Have a quick question.

[Ray82470]

I have been browsing the forums and I am confused about something. In 1992 or so a friend bought a 1979 Chevrolet K30 4X4 from a military auction. It was painted OD green and was full time 4WD. We sanded it down (which was a pain) and repainted it and put lockouts on the front axles. It had a gas engine (350) and auto tranny. I have been rambling so on to the point. I have not found any GM products from that time to have been MV's. Could this this have just been a civilian job put into service? On the lighter side I was looking to get a M1008, but after seeing some of the M880's I am undecided.

 

[fasttruck]

The tactical vehicles were diesels and have blackout lights, pintle hooks, 24v electrical systems if a military radio was in it and flat forest green paint. No stereo or AC. Your vehicle sounds like a TMP or commercial adminisgrative vehicle bought by DOD for whatever. No comparison with Dodge M 880s which are gas with auto trans, full time fwd and manual steering. Planning was done just before first gas crisis which hit when they were delivered and get 3 mpg with a trailer and 4 without. 2 barrell carbs were trouble from first day. 1985 chevy diesels are gilt edge in comparison. But none of them will run through the woods with a M37.

 

[Warthog]

The where some early pre-CUCVs that came out in the late '70s. I think Canada used them.

There are pictures on them here on this site. I will try to see if I an find them

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/51709-canadian-pre-cucv-chevy.html
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/40029-cucv-showtimes-jeremiah.html

 

[Ray82470]

fasttruck This truck was bare bones. I wasn't comparing the M880 and the M1008 just meant that after seeing a few M880's that they are tough looking as well.
Warthog his looked very similar to the multi colored one, but without the blackout lights. I never did check out what axles were under just know that 65-70 mph was pushing it. lol
Thanks for the help to both of you. When I get caught up here I will be serious in the hunt for a MV.

 

[319]

If you're taking votes between the M1008 series and the M880 series, i'd go the M1008 series in a heart beat!

 

[Ray82470]

Probably will go with the M1008 for DD, but sure would like a M880 for the woods.

 

[rnd-motorsports]

The M-880 is a military modified Dodge pick-up truck, procured in the mid-1970s to replace the kaiser M715 and any remaining M-37 dodge trucks in military inventory.We had 2 on the fire dept used for grass fire trucks. One we had did not have the blackout lights The CUCVs were an attempt by the U.S. military to use COTS (commercial, off-the-shelf) vehicles with minor modifications in non-combat roles. After the M880 series, the U.S. military procured the m1008,M1028 and so on Chevrolet CUCVs as a second try of the COTS concept to save money. If I had to chose beteen the two there is no choice the m1008 or m1028 wins hand down just for the heavy duty and abuse taking the drive train will take over the m880 not to put the m880 down just the chevy version is a stouter truck!

 

[jimmy-90]

The kingpin dana 60 front axles in the M1008/1028s are definately preferable to the dana44's in the M880's. The advantage to the 880's would be that you can rebuild the gas motor with a big cam high rise manifold 4bbl carb headers and crank out a decent amount of power even on a budget rebuild if your lookin for tire smokein horsepower out of your mv.

 

[southdave]

I remember a report on CUCV after desert storm where the M880 out proformed the 1008s .