CUCV Rebuild service?

[REGULATOR]

Ok, forgive me for not being able to search, but I'm on a really slow internet connection:

Is there a place that works on CUCV's? for example a place wher you could drop off your CUCV and they will strip it down and make it like new again?

They do this at several places over in the UK where they take a Land rover apart, paint it, put it back together correctly and sell it is where I got the idea from.

Mine had the dreaded 12v conversion, and also has what looks like a hacked up wireing harness. ( all the legal lighting stuff worked, but dash light stuff is questionable, and has a push button glowplug system)
pretty scary lookign under the dash with wires everywhere.

the wireing harness caught on fire the other day, and to think my 16 yr old that was driving it, questioned why I had a fire extinguisher in the cab!

truck body is in decent shape, frame looks great for its age, I don;t think its really been offroad much its whole life. I'm planning on having it rhino lined and painted.


I was just thinking, that by the time I start fixing little things over time, It might be easier to just lift the body off, and do it correctly. and rewire the whole thing, have somebody go over the entre vehicle and make it road worthy and reliable again
maybe make some upgrades in the process if needed.

Although I enjoy doing the work, I really don't have a Shop/garage space to do this myself. not too mention wayy too busy with work at the moment.


of course I could probably buy a good newer used truck for the cost.. but I kinda like the CUCV, simple and effective, mine just needs a rebuild


I'm in Augusta GA area... Airmech3839 has offered to help me get it runnign again, but thought Id ask the group at large if they knew of a shop or place where I could drop it off for a couple months, not sure of too many local carshops that woudl want to tackle the Army truck. ( although I do know who I'm havign paint it when its time, he painted my motorcycle)


I used to make fun of people who just dropped of an old car or bike to have redone, and didn;t enjoy workign on it themselves, but I just don't have the time with my current job, and no place to do the leval of work it needs since I live in town.

Its not that bad, might not need to have the body taken off, but definitly want to get it done correctly to avoid future rust issues etc...

and definitly needs a new wirign harness glow plug system.

 

[hndrsonj]

The problem will be money. You will have WAY more in the CUCV than it will ever be worth. As far as places that work on them SECO in Augusta, or CSI in Tallapoosa, GA. CSI will be cheaper but not by much. You could probably build a garage and do it yourself cheaper.

 

[REGULATOR]

thanks,

it doesn;t need a full resoration, just a little refurb here and there, mostly just needs a new wiring harness I think.

and a few bits tidied up here and there.

might have to get a civi wire harness and make it work

 

[Crash_AF]

I've replaced two dash harnesses now and can tell you that a civi wiring harness is MUCH different from the CUCV one and would be very difficult to adapt to the CUCV.

Later,
Joe

 

[REGULATOR]

so I guess I need to find a cucv wireing harness then or redo the whole thing..

anybody have any suggestions ?

 

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

so I guess I need to find a cucv wireing harness then or redo the whole thing..

Yes.

 

[twright]

I can do it but it want be cheep but a lot cheeper than CSI or SECO I have a body and Ser shop in Rocknart Ga. I will try to get jhenderson to post pictures of his 1028A2 that started out as a basket case truck the goverment had taken the trans, transfer case and parts off the motor the was body beat up bad now lookes like new .
Tony
2 M35A1
3 M35A2
1 Ganna Goat
1 M1008
1 M1131
2 M1009
5 M105A2

 

[REGULATOR]

mines not a total basket case, but figured a shop or someone with experience would be more willign to tackle it then one without.

not to mention charge me accordingly and not add in extras just cause its a mil veh.


if I wasn't out of town workign for a while Id do most of it myself.

I wsa driving it every day with little problem. but I know the wiring for the dash and under the dash was suspect.


some of the lights in dash worked, some didn't, glow plug system bypassed etc

got a friend who says he can weld up the 3 little spots no problem,

I was mostly curious about a shop cranking them out, because many years ago I ran accross an internet site where the guy was buying them upgrading them and selling them as more rugged SUV's, but fully upgraded/refurbished etc

 

[twright]

I have fixed up a few of them my self I like working on them as you cas I have a bunch of MV my self.
Tony

 

[REGULATOR]

Well an SS member near me has offered to take a look, so I'll see what I can work out locally, but if not I know you have a shop and experience, and not too far away from me in Augusta GA.

I was originally plannign on lettign it sit for a bit until I had time to work on it some more, only driving it short trips to work etc, then my 16 year old started driving it every day to school... and apparently the wiring harness smoked up near the firewall and the truck is now dead.. ( I'm out of town so haven't seen it yet)

I had just slapped new tires on it, new batteries, and a rebuilt engine in it with all new belts etc.... was runnign pretty good, just not all the dash lights were workign right, and it was cosmetically challanged. ( faded paint, years of sitting outside etc)

but no rust in the floorboards, only some light rust dust in the bed.
and the two rust spots on the tailgate that several have. allthe glass is in place, and except for some frosting in the windshield looks good. windows roll up and down.. I thought I scored a pretty good deal for the price I paid.

one of the reasons I don;t mind investign a bit into it to have a good running more reliable vehicle.

My plan is to fix the wiring ( or replace)
fix some of the window and tailgate seals that look rough/are missing.
rhino line the whole interior and repaint,

brakes, tranny etc all seem fine. engine runs like a champ, new starter, glowplugs etc already installed durign the engine swap, good IP etc.
was getting what seemed liek good milage for all in town.
all the blinkers, headlights, brake lights worked before. ( just not in the dash)

so maybe the entire wireing harness isn't shot, just a few crucial parts from engine to fusebox/fusebox itself.

it had a 12v conversion before I purchased so all the stuff behind the aircleaner is missing lots of snipped wires under the hood. ( wish it was still original)

Oh that and the front drive shaft was removed, and is sitting in the bed...
the truck looks like its never been off roaded, the underside isn;t scratched up or banged up at all, transfer case looks like new, transmission pan etc..
axles look good.

I did need to get some rear seat belt sections that bolt to the floor, both of those were snapped..

trying to research as much as possible while I have some free time to get on the computer... maybe order or arrange as much as possible while I'm gone etc. so will be asking tons of questions.