Why the fuss?

[The Gimlis]

Forgive me my ignorance, but I have watched with amusement, as well as puzzlement, the nearly fanatical following that the CUCV's enjoy.

To me, one of the unknowing, these are merely simple pickups and big SUV's in military clothing. I am gathering that this is not the case.

I know I am opening up the proverbial floodgates, but please help me understand the spell that these vehicles have placed upon your heads. I can understand the magic of the deuce and the other "different" vehicles, but would appreciate learning more about these seemingly mysticall MV's.

Please enlighten those of us with question marks flying about our heads....


(today is big word day!)

 

[dstang97]

Are you kidding me? for starters It is a proven fact that these were the best trucks ever made. See for yourself.

 

[Warthog]

The Deuces and other trucks are great, but at times not very practical.

The CUCVs are more useful intown and get very good fuel mileage. The M1009s have been averaging 20mpg. Also you can use biofuel when gas goes to $5/gal

They are also more robust than the civilian counterparts.

 

[drgreg]

Diesel, 1 1/4 ton, 4x4 pick-up truck for $1600. What part don't you get???
There ain't no friggin' majic or fairys involved.

 

[Whitey]

One answer: She was my first, MV that is, and I'll never forget her.

 

[kevin-m1008]

For me I needed a daily driver and the ability to haul stuff while I swap motors in my M715.

Now after having my M1008 for a few months I may keep it. Not sure I need it but it is warmer then the other vehicles I have.

 

[johnsr]

i love my chevy 4x4's so with tat said. the civy trucks need so many upgrades for off-road use , where the cucv 5/4 ton trucks need very little done to them. i have a m1028 and the only upgrade i have found that the truck needs is a turbo. 4.56 gears, locking rear diff's whats not to love?

 

[doghead]

The automobiles that Elvis owned, are prized collector items.

CUCV's are similar, they don't make them any more and they were once owned by someone famous(Uncle Sam).

 

[The Gimlis]

Diesel, 1 1/4 ton, 4x4 pick-up truck for $1600. What part don't you get???
There ain't no friggin' majic or fairys involved.

Okay, okay. Don't get the shorts in a twist, there! That's why I asked. Remember, most of us think it's just a truck....

Ya can't get the same thing out in civilian land so you don't have go thru the GL hassle?

Are they more heavy duty than a civie truck?

 

[Whitey]

Okay, okay. Don't get the shorts in a twist, there! That's why I asked. Remember, most of us think it's just a truck....

Ya can't get the same thing out in civilian land so you don't have go thru the GL hassle?

Are they more heavy duty than a civie truck?

It left out that girlie radio and A/C.

They are more no nonsense than anything else. That has appeal to me.

 

[73m819]

There is nothing wrong with CUCVs, thay make GREAT wheel CHOCKS for real MVs

 

[91W350]

I bought my first one because it was cheap, dirt cheap. 700 dollars and I spent about 400 dollars fixing the flywheel, starter and putting a pair of tires on it. I always liked the sound of the 6.2, guess it is a 6.2 thing, kind of like that Whistler turbo that everybody raves about (until they drive one a long ways)... Anyway, a Suburban blew a red light and killed my 17-18 mpg 5/4 4x4 pickup. No problem, I made about 7000 dollars on that truck and went out and bought a 1991 Dodge one ton, Cummins, 5speed, W350. It is a single rear tire 4x4 like my old M1008. Nice truck, faster, stronger, has a radio and A/C, but to be honest, I liked the old M1008 better.

A nice one came along on Ebay and I bought it. Back in the CUCV world. My son had just turned 16, now he wanted one. I was curious about the M1009, so I bought a good one off of GL and love it. I think it is the fact that they were military, nobody else in our county is driving one.... (60,000 population) They have their quirks, but they are simple to fix. What makes the 55-72 Chevrolets so popular? Look good and are easy to fix....

I am a big boy and the M1008 is the most comfortable vehicle to drive that I ever owned, couple that with decent fuel mileage, a strong package, smooth power, the sound and the fact you have to do something stupid to get stuck with it around here and I just have a hard time finding anything I like to drive better. It is a little different that the regular civilian model, not much, but so am I. For me, it is a I drive it because I like it thing. Good, solid, reliable transportation that does what I ask of it.

If I was cruising the highway all day or pulled a car trailer or even an implement trailer, the Dodge would be my choice. But for everyday banging around and running the back roads of America, which is what I love to do, the Chevy CUCV is hard to beat.

A big 14 bolt rear axle, Dana 60 front axle, low mileage, the attraction seems simple to me.

Give me my dogs, about 60 gallons of fuel, my truck or Blazer, a couple of days off and the good old Kansas back roads and life becomes as good as it has ever been.... I am a simple guy and for 80 dollars a day, the three of us can eat, go explore and have a ton of fun.

Sounds a lot better than a meal at (Name Your Restaurant and insert here) and a movie or bar to me. Glen

 

[67_C-30]

Echoing others - the fuel mileage, practicality, and ease of finding parts is are the biggest reasons. For me, though, its a little more than that. I have always wanted one. My best friend's dad was in the Guard when we were kids, and he drove a M1009 daily back when they were new. To us, it was the most awesome truck EVER. Deuces, 5 tons, etc were big ugly green trucks to me then, (although I LOVE them now) but that big camoflauge Blazer with those big antennas (we had never heard the terms CUCV or M1009) was awesome! He would drive us around the block every now and then, and we were in heaven. I had never even seen (at least I hadn't noticed) another light truck with a diesel at that time, and we thought that was awesome, too. We bragged about it at school, and I drew pics of it -lol. I guess I never got over that.

If a guy likes the "real" military vehicles, a CUCV would make a good daily driver for them. I have a '69 SS Camaro, and I get about as much attention in the M1009 when I stop somewhere in it. I love mine, even if ain't a "real" MV.

 

[67_C-30]

There is nothing wrong with CUCVs, thay make GREAT wheel CHOCKS for real MVs

Yeah, but nothing in your fleet can catch my turbocharged M1009!

 

[91W350]

Yeah, but nothing in your fleet can catch my turbocharged M1009!

Boy if you get caught in traffic or slip up, it could get really UUUGGGLLLEEEEEEE in a BIG hurry!

 

[Disciple]

Oh, you're in for it! For me, I'm a Masonry and Concrete Contractor. I needed a cheap, reliable ( I can start mine on frigid Minnesota mornings with no heaters or anything, just crank and go), Tough-As-Nails 1 ton 4x4 Diesel. For what I paid and what I got, I can honestly say I've got the best ride in town. I bought mine with 33,000 miles on it. Where else could I find a truck with what it has on it, in the great shape it is in, for such a cheap price? I didn't really know a lot about the truck before I bought it, but after having it for a while I started to fall in love with it. They're tougher than Civy trucks (For the M1008: Dana 60 front end, super tough transfer case, TH400 Tranny, 14 bolt rear-end with a Detroit Locker, 2 x 100 amp alternators, etc. etc.) The more I find out about this truck the more I love it. Did you know it has a stock fuel heater? What about the Load-Sensing Rear Brake Adjuster? The 6.2 Diesel is a bit of a dog, but they're tough! I decided to take it down to the river one day to see what she could do. Let's just say I was impressed. I had water coming in through the doors, water over the tires, deep mud, thought I was stuck good and screwed. She crawled right out without even touching Low-range. That was on half-bald street tires.

I can load this thing down with equipment and materials and it handles everything I've thrown at it like a champ. Don't get me wrong, I'd still like to get a Deuce for a work truck, but this is just perfect for smaller stuff and more practical.

I've had to do some upgrades and repairs, as expected with a truck that was built when I was 5, but now it's great. Best of all, I can work on it myself without hiring a computer programmer. (BTW, these things just sound ungodly when you hack the mufflers off and stick a coupla' 45 degree elbows in, pointed at the ground. Ground Pounders!)

Next "upgrades": 4" lift w/ rear shackle flip, 37" HMMWV tires on bead-locks and my own custom "Urban MARPAT" Digital Camo Paint Job!

Just go buy one, you'll understand!

 

[67_C-30]

Okay, okay. Don't get the shorts in a twist, there! That's why I asked. Remember, most of us think it's just a truck....

Ya can't get the same thing out in civilian land so you don't have go thru the GL hassle?

Are they more heavy duty than a civie truck?

These things bring pretty decent coin in civi land, so GL is the cheapest way to get them. The M1008 more heavy duty that a normal K30, but the M1028 is the beast. Civilian SRW K30's are **** near non-existant, too. The M1009 is really not a whole lot heavier duty than a civi Blazer, but you could not get J code haevy duty 6.2 or the TH400 in a civi model. Most Blazers were highly optioned, and most of them had power window trouble amd the interiors in most of them look a dog has been sleeping in them. The M1009 is way more nonsense, and everything is manual, which I love.

BTW, I have no problem with your question. In reality, they are a dressed up regular production truck, but they just have an "it" factor to me.

 

[91W350]

Sounds like me, bought it because it was cheap and different, darn thing moved in and took over!

 

[67_C-30]

Boy if you get caught in traffic or slip up, it could get really UUUGGGLLLEEEEEEE in a BIG hurry!

NO DOUBT! Gotta keep moving!!!

 

[wreckerman893]

I drove the CUCV's and the pickups in the Army plus anything else with wheels (and some things tracked). I was never a big fan of them due to the grimlin prone electrical system.

But all vehicles have their problems including my deuces.

I guess it is just a matter of taste and what your frustration factor can tolerate.