Canadian "Pre-CUCV" Chevy

[militaro]

Does anyone have pics of data plates on these trucks and where they are located. For a clone build

The data plate is in the door channel.

 

[StrykerPerry]

Got any pics of them

 

[1968K20]

Hello All,

New to the site and looking for info on the Canadian Military trucks. I am considering buying a front Dana 44 out of a '76 Chevy Military truck for a project. Is there any difference between the military versions and the normal Dana 44s? Im mostly concerned about parts being different and having a hard time replacing parts in the future should I need to do so. Are all the parts such as bearings etc. still available for this axle? Is this a good axle or should I look for something else? Sorry for hijacking this thread but I see there are some guys on here with a lot of knowledge about the Canadian Trucks. Thanks!

 

[eme411]

are you planning on a whole ex CF 5/4 or just parts of it? the other choice you have is getting a ex CF CUCV,

 

[1968K20]

Im new to the military stuff, and here is the scenario: I have a 1968 Chevy K20 (3/4 ton 4x4). It has the original front axle, which is a Dana 44. It is closed knuckle with drum brakes and a 4.56 gear ratio. However my truck's axle has a crack in the diff. So what Im trying to do is find a replacement axle for my truck to do an axle swap/upgrade... and the one I have found is out of a 1976 Military truck. The replacement axle is a Dana 44 with disk brakes, open knuckle, and matches my gear ratio of 4.56. I am just wondering if the Military Dana 44 is any different than the regular Dana 44 from a non-military Chevy 3/4 ton, or if all the internal parts are interchangeable and the same internally? I want to make sure I can still get all the replacement parts before I go ahead and buy this axle, I dont want to get stuck with something that I cant get parts for. It is just the axle that I have found at a scrap yard, not a whole truck

 

[blueblaze]

The axle is the same. There's no difference between a military axle and the normal commercial one. The military D44 would have drive slugs instead of locking hubs and it might have the added axle brace the army put on for a bit of extra strength. With that being said I have no idea if the spring perches are in the right spot for a 68 and the axle will probably have alot of wear considering it was an AWD truck and over 40 years old.

 

[68FB]

Hi, I just found this thread. I appreciate the good info on here because I work at the Ontario Regiment Museum in Oshawa and we're in the process of restoring a 1976 5/4. First of all, no bloody wonder they were gas pigs. With a 1976 350 SBC making maybe 150 HP, pushing a 1 ton chassis, with a 3-speed tranny, 4.56 rear end, and all-time 4WD, the Q'jet must have have been into 4 barrels a lot of the time. We have one old wrecked 5/4 in the bone yard that has locking wheel hubs. Switching those into this one may help.

Actually, I say 1-ton chassis but one of the guys here who worked at GM, Oshawa back then says the 5/4 was based on a 3/4 ton chassis. Seems strange they'd use a 3/4 ton chassis for the upgrade.

I believe the 1980's CUCV was a pure 24V vehicle, but the 5/4 is a kinda neat mix. GM kept the the original 12V systems for everything required to run the truck, but supplied 24V for radios and whatever accessories the military used in the back. Makes sense to me because the chronically cash-strapped Canadian military could use stock GM parts for repair on the road.

The 24V supply is from a massive mil-spec generator mounted on the driver's side of the engine. It supplied two 12V batteries in series mounted in a tray on the same side. The 12V system had a separate battery on the passenger side. Ours has a switch on the dash that powers a solenoid so if you have a flat battery, one of the 24V batteries can be used for starting.

I wondered about that half-assed brace that's installed on the front axle. I see from previous posts it's to beef up the axle, for heavy landings after getting airborne probably.

The motor in the truck was pretty tired after being used as a snow plough for a few years but we had a rebuilt military engine in a crate available. It was great because it came just about ready to go out of the crate, fitted with intake manifold, carb, flexplate, HEI distributor, exhaust manifolds, and test run certificate. It just needed a starter.

Malcolm

 

[eme411]

Hi Malcolm, the CUCV is also a split system, basic 12 volt for the truck and 24 volt to supply the starter , slave and for radios , the CUCV uses the bus bar on the pass side firewall, CUCV uses 2 100 amp 27si for power unlike the '76, front axle on the '76 is a Dana 44, CUCV is Dana 60,

 

[blueblaze]

The only reason they used a 3/4 ton chassis was that GM didn't have a true K30 one ton 4WD truck chassis until 77' model year. I've seen guys selling the canadian army trucks and trying to tell potential buyers that they are one ton trucks with a dana 60. These things were absolutely terrible on fuel. A friend of mine was in the services in an Artillery regiment and he said they had to have fuel trucks and fueling equipment everywhere just to do exercises. I'd like to find one but they were all pretty beat by the time they left active service. Along with rust and everything else, I usually only find them as flat bed trucks that are half rusted out on a farm out west somewhere. goodluck with the resto.

 

[gearhead1]

The only reason they used a 3/4 ton chassis was that GM didn't have a true K30 one ton 4WD truck chassis until 77' model year. I've seen guys selling the canadian army trucks and trying to tell potential buyers that they are one ton trucks with a dana 60. These things were absolutely terrible on fuel. A friend of mine was in the services in an Artillery regiment and he said they had to have fuel trucks and fueling equipment everywhere just to do exercises. I'd like to find one but they were all pretty beat by the time they left active service. Along with rust and everything else, I usually only find them as flat bed trucks that are half rusted out on a farm out west somewhere. goodluck with the resto.

You are partially right - the 76 trucks were indeed on a 1 ton chassis almost 2" wider than 1/2 and 3/4. They compensated for this in the trans/transfer mount by adding spacer blocks under it when using the 3/4 ton crossmember.
The GM Dana 60F was not yet available so the 44 with a truss was hung underneath as well as a th350 trans cause the th400 was not out yet in 4wd output form but the rear was the same as the 1 ton with perch spacing and the shocks on the inside of frame rails. They used about 4 cut leafs about 4" long under rear leafs to make up height difference when they added front axle because again the rear leafs were not arched for 4wd .

 

[Casca2525]

thirsty 5quads

They were real thirsty on gas, but ran very reliably.

that's got to be the understatement of the year, drove several MRT's on rounds trip Pet to Kingston, average 5 tanks, (CUCV about 3/4 of a tank), ****, I think even the ARVL got better MPG's I know a Husky did.

N.B. they were a lot easier on you in rough off road, turn out the hand throttle to just off idle in 1st and low loc and inch along, the CUCV's would jolt around and make it hard to keep your foot steady on the peddle.

 

[Another Ahab]

Hello All,New to the site and looking for info on the Canadian Military trucks. !

that's got to be the understatement of the year, drove several MRT's.

New Blood!

A second post and a first post. Great!!

Welcome to you from down here Stateside in the good old Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

[ScottG2005]

Has anyone seen a mid 70's "Pre-CUCV" Military Chevy?

This guy on Pirate bought a 76 GMC 'CUCV', it's got a standard 3 lever light switch in the radio area, old style blackout lights in the grille and the 2 pin slave connector on the driver's side. Says he was told it was an ambulance that was converted to a pickup. Someone else in the thread says that it's a former Canadian mil vehicle.

New Project: 5/4 ton CUCV - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

I think it's interesting and am curious to find out if anyone's seen anything like it.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m162/PRCDDIK/CUCV/IMG_0036.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m162/PRCDDIK/CUCV/IMG_0045.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m162/PRCDDIK/CUCV/IMG_0044.jpg

Later,
Joe

(ETA: Does anyone know how to make photobucket links display as images instead of links?)

*** EDIT ****
can't link images, you must download, save and then attach.

I seen that one pretty neat ole truck

 

[ScottG2005]

Might as well revive this thread again since it has been a year

Saved a 1976 5/4 ton from the scrap yard today. Is in pretty darn good shape for its age.

Main reason we saved it (other than it actually being pretty rare now a days) was that the truck is practically untouched/unmolested. Looks like it was sold off for surplus, someone bought it, and it was just parked. Interior is all there (the seats are actually completely unripped), all the lights, wiring, original tires/rims, engine/tranny (though someone did take the carb a while back).

Cab is very solid. Looks like the drivers floor was replaced at one point, but the current floor is perfect (likely replaced soon before it was sold off). Rockers are solid. Frame is almost mint and has original paint on most of it. The rear shocks are new (from back in the day). Front fenders are rusty and will need to be replaced (not worth fixed as new fenders are like $90). Hood also has a rust hole through it and will likely need replacement too (should be able to find a used one). Hood hinges are stuck in the open position but some WD40 should fix it. Oh the drive-shaft is also missing, but from the looks of the joints, it looks as if it has been missing for a long time. Should be easy to find one. But other than that, it is in really nice condition.

From the paperwork we found inside, the truck was an ambulance. Naturally from the pics you can tell the amb body is missing. Found a ripped paper inside and on one corner it stated (... replacement program LSVW).

Looks like the body was removed and installed on an LSVW, then the truck was auctioned off.

Very, very surprised to find one in good shape and practically untouched. As most people know, old trucks like this are usually stripped of all good parts and then kids destroy the rest of it.

Will be this summers first project. Yeah it is nothing super special (basically it is just a pickup truck) but we think it will be worth saving as very few have survived this long

hello I was wondering how it went on the ole 5qaud? Id like to have one

 

[ScottG2005]

Hi guys I am the owner of a 76 5/4 that had a communication or ambulance body on it. It was picked up by a farmer who used it as a fuel truck with a pickup box added on. When i got it the box was shot so I built a flat deck. After I added 9:00-16 Michelins I had to add rear wheelwells for tire clearence. The truck runs, handles and looks much better with the 37 tall tires. The springs are stock and the front fenders trimmed for clearence. The cab has a bench seat that was added so a three man crew could ride inside. You can see where the gun rack was cut out.
I would be very interested in the manual for it . If you want some more pictures I'll did through my files for some.
Bruce

hey truck nut. I'm new to these forums how's you're old 5qaud coming along? I'd love to have a old 5qaud one day

 

[ScottG2005]

Here are some photo's of my 1976 Chevrolet CUCV, as you can see I have replaced the fenders and hood !!
View attachment 529824View attachment 529825View attachment 529826 View attachment 529828View attachment 529827View attachment 529829

Interesting toy I see. Just a wierd question did the Canadian forces buy civilian model chrvus and convert them over or where they made from the factory as a military truck?

 

[ScottG2005]

One more foto.View attachment 654129View attachment 654129

I sure could have some fun with that truck. Brings back memories, I drove them for close to a decade. Tough as nails but they loved to suck gas.

Hey john I'm new here me and my buddy want to get a 5qaud to be a survival truck(and a toy) what was it like driving these? I have not seen one it real life. One of my dads buddy's has a 1976 chevy k10 with a 383 stroker. Id love to do something simaller like a 355 stroker