Cucv

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

My 74 C20 just died this weekend, and I am pretty much with out of a car now. I do not want a new or newer 4x4 since I do not want to hit something with expensive replacement parts.

There is a guy in southern california who sells CUCVS, and it appears he has a few in stock at all times. His name sounds like 10 Dollar guy. I have read it doesn't take much to register them, and I think it would make an awesome 4x4. They pretty much have the best of everything factory, and wouldn't be easy to break off road.

Since it is a diesel is it easy to drop a sbc in at a later date? In case the 6.2 gets a bit problem-matic. Or do I need to get a gas wiring harness for the truck. I am used to the sbc, and if the 6.2 dies I do not drive enough to really save anything. I will leave it there till it becomes a problem, and or I decide on a big redo a few years from now. If I come to enjoy off roading as I only have been with friends.

I know it is a 1 1/4 ton truck, and probably rides like a tank compared to my current C20. So has anyone removed some of the leaf springs to soften the ride, and if so how well did it go? For tires I will like run 265/75/16's to get access to good tires, and avoid jumping into a truck.

Or anything else anyone can add would be helpfull. For me it is either a CUCV or a new Ram 1500 CC. Because there is a local Dodge dealer who practically gives them away. Where as with a GM or Ford version I would be about $7000 further into one. I guess Dodge wants to get market share one way or another.

[ryanroo]

they are tough cool old trucks. but they are really slow with a th400 and 4.56:1 gears. the 350 will go in place of a 6.2 pretty easily. i doubt there would be much effort in trying to use the original harness and make a few modifications so it works for a gas engine. provided it was in good shape. i dont know what difference there is in the harness though.

as for the rear springs, you could pull the packs apart and remove a few leaves. i have not done it on that particular truck. i dont know how may it would take, but if you want it to have a decent load capacity, its going to ride kind of rough when its empty.

[68post]

They ride like a regular one ton, pretty hard to load it heavy enough to hit the overloads. I'd change the leaf packs and leave the overloads there for what they were intended to do.

I had a 1 1/4 ton with 4.56 gears and the 350 buzzed pretty high if you wanted to keep-up with interstate traffic. You could easily use a smaller sbc and not miss a beat.
I had 285/75/16's and later 305/75/16's , and my truck was a sm465 trans.

I've had a couple versions of those diesels and you can get excellent mileage with that 6.2 in anything that is geared for it, a CUCV with 4.56 gears would suck down expensive diesel fuel. You need 3.42 or 3.55 gears, then 20 mpg would be possible.

A 327 or a 307 with a good cam would be ideal for a daily driver and only 265/16 tires if you keep the 4.56's. IMHO

Tim

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I forgot to mention I will be adding a od trans of some kind to the build process. Probably the first big modification to the truck even if it is to the 6.2.

My C20 has a 350sbc, and 4.11 with the same tires, and it is pretty bad to drive long distances. As the drone is a bit much even for me at 3000 rpm.

Maybe a cucv with the baby LT1 or the 4.3 V8, built 4L65, and full bolt-ons would be a awesome trail vehicle. Wouldn't be much of a working vehicle, but still enough for Home Depot runs. I think it would get great mpg off-road just cruising in the dirt, be a bit more rev friendly in low range, and still have more then enough power with the gearing to climb hills.

[andrewmp6]

Its 100 dollar man he buys a ton of military surplus.As far as engine swaps really anything will bolt right in these trucks you can dream of.If you get bored look up dirt every day on youtube.He did one called it the alabama army truck started out normal lift and tires now its ls powered and soon to get a different trans and t case.

[whitedog76]

I had an 85 K10 with the 6.2. The only problem I had was with the 700R4. It had 3.42 gears, it couldn't get out or it's own way when in overdrive. The TH400 shouldn't be a big deal. 3.73 or 3.42 would be a huge improvement.

I will second the idea of different leaf springs. The miltary spec ones are probably way overkill.

http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/leaf-s...d-pickup-73-91

If you dump the Diesel, I'm thinking it had the same motor mounts as the Big Blocks and the BB radiator. Just some food for thought.