1986 CUCV M1009 Decade after being wrecked.

[cucvrus]

After sitting wrecked in the field for 10 years I am going to pull this M1009 in and tear it down to the bare bones. Body looks great. Some minor rust. I rebuilt this M1009 back in 2006-2007. It was done about 2-3 months and my Son wrecked it in the Marine Reserve parking lot. I trailered it home and it has been sitting ever since. I am going to replace the frame and goo over the entire driveline. Oh Joy. Can't stand having an empty shop. I am going to get it started and drive it in under it's own power. First thing I am going to do is remove the drive line. Pull the heads and have them checked and go over everything.

 

[cucvrus]

I have had this frame sitting since 1999 and the cab has been there about 12 years. This is the frame I will be using. I have plans on stripping it bare and having it sand blasted.

 

[cucvrus]

First thing I am going to do is get 4 tires put on wheels. This M1009 has a 4" lift kit all 4 springs and shocks with the pitman arm riser. That will all go on sale when I get to that point. I am returning it to stock height. I may leave the 5" tailpipes on just because they are new and no need to replace them . That's a maybe. I used the body from the frame to replace a very rusty M1009. I knew the frame would come in handy some day. Tomorrow I will put some batteries in it and get it running. It has a block heater I may plug that in and give it a few hours to warm up. it has been about 2 years since I had it running. It has a full tank of fuel. I plan on pulling it in and pulling all the power train and then putting it back out until spring. Over the winter I am going to pull the heads and keep my garage empty so I have somewhere to work if the need arises. Been at least 10 years since I had shelter in the winter to work on vehicles that needed routine maintenance items addressed. Since I moved on from changing my own oil that has been less expensive and cleaner all around. $50. was the most I paid to get an oil change and I can hardly get the materials and put forward the effort at that price. Tomorrow I have to figure out a way to move the 14 bolt and the Dana 60. That was marked to go in the M1009. Not going to happen anymore. I am thinking floor jack and ratchet straps will move them. Hanging from the grille guard on my Crown of Thorn's M1009. Have a great day and enjoy the nice weather.

 

[cucvrus]

We. I said WE. We were out cleaning up the M1009 salvage area this AM. I am going out after lunch to get the M1009 started. I am taking the leaf blower to the entire vehicle and installing a set of batteries. I am happy with what I am finding thus far. Can't wait to get the 4 wheels and tires back. I don't remember what happened to the big goofy tires that were on the truck when my Son owned it. He abandon the salvage and said do whatever you want with it. Title is still in my name. Good to go. He needs time management skills. Never seems to apply himself 100%. Oh well. I was young once also. I will report back. take care. Thank you for looking. That Dana 60 with the M1009. It's NOT doing it for me.

 

[cucvrus]

Batteries are in place and the lights all light. The glow plugs engaged. No crank. And what to my wandering eyes should appear. A missing starter relay and shiny new one. Now lets see what we have. Hope to make it happen. It glowed and fired just like in the movies. Belts were a squealing and the voltmeter showed a good charge. It went up on fast idle and after glowed just like it was new. No abnormal smoke from exhaust. I used my last new Harrison GM radiator on this truck. Waiting for tires and wheels. Had the leaf blower out and cleaned the leaves from the roof rack and the entire salvage area. Found a complete set of Energy suspension body mounts and auto meter gauges in the truck. Unfortunately the mounts are RED. But I think install them and under coat them. The dash pad is in excellent condition. It was caught at the drivers door by something and cracked. I can live with that. My Wife is laying claim to this truck. That's a good thing. Motivated, good helpers are hard to find. She stayed with me all day today. The stereo was put in it also. That may stay I guess. 5 gallon bucket on passengers floor with all the bolts from the front end. He also has all the civilian interior trim in the back cargo area. All the rear glass is the privacy glass. More later. thank you for looking. It charges right where it is supposed to. The belts stopped squealing after the fast idle kicked down.

 

[cucvrus]

My 4 tires mounted on wheels arrived tonight. They are low profile tires. They were free and mounted for free. They were the only 15" tires that came thru the tire shop today. P195/60 15 and P215/60 15. They look goofy but I will be able to limp it the 150 feet to the shop for dissecting it. Pictures in the morning. It will look like a low rider. Someone said don't put it in 4 WD it will break the transfer case. I said never. This ain't no Subaru. It can go thru a lawn and stone lot and 20 feet of cement with out breaking anything. Happy Thanksgiving. I am smoking a turkey on the smoker. Good stuff. Enjoy your family and friends.

 

[marchplumber]

Thanks for the story! Just like a Holiday tradition, the resurrection of a CUCV! LOL Have a great Holiday and thanks again!

 

[cucvrus]

I am going out and put a set of oddball wheels and tires on it just to it out of the grave. I did have it running and driving about 3 years ago. The tires were sold since then. Not by me. I am tired of looking at it in this state. It was a faithful, loyal vehicle for many years. It deserves better then a lift kit and a grave to rot in. I will post pictures. I may even wash it if the mood hits me. So far I am feeling pumped. Not sure why it's only a CUCV and I've had so many before. I think it is the challenge that presents itself. Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[dependable]

Any time I've resurrected a Chevy truck that has been sitting that long outside, I've had to goop the mouse nests out of the heater box, etc, get rid of mousy interior insulation and interior paint, just to de stinkafy.

 

[cucvrus]

No mice in my M1009. I had forethought and cats to take care of that issue. It has no interior insulation and I am glad it has Line X inside. It looks great. A few spiders but no mice that I seen a trace of. I had dryer sheets/ axe deodorant and Osage oranges in the cab. They do not like any of the scented dryer sheets or deodorant. Trick I learned. But I guess anything is possible. The heater works fine. I left the M1009 idle about 4 hours yesterday and about 6 hours today. It had a full tank of fuel. You guys always like pictures. Here are a few. I started out early this AM and cleaned up my shop while it was dark and then waited till it went above freezing and the sun was up. I washed all the windows and cleaned the studs and installed the 4 oddball wheels and tires. I felt like I should wear my hat sideways or backwards when I was done putting the wheels on. But my Santa hat looks the same any way I wear it. My Pap always said clean windows are a huge improvement to any vehicle. I have to agree. Ready for cruising.

 

[cucvrus]

My Wife wanted to be the one to move it out of the hole. She learned quickly that it has no right steering. Left turns only and slight right. Took a while to get lined up. I commenced to spraying it down with Simple Green and scrubbing the entire body. It was black and gooey. It don't look too bad after being cleaned. Fact is it looks great. I compare this truck to the M1008 I just completed. I redone the entire M1009 in 2006-07 and it was as good looking as the Easter Find M1008 when I was done. My Son was gifted the truck and he started with the lift kit. I frowned but it was his. He then put loud 5" tailpipes on it and loud flow master mufflers. It sounds good but not my cup of tea. He wrecked it in November 2007 it sat here and he sold the tires and wheels and then put other tires and wheels on it and ended up selling them and setting it on blocks. I kept telling him on the 10th anniversary I am reclaiming the salvage. He said I will fix it and never lifted a hand. My Wife was not 100% supportive of my reclaim but she finally said yes we need to do something with it. Scrapping and parting it out was an option. If it did not start and drive it was going to fly. I had given the original spare wheel and tire to a man that bought an M1009 from me. SSDV. I had thought of selling the seats and dash pad. Then I was on vacation last week and completed all my vehicle projects so I was up for a challenge. This is the one I chose. It would get it and the frame out of the tree line and save it from further degradation. I spent 100's of hours redoing this truck 10 years ago. I pulled the trigger and ran at it hard yesterday and today. I did my family duties and maintained peace with the family by helping out with the turkey smoking and whatever I could do to help. While I had it up at the shop washing it I did notice a strong smell of fuel and seen it leaking at the bell housing area. With a flashlight I discovered the fuel feed line was leaking at the clamp where it connects to the fuel filter. I left it idle and removed the air filter and tightened the clamp. I told my Wife major fuel leak it is scrap. She believed me. Only for a moment.

 

[cucvrus]

I really think I could spot paint this M1009. I painted this with water base CARC. The underside looks really great. Things will need to be cleaned and painted but that is to be expected. I know this was wrecked when we had snow on the ground and it was traveling the interstate. When I brought it home on the trailer it was white with salt. I think that added to the corrosion and sitting on the ground for 10 years wrecked never helped it any. I had washed it a few times and ran it around the field and yard. Today it is going into major surgery.

 

[cucvrus]

I took my awl to the rocker panels. The right one was toast. I was hit in a lot back in the 90's and a shop fixed that side rocker and a right fender. I remember the guy put 1/2 a rocker on the truck. I argued but lost the insurance company paid to replace the fender and piece the rocker section. It was damaged at a building supply place and they hit it with the forks and a skid moving displays. I got a new inner fender out of the deal also. And back then new GM stuff was still available. I was not happy with the pieced rocker. But here we are 17 years later and I must replace the entire right rocker. The new piece is the part that rusted. On the back side I still see the parts sticker under the paint.

 

[cucvrus]

I checked out the entire vehicle. The doors and gate are great. The interior just needs a major cleaning. I see how they were getting in and out of the truck playing hide and seek. They were hiding in the cargo area. I can see the muddy foot prints. I will need to scrub and hose that area out. The frame at the steering box is wasted. Time to pull it in the shop and get wrenching and working on it. Enough lolly gagging.

 

[cucvrus]

Nice gate. The Line X is worth the money. Getting ready to enter the operating room In for major surgery. I love the empty spot. I have a few more leaves to rake up and then maybe some grass can grow again. I think I am using the front end off the 1991 Jimmy. I like that look on a CUCV. The radiator support and right fender are in excellent condition. More wrenching time. I still have a complete gray cloth interior in that 1991 Jimmy. Looks good in the shop. I made todays goals high. Remove the rear bumper and pintle. Remove all 8 body to frame nuts and bolts.. I am up for the challenge. And since I am typing this it is complete. Goal was met and exceeded today. And I still had quality family time. I used never seize on the bolts back when I assembled this 10 years ago. I disassembled it with 3/8" ratchets and hand sockets. I did cheat and used the impacts to get the body bolts and nuts loose. Back and forth and spray and patience and they came out. I spent about a 1/2 hour on each one. I was patient. I know how many hours it takes to fix a broken mount or a nut that breaks loose in the body assembly. With the entire interior sprayed in Line X broken bolts and nuts are not a option. Thanks for looking. I will continue to make and post progress daily. Tomorrow I am getting the fuel tank skid plate and filler/vent hose off. I removed the rear axle vent hose and the wiring to the tail lights. The worse body mounts were the rear 2. But they are off now and I will clean them really well and anti seize them and use new bolts and nuts thru out. This is how I left it in the shop tonight. I will have to remove the roof rack to get the body off the frame. Oh well I will need to remove it to repaint the truck anyway. Thank you for looking. I hope you are not bored looking at this. If so Don't look. Hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving.

 

[cucvrus]

I just noticed while looking at this picture that the gate does not have the seal on it. WOW. That explains why I can see daylight when I look back from the front seat. I bought that seal from GM 11 years ago and I just seen 3 new ones in my basement yesterday and wondered what I bought them for. The 3 new gates I bought back in the day. I still have 2 and this is the third one.

 

[Digger09]

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I took my awl to the rocker panels. The right one was toast. I was hit in a lot back in the 90's and a shop fixed that side rocker and a right fender. I remember the guy put 1/2 a rocker on the truck. I argued but lost the insurance company paid to replace the fender and piece the rocker section. It was damaged at a building supply place and they hit it with the forks and a skid moving displays. I got a new inner fender out of the deal also. And back then new GM stuff was still available. I was not happy with the pieced rocker. But here we are 17 years later and I must replace the entire right rocker. The new piece is the part that rusted. On the back side I still see the parts sticker under the paint.

Held up nicely considering how long its been layed up. Who candy caned the driveshaft?

 

[cucvrus]

Who candy caned the driveshaft?

I can tell you it was NOT me. I would hardly spend the time to do such foolishness. Your a real funny guy.

 

[Digger09]

Yeah i figured that. Cant believe how well that paint held up on the body. Looking forward to watching the progress.

 

[cucvrus]

Send your Dad up. I need a good helper. Do you have 4 come a longs I could borrow? The hardest part and the part I worried about most has been concord. I feared the body bolts and nuts. I was able to get all 8 out with no breakage of stripped nuts. Took hours but it was well spent. Remember no heat in the barn. Hint.