A question on the daily drivability of cucvs?

[Dabba]

damn! what for?! haha

 

[mikester]

I dont think I would go with the pick up as the DD. Im not sure of the weight of a diesel CUCV but will you still be able to get passenger plates for it ? As you know passenger plates only on NY parkways ! I cant get passenger plates for my crewcab Chevy. Too heavy. I also get spanked going over the bridges with the tolls. The consider a 2500 a heavy duty truck so they charge more. This is my family vehicle not a worktruck. Just a thought.

 

[Dabba]

eh im sure i can get away with it on the parkways, i know alot of the cops and they dont bust balls with pickups. Tolls idk, i just thought they considered it a passenger car. ITs only 2 axle dosnt look like a beefy crewcab longbed dually haha

 

[11Echo]

okay, so i guess im gonna go with this petroleum oil type stuff for undercoating. It seems people think oil undercoats the best so ill do that. The place says if i rhinoline the bed itll save me 50bucks, but im not sure i wanna do this on a cucv, opinions?

Around here the guys that have been oiling vehicles for years use chain saw bar and chain oil. They say it's the best for the is application.

 

[CARNAC]

I dont think I would go with the pick up as the DD. Im not sure of the weight of a diesel CUCV but will you still be able to get passenger plates for it ? As you know passenger plates only on NY parkways ! I cant get passenger plates for my crewcab Chevy. Too heavy. I also get spanked going over the bridges with the tolls. The consider a 2500 a heavy duty truck so they charge more. This is my family vehicle not a worktruck. Just a thought.

I almost forgot in 14 months how much NY screws over the common folk. Always thought they would find a way to charge for the air (smog) we breathed up there if they could. Wonder they didn't put air measuring devices in each persons lungs and even charge the person for the surgery.

 

[flippydidit]

I guess I'm confused....you want an M1028 Shelter Carrier to drive back and forth to work on Long Island? You realize that it's a big, loud, truck with below average fuel mileage (diesel). You also want to keep it 'mint' condition if possible. If you want a collector military vehicle, you should probably buy a 1942 Jeep or a CCKW, a CUCV is a workhorse, man. I'm with AJMBlazer on this one, as I bought mine for the same reasons it looks like. I wanted the baddest truck possible, so I took a military M1008A1 and am adding my own touches to make it better. I'm pulling the TH400 out and putting a 700R4 in for better fuel mileage. Then putting 37.5" radial HMMWV tires on it for obvious reasons. Add a lift kit, replace the 6.2 with a 6.5 turbo, and basically you have my conversion.

It's interesting to me that you have a Civic as well. I bought an '08 Civic for my girlfriend, and I drive it while my truck is being transformed. It's great on fuel, but it's not a 'me' kind of vehicle. Before you do a lot of changes to your CUCV make sure you drive it around for a little while. You'll see for yourself what upgrades you might want to do, especially if you notice creature comforts that are 'missing'. Such as the stock domelights that come in a Honda, or the cigarette lighter, or stereo, or.........

Make sure you get the ignition and door locks changed, since originally all CUCV's have a universal key until they are changed out by someone who knows better.

I suppose if nothing else, you could put the CUCV body on your Honda frame. Then you could have a daily driver that still looked good and got excellent mileage. Of course you'd have to figure out a way to bolt the NP 208 to the Honda's drivetrain if you wanted 4WD. Good luck man.

-Keep 'em shooting

Nate
Army Infantry 9 1/2 yrs. '97-'06
Gunsmith/Government Weapons Contractor
1985 M1008A1 (slightly modified)

 

[Wolfie]

Re: RE: A question on the daily drivability of cucvs?

well i found out that along with the normal unknowns for a 20 year old truck, it wont go over around 50mph, will be loud and it has no stereo. I figure i can buy a deck and speakers and use a whip antenea for the heck of it. But i never owned a deisel, any differences i should know?

It'll go a hell of alot faster than 50mph. It's only really loud when it first starts up cold. I've installed a cd player with ipod hookup in mine, put speaker boxes in the back over the wheel wells and put speakers in the doors. You can also install sound-proofing mats under your feet and under the hood. Mine was a daily driver until I blew the rear axle...now it's a daily sitter.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Re: RE: A question on the daily drivability of cucvs?

It'll go a heck of alot faster than 50mph. It's only really loud when it first starts up cold. I've installed a cd player with ipod hookup in mine, put speaker boxes in the back over the wheel wells and put speakers in the doors. You can also install sound-proofing mats under your feet and under the hood. Mine was a daily driver until I blew the rear axle...now it's a daily sitter.

He wants a pickup. They had much lower gears than the M1009 Blazers like yours and with the factory 31" tires are NOT speed demons. 50mph and it sounds like it's going to come apart. 55-60 and it sounds like the end of time is coming.

 

[Wolfie]

RE: Re: RE: A question on the daily drivability of cucvs?

my bad, I saw m1009 somewhere and jumped the gun...

 

[gocmndo]

Once you get your truck and drive it around you will decide what changes you will want to make and in what order. My first trip on the freeway almost brought me to tears with the 50 MPH and the noise. Made the changes I wanted and I love my truck.
I don't drive mine to work everyday but I do drive it almost every day. This kids love that truck more then me!!
Good Luck!

 

[Dabba]

perhaps what i said in my first post got lost in the conversation. I said i hardly drive to work in manhattan from the island, i TAKE THE TRAIN IN. So, really, is it worth paying 420 a month to drive my civic around town and to the station, or could an m1028 accomplish this task? And could it handle the occasion drive into manhattan (in case i missed the train) as long as i took it slow? I want to save money on a vehicle im not paying for, i want a good offroading vehicle, and i want a replacement for my blazer. I alwys wanted a cucv, it makes sense. OR am i just crazy?

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Pick up a 1000-2000 beater and use that for daily driving. Sell the civic and get the CUCV. CUCV gets built up and you can keep it safe from the winters and wear and tear of crazy drivers. Beater handles commuting duties.

 

[flippydidit]

It all seems to come down to what you want. You really want to save money on the Honda by 'trading' for the CUCV. It boils down to what you value in your daily driver. If you wanted to drive a 5 ton cargo truck to work, you would do it (even if the diesel prices and horrified looks from other commuters distracted you). But don't let the numbers lie to you. A car payment on a Honda may be cheaper than the cost of ownership of your 'dream truck'. That's not to say you shouldn't get it, but consider this.

Everyone gets different mileage with their CUCV's, but a basic (basic equals-got from GL with 6.2L and a TH400 tranny) CUCV is going to get about 8 miles per gallon (at diesel prices). Throw in a 700R4 and you might see it jump to 12......aftermarket computers.....tweaking.....blah, blah, and some people say 24+mpg (it depends on many things; tires, weight, terrain, towing, city vs. highway, aftermarket modification, drivers' ability, etc). Anyway, figure on 8 mpg for starters. At current diesel prices, how much would you be paying just to get to the train and back, 5 days a week? What happens to the numbers if you missed the train, or took a trip, or got groceries 3 times a month? All things to add in when you figure how much you'll be 'saving'.

Just make sure that you don't let anyone talk you out of getting your dream truck. Equally important is that you don't talk yourself INTO getting your dream truck (which later turns out to be a nightmare). Although, even nightmares can end happily.

-Keep 'em shooting

Nate
Army Infantry 9 1/2 yrs. '97-'06
Gunsmith/Government Weapons Contractor
1985 M1008A1 (slightly modified)

 

[Dabba]

interesting, im leaning more toward getting the truck for a bit and using the money from selling the civic for a beater car as well.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Who gets 8 mpg? Mine got 15-17 when it was stock and still gets a solid 15 with all the stuff listed in my sig.

 

[bryab123]

i drive my m1008 daily,and its all stock except for a radio and cigarette lighter that i added. i get around 16mpg, and i have driven it 70-75 mph but it sounds like an airplane lol. its not a cadillac but it was never ment to be.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Mine got about 15 stock and 12-13ISH now with the 38's.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Really? Dang!

Like I said, I get a solid 15. I wonder why you only get 13....wait...nvm, it probably evaporates from sitting all the time! j/k buddy!

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Eh, it leaks everything else, might as well leak some diesel too.