty cheap to do. Didnt live well with 4.56 gears?

[stillsmokin]

Originally Posted by thirdstreettito

Didnt live well with 4.56 gears?

When I was working for GM many of the local one tons with 454's and 4.56 gears were actually once 6.2's. I started asking about it and the owners all said the same thing the 6.2 was great, until one day pulling the cattle trailer, then BANG. One guy actually pointed at a dent in his framerail a connecting rod left as it departed the block. It seems that the service life of the engine falls off drastically when these options were teamed with the non overdrive TH400 or the 4 speed. The 6.2 really didn't like heavy highway pulling with those gears.

The 6.2 was a good engine don't get me wrong. The early light diesels were all actually pretty good if cared for properly. They were mainly fuel misers. I have actually even seen the old 4.3/5.7 Oldsmobile diesels with crazy high mile odometer readings.

Sorry for the long explanation, back on topic

[spaseghost]

wow, that gov liquidation site is full of bad ass blazers and truck, saw a couple of mint dodge tow trucks too.

[msgross]

I would change all the keys since any CUCV key will open and start any other in the world. Hummers don't even have keys, just a cable around the steering wheel!

Who knows what has been done to these, remember the Alabama National Guard unit that used steel plates to armor their own vehicles for IRAQ, then got in trouble for trying to stop a few bullets?

We had BMW highback seats in our Hummers in Germany. The rule is (or use to be) that a local commander can authorize a change to a vehicle as long as it could be put back to stock in 24 hours.

[rideair]

I have a 1986 Crew Cab, 4x4, SRW, 350engine, auto trans, long bed truck that is an ex-Air Force truck. Not sure it that falls under the CUCV guidelines, but it is a barebones truck, no chrome, but the grill "was not" painted green, it was left silver.


Paul Waddell
Front Royal, Va

[2tons of fun]

why would you keep the 4.56 and run such a small tire?

i drive a 454/465/205 4.56 truck with 38"s and it is over geared. you will seriously just be pissing gas away.

33"s will fit with minor fender triming in the front depending on the type and size of wheel you run.

if you are going to stick to small tires you need to seriously consider swapping to 3.73 or 4.10.

[GM72K10]

This is why or how you lock up a CUCV since the keys are all the same.

[munger]

Originally Posted by 2tons of fun

why would you keep the 4.56 and run such a small tire?

i drive a 454/465/205 4.56 truck with 38"s and it is over geared. you will seriously just be pissing gas away.

33"s will fit with minor fender triming in the front depending on the type and size of wheel you run.

if you are going to stick to small tires you need to seriously consider swapping to 3.73 or 4.10.

what are your rpms at say 65mph

[stillsmokin]

Well, I went to another GSA auction today. There were 29 cucv trucks and 9 blazers. All of which had the NP208 transfer case which I'm not real fond of. I tried to buy 2 cucv trucks that were in very good shape one with 19K miles the other with 24K. They only had pinholes in the cab corners, damaged hoods, and one had roof skin damage. The beaters brought $2100 minimum, and the 2 trucks I was after went for 2700 and 3200 respectively. A truck wouldn't run and still brought $1700! It was a little more than I had to spend and seemed above average compared to GSA auction results nationwide. However people just pay way too much for about everything out here. I might just buy one with a blown motor or trans that looks good elsewhere, I really just want the axles, frame, and the neat looking cucv body, the 6.2's leave alot left to be desired at 160HP. My problem is I can't run all over the US to get one, no paid vacation days for me.

It's alot of work to inspect 29 trucks and not end up owning one.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by rideair

I have a 1986 Crew Cab, 4x4, SRW, 350engine, auto trans, long bed truck that is an ex-Air Force truck. Not sure it that falls under the CUCV guidelines, but it is a barebones truck, no chrome, but the grill "was not" painted green, it was left silver.


Paul Waddell
Front Royal, Va

Just to comment here, USAF trucks would be regular "fleet" orders, not CUCV (which I guess you could consider to be a very special fleet order).

We also built fleet orders for the Navy, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, local domestic police forces, the Secret Service, power and utility companies and the railroads (like "Grand Trunk" railroad).

K

[msgross]

sounds like it.. I once watched the govliquidation site for a totaled one and it brought over $800. The only thing useable was the axles since it was nearly crushed on every body panel and the frame was toast...

[thirdstreettito]

Thats with those owners. I know plenty of guys with CUCV's with 4.56 gear who have over 200K on them. It all depends on the owner and the way they drive it.