Why no crew cabs?

[jh1990]

Kinda of a weird question but I was just wondering why the military never used a crew cab version of the CUCVs?

 

[clinto]

Why reduce cargo carrying capacity when additional passengers can ride in the back (troop seats)?

 

[Recovry4x4]

In the first edition of the Standard Catalog of Military Vehicles, the author posted pics of the M880 variant crew cab. I've never been able to find anything to support that one was actually made. Of course you could always brew up your own. I wanted to many moons ago but anymore it's a distant thought. The Gov't is still surplussing crew cabs. The last 4 of the NSN are 5938.

 

[jh1990]

ok I was just wondering, I thought I saw in a thread about the CUCV II/III that chevy was producing a military variant of the 3500 silvy in a CC SB, CC LB, XC LB, RC LB? IIRC then again I'm probably wrong. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[NEIOWA]

DOD (primary user AF) has purchased/purchased very large qty of crewcab Chevy/Ford pickups 3/4 & 1t 4x2 and 4x4. The CUCV was nominally a tactical vehicle, a crewcab is hardly suitable for crosscountry use as much less maneuverable and is really an improved road (gravel) light duty truck. Survey fire depts on the easy of destroying F350/C3500 4x4 for wildland fire use.

 

[builder77]

I have seen one of the CUCV III Chevy duelly crew cabs in the parking lot of Home Depot about a year ago. Solid tan camo. It was government owned, but I don't remember any markings. I looked really nice. I guess in this case why not have extra crew and still the bed.

 

[Floyd]

A TX Chevy dealer had one on e-Bay about four months ago. It looked hot, just way too much money, it was new and had under a 1000 miles on it. I really wanted to buy it, but wife would have nothing to do with it. Oh well!
Floyd

 

[Bigmick]

like this one, I did post this yesterday but it vanished off the forum

 

[CCATLETT1984]

thats a suburban.

 

[JCease]

A couple of weeks ago, I passed a 'convoy' of about 7 vehicles on the interstate. There were 4 armored up humvees all in tan and 3 CUCV type new Silverados. Green paint, brushguard and camper type shell. All of the personnel looked to be 'undercover', or special ops. I would guess maybe NAVY Seals. I didn't stick around to see if they headed towards Norfolk or not. The bew CUCV crewcabs looked pretty nice.

 

[BillIdaho]

Kinda ironic, I see old ( 1960's) 4 door "crew-cab" pickups all the time--usually painted Air Force blue, but I have also seen OD ones. There is an old International 4 -door pickup parked just down the street from me, blue with Air Force emblems on the door. Years ago they must have liked the idea.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

They're common on bases and in places where they won't see combat. I drove several Ford and Chevy crewcab long beds while I was in the Marines. All on a Marine Corps Air Station where they, and their oil tanker like turning radius, were safely away from combat.

Not a combat vehicle, no M number.

 

[CCATLETT1984]

their oil tanker like turning radius

I couldn't have said it better

 

[dilvoy]

I have'nt seen a CUCV Crew Cab built by GM, but I do have one of the Air Force Dodge 4x4 crew cab trucks. It is not an M880 but is a government contract truck with the stick on data plate on the dash. It is blue with no black out lights and is a short bed. I don't think Dodge built long bed 4x4 crew cabs, because the frames would not be strong enough, but I could be wrong. Chevy had no problem building a long bed 4x4 truck with a weak flexible frame though. I bet they did build a couple of prototype Crew Cab CUCV's for testing and they were rejected by the Military. I have a 4x4 GMC crew cab that was converted by Landoll Corp into a Crash Rescue truck. I'm converting it myself into a camper hauler. It will have CUCV bumpers and brush guard and probably the shelter carrier stuff in the bed too. I won't install any black out lighting, but the lifting shackles will be there.

 

[dilvoy]

Some progress.

 

[dilvoy]

some progress

 

[clinto]

looking good

 

[AJMBLAZER]

No one built Crewcab shortbeds until the 90's. Prior to that Dodge, Ford, GM, and International all only had the super long "Cowboy Cadillacs". The only way to get a shortbed 1 ton was to get an extended cab and then they could use the same basic frame as the long bed regular cabs.

No one wants a tactical truck that's as long as a crew cab. Try snaking one through the woods or hell, even making a U turn into a gas station with one. I'm sure you know it's not exactly nimble. CUCV's weren't meant for combat but the thought always was they had to at least be able to get to where the combat was.

 

[dilvoy]

I think you can make out the my Dodge in the background. It is a 1981 truck. The replacement bed is not bolted in place, that's why the wheel looks too far out, but it's definitly not a long bed. I wish it were though.

 

[hndrsonj]

The military (Navy) has had alot of crew cabs. I do not think they were mass ordered like the CUCV but they are there. We had chevy 2WD crew cabs w/8ft beds (80's), dodges with short beds (70's), and the new ones (can't for the life of me remember what they are called) chevy's with 8ft beds too (awesome trucks-totally bad ass!!).