CUCV Grill

[cucvmule]

Hello Steel Soldiers, I have a question about the grill on my truck.

I have an 84 M1008A1, and when I acquired the truck I noticed that the grill seemed to be different from others that I have seen, or have yet to see another one like it.

The center of the grill does not have the Chevrolet Bowtie molded into it?

Does the grill which seems to be the original, a replacement or is it the one the truck came with?

Just wondering, because I have never seen another like it, and is in great condition. I am sure that someone here has the answer.

Thank You for any information that I can get because that if I need to I need to find a replacement for the MV.

Thanks

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

How about some pics? Did you get the truck through a government auction or a private sale?

 

[cucvmule]

I bought truck at GovPlanet auction in June. Auction 900743 at Ft. Riley, Kansas. I have not mastered the way of posting pictures yet, being new to computer operations. I will have to figure it out one day, maybe with friends son. I do not know if that helps, probably not, but the truck came from the base like that.

 

[Barrman]

It is my understanding that after market parts sellers such as LMC to name one. Do not have the rights to sell them with the emblem. The OEM’s are aggressively protective of their trademark and have really cracked down on that kind of thing.

It really all started when Daimler bought Chrysler 25 years or so ago. Any business that had Jeep in the name got sued. The rest have followed along.

So, you just have an aftermarket grill.

 

[cucvmule]

Yes I was afraid of that Barrman, but thought that maybe the military did not want the logo for what ever reason. I now have to find out if all years are the same or are applied to year made? I have bought new grills for different years from GM as available, and one from an aftermarket, to which I cant remember now which and it had the logo.

Thanks for the information Gents, now will have to procure an original in useable condition.



Thanks

 

[porkysplace]

Yes I was afraid of that Barrman, but thought that maybe the military did not want the logo for what ever reason. I now have to find out if all years are the same or are applied to year made? I have bought new grills for different years from GM as available, and one from an aftermarket, to which I cant remember now which and it had the logo.

Thanks for the information Gents, now will have to procure an original in useable condition.



Thanks

All CUCV's were built to 1984 specs , so that's year grill to look for .

 

[cucvrus]

- Added 1 of Part # 38-4156 - GRILLE-GRAY At 89.95 Each.
LMC sells one and shows it with the bow tie. I would not sell a genuine GM one for that. IMHO that is a bargain. Even with the $20. over size package delivery fee.

 

[Barrman]

Getting the reproduction might be your better bet in the long run. Plastic doesn’t age well. Any OEM ones out there, no matter how well cared for, will have to be treated with extreme care. Even then, one small mis handling and you probably won’t be thinking nice thoughts.

I have several good originals. But haven’t even thought about selling them because what starts out in my shops as a good part likely won’t make it to your truck after being shipped, handles, sanded, primed, wet sanded, painted and then installed without at least one part getting damaged.

 

[cucvmule]

Having owned so many Chevrolet trucks, Good, Bad, Ugly, I would think to have a good knowledge of the Brand. Having four with current tags, 50, 56, 82, 85, and waiting on a plate for the 84 CUCV, I just went outside 6 degrees, and looked at the CUCV grill vs. my 85 K30 and is a match. The center on the civi version gets a center trim across the whole front with the Bowtie on it. With a little of the outline on the top and bottom embossed in the grill just like the civi version.

Well now with input from you Gents, and getting off my butt to really look at the grills close up,the CUCV has a 85 grill on it.

Scouting out parts for the CUCV truck is kind of fun, and a challenge, being some parts are CUCV specific.

Getting a VERY NICE bridge plate complete from a Forum member who offered it to me to get me started into the MV restoration process really motivated me to find these needed parts while still available. I finally got some NOS shackles for a great deal. Now to continue to search out antenna plates and equipment, now a 84 CUCV grill, now that I know it isn't for the 84.

Thanks Again for the input, Help. I think that the replies help keep me motivated, especially in the inside winter months where I can find the parts to apply in the spring.

 

[cucvrus]

sanded, primed, wet sanded, painted and then installed without at least one part getting damaged.

wet sanded

WOW. You wet sand a CUCV grille. How long would that take? I have not wet sanded anything military that I painted with CARC paint. I am just asking because I never heard of wet sanding a grille. That would takes days on these CARC coated/covered grilles. Have a great day. I have been out plowing for the past 10 hours. And lucky me. Not in a CUCV.

 

[Barrman]

Unfortunately, I have had bad results getting paint to stick to the military CARC. Especially if other paint has been put over the CARC by the forest service. I have seen other trucks with newly applied paint not staying very well also.

When Colton did RED 5 years ago. He used a D/A everywhere it could fit. The grill was not removed or the grill guard. It was just hand sanded in the tight areas. Those areas now loosing paint any time the truck is driven in heavy rain or ice.

My M715 which I painted over forest service paint 11 years ago is starting to have some come off on the rockers.

Neither RED or the M715 had primer or wet sanding done to the forest service paint. So, when I did the Cowdog tuck. Both happened. Primer applied to all parts and every layer got wet sanded. That truck has been driven through a hurricane, down dirt roads at high speeds and just yesterday through ice/icing rain so bad I had trouble standing still while scrapping the windows off. I kept sliding away with the wind. Everything is still green all over.

With all that experienced and learned. I now recommend wet sanding the military CARC as just one more step to make the next layer stick better.

 

[Rocknus]

Here's what the original grill on a 1986 CUCV looks like.

It's exactly the same on my 1985, only my '85 has some chunks broken out...

 

[cucvmule]

Welcome Rocknus from Missouri. I have not seen this thread in a while. Which reminds me to get the 84 CUCV grill. The trucks are all built to the year of 1984.

Start a welcome thread Rocknus to intro yourself.

 

[cucvrus]

only my '85 has some chunks broken out...

That's called patina. Survivor scars. Hey any way I have a few parts grilles and you can easily replace just that part of the grille. When you work with old hard to find things you have to get creative. I have cut and spliced many CUCV grilles together for some builds and customer trucks. Let me know I can help you out with a donor section. Just pay the shipping. I will cut it nice and big so it includes the section you show missing. And the upper tabs can be made with metal and riveted to the plastic. You can not see them anyway and it's just a grille. This grille is broken across the top and has the ears broken of at the headlamp bezel area. I made small angles and riveted the to the grille. 1/8" rivets are a magic part. Also laying in glue/adhesive from the back side works great. Good Luck.

 

[Rocknus]

only my '85 has some chunks broken out...

That's called patina. Survivor scars. Hey any way I have a few parts grilles and you can easily replace just that part of the grille. When you work with old hard to find things you have to get creative. I have cut and spliced many CUCV grilles together for some builds and customer trucks. Let me know I can help you out with a donor section. Just pay the shipping. I will cut it nice and big so it includes the section you show missing. And the upper tabs can be made with metal and riveted to the plastic. You can not see them anyway and it's just a grille. This grille is broken across the top and has the ears broken of at the headlamp bezel area. I made small angles and riveted the to the grille. 1/8" rivets are a magic part. View attachment 844861 Also laying in glue/adhesive from the back side works great. Good Luck.

Thank you for the offer. I may just hit you up. That grill was actually a lot worse. I pieced it together to the point it is now. Apologies for the delayed reply. I did not get notification of a reply. Guess I need to go set that up or something.

 

[ssdvc]

Thank you for the offer. I may just hit you up. That grill was actually a lot worse. I pieced it together to the point it is now. Apologies for the delayed reply. I did not get notification of a reply. Guess I need to go set that up or something.

Rocknus,
If you make a deal with CUCVRUS, I will be going down sometime in the next month or so to pick up my 09 from him. I live in the northeast corner of CT, so I should be fairly close to you to come get it. Saves on shipping and any possible damage during shipping.