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thinking about buying a CUCV m1009

J

jamacee

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As the title suggests I am now thinking about buying another chevy to compliment out family expo wagon the 89 burb.

Here is my dilemma and I may get flamed for this. I have been a die hard Toyota owner since forever. However with my family growing + having been out of a steady paycheck for awhile now (have interview on monday so praying it goes well) I have found myself scheming some scenarios.

I have a 89 burb that is pretty much irreplaceable. I got it from the original owner. I have already put a lot of work into keeping her right. I know it's history. I know what's wrong with it and though it is not great on MPG it is super reliable and definitely big enough for wife,kids,kids crap (I mean stuff), dogs, and gear.
I just can't duplicate it for how well it works and how much I spent to have it. $2400 initial buy in.

I also have a 99 4runner 220k. Great lil truck. DD w/ 20+ mpg. I haven't even had it a year and have dropped serious coin on a timing belt and now the damn thing won't pass emissions b/c it is running less than 95% efficient. OEM cats are $800 for 1 and $700 for the other. I dislike spending lots of money on upkeep and never getting to spend it on mods. We all do it it but if we were honest we would rather spend it on mods.

The buy in on 4runner was @ 5k Which was below KBB. Once I fix Cat issue with aftermarket stuff I could net around 6-6500 if I sell it.

So my question (after all the back story) is....I am thinking about getting a CUCV m1009 to replace my DD. I have delusions of grandeur down the road to play around w/ veggie oil.

Does anyone have any wisdom on this. I do understand it is a 20+ yr vehicle and that there is a "J" code? motor I need to look for. Inspect the block and what not. The interior won't be nearly as nice as the 4runner but I can find them for around 2500 and I can use some of the leftover of my 4runner sale to reinvest in the CUCV.

Any wisdom on things to look out for or consider would be appreciated. Heck I should be able to squeeze out another few bucks and finally update my membership lol. Drives me crazy not being able to see pics of peoples builds.

Thanks All,

Jason
 
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CUCV's all have the J intake. The '09, the Blazer, gets better mileage 'cuz it has 3.08:1 gears (10-bolts though, mall crawling only.) The other CUCV's have 4.56:1 on D60/14BFF so their mileage suffers.

Pros: (mostly) simple. Easy to work on. Comfortable in a simple kind of way. The diesel is a whole new thing if you're used to gassers; easy enough to work on and get parts for, just different procedures and diagnostics.

Cons: WHACKED electrical (half 12V, half 24V.) No AC, or carpet, or creature comforts of any kind really, unless an M16 racked behind you is comforting. :D

Often rusted far more than the mileage would indicate, as it sat unused on a military base -- or on the lot of the police dept or whatever after the Army dumped it. Between the electrics and the diesel, many civvy motor pools didn't know what to do with them.

Do not ever, EVER use the word "invest" as it relates to a vehicle. They are money SINKS wherein you pour money in and receive only frustration and heartache, and occasionally when you're lucky, a ride to work.

I had an '09 (Army -> local PD -> auction -> me). I loved that truck; I didn't drive it much, so I sold it a few years later when I was broke ... miss it. Great, solid winter truck, but not so much fun if it was too hot to go topless. Can't say as I'd daily drive it.

In the end it's up to you, but it's an apples and oranges comparison to your Toyota, IMO, and apples and turnips to MY definition of "daily driver" anyway. :D

-- A
 
dremu said:
unless an M16 racked behind you is comforting. :D
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Yes. Yes it is.:weapon31:

dremu said:
Do not ever, EVER use the word "invest" as it relates to a vehicle. They are money SINKS wherein you pour money in and receive only frustration and heartache, and occasionally when you're lucky, a ride to work.
Click to expand...

Your right. So very right.

dremu said:
In the end it's up to you, but it's an apples and oranges comparison to your Toyota, IMO, and apples and turnips to MY definition of "daily driver" anyway. :D
-- A
Click to expand...

Again your right. Honestly I was not comparing the 2. Just wondering if it is ridiculous thinking this is a good idea. Most of the creature comforts can swap in. AC, Carpet, Master craft seats< Etc.
 
Don't get a CUCV as a primary vehicle. They are excellent secondary work vehicles (Or wheeling rigs) but the electrical systems are too prone to small, inconvenient, sudden failures that will keep you from getting to work. I spent 6 months getting all the electrical bugs squashed.
 
Eh, if you want a car with AC, get a car that has AC. Retrofitting is never the same.

-- A
 
I just bought a m1009 a couple weeks ago and I think its a pretty good DD. It gets really good fuel milage(average around 20) and I really like the bare bones simplicity of it.
Don't be scared of the 24 volt system,it is pretty simple and flat wings the motor over first thing in the morning.
Flowmasters and a little turn of the pump brought it to life and it sounds so angry:D
 
My advice, don't mess with the electrical system if its stock and working fine. Even if its not super screwed up, just fix it and leave it. Once you get the hang of it, its pretty easy to deal with and diagnoise. (most of the major stuff anyway) I have an m1008 and wouldnt DD it, though its a good wheeler stock and fun to drive when im in the mood. Honestly I'd love the blazer but the only reason i took the pickup is because the blazer has the 10 bolts while the trucks got the 1 tons and detroit. Plus, 4.56 is fun if you drive local.
 
jamacee said:
So what about the civilian 6.2's ? They have some of the creature comforts. Do they still run on the 12v/24v system?

Because I saw this one as well. Guy has the motor in a crate waiting to go in? What do y'all think on this....?http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/cto/2544903167.html
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No 12 volt just like a gasser only usually dual 12 volt batts. Mine is a dd and runs, sounds(inside), drives like a gasser (all of the CC)with a more low end power. main dif is 23+ MPG. :woot:
 
Cool. Well now I am getting my wheels really turning.

At this stage I maybe trying to keep a eye out for a civilian model as a DD'er but then there is the "c" code motor.

While I am asking away w/ questions...How many extra things do you need to just take a gasser and put a 6.2/6.5 in it?
 
The C-vs-J thing is not the motor, it's the intake. As far as I know, the block is the same. Not like you're gonna see wheel-spinning HP from a 6.2. :D

Swapping motor types might hork up emissions testing, so we come to back "If you want a truck with (x), buy a truck with (x)", i.e. if you want a dizzle, get the dizzle.

The civvy diesels are, as noted, normal electrically, and they have carpet and AC and that fancy stuff. :haha:

-- A
 
Thanks Dremu. I have been surfing CL right now. There is a shortage of civilian models. There is that CUCV I posted earlier for what I believe is a good price.

I don't need crazy power just reliable. I was wanting diesel for the MPG's and eventually fooling w/ some veggie oil ideas. K5 over the 4runner for more room and a hope I could find one and have a some cash left over.

Started even looking at some gassers that folks had some work done to them already.

Ugh. Not sure just trying to do my research. I have wanted a K5 since around 83.

Thanks again for the advice.
 
jamacee said:
Thanks Dremu. I have been surfing CL right now. There is a shortage of civilian models. There is that CUCV I posted earlier for what I believe is a good price.

I don't need crazy power just reliable. I was wanting diesel for the MPG's and eventually fooling w/ some veggie oil ideas. K5 over the 4runner for more room and a hope I could find one and have a some cash left over.

Started even looking at some gassers that folks had some work done to them already.

Ugh. Not sure just trying to do my research. I have wanted a K5 since around 83.

Thanks again for the advice.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there weren't a lot of the diesel K5's made, I don't think. Don't get me wrong, I loved my '09, but I had three Blazers, the sixpack, and two other cars as daily drivers at the time :eek:

And hey, my advice is always free, and worth what you pay for it, if not less :deal: :haha:

-- A
 
I have an '90 civvy 6.2 powered K5 that I bought in '94. Fully loaded Silverado with cruise and AC. I thought it was a great daily driver and would love to have another one (still have it, but dedicated trail rig now....40's, welded rear, no top, etc....so not a very good driver).

I got high teens MPG when it was a daily driver, and that was a combination of a teenager driving the wee out of it in town and a lot of stop and go in the country.

The civvy versions had the 700r4 transmission which is a lot better with the 6.2 (besides for the brute strength of the th400). Low end power was a lot better because of the lower 1st gear of the 700r4 combined with lower axle gears allowed because of the OD, and the OD also allowed even lower highway cruising speeds even with the lower axle gears. Mine came stock with 3.73 gears. First gear in mine was 11.4:1 (1st gear x axle) vs. only 7.6:1 in a CUCV, and cruising in mine was equivalent to having 2.6:1 axle gears (OD x axle).
 
If were spending your cash I like this one, it's a pretty clean looking rig :thumb:

jamacee said:
for instance I found this one near by http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/cto/2601501134.html
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I just thought I'd throw it out there, but I'm willing to trade my M1009 CUCV for a M1008 or other truck variant CUCV. Might also trade for other MVs as well. I turned the pump up a little on the truck as well. New starter and alternator. Also added oil pressure and water temp gauges. Starter relay mod done as well. I have installed a inverter and battery bank to the rear as well that might be included depending on the deal. It's on a set of 37" hummer tires as well. Title in hand. Oil just changed. I also sell military surplus tires.

Before wheels/tires
IMAG0008.jpg

Now
IMAG0153.jpg


IMAG0156.jpg
 
Yeah ive never seen a civy 6.2 k5 around here. If i were you, and you could do it and get it to be street legal, get a k5 with a doner m1008, swap the motor and axles. If not.. its more of what you can tolerate in the lack of creature comforts and noise, vs a normal vehicle.
 
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