19trax95's 1986 CUCV M1028A1

16075 Views 358 Replies 24 Participants Last post by 19trax95, 3 d ago

19trax95

Discussion Starter · Dec 5, 2021 (Edited)

So I have been looking for a decent square body for some time now. Didn't really have my eyes on anything in particular, but the frame and body needed to be in as good of shape as I could find.

Last week I came across this beast on marketplace up in Massachusetts. It's a 1986 Chevy M1031. Which is the military CUCV service truck.

It is I'm great shape. Frame is rock solid, and the cab has very, very little rust. It is also mechanically sound. A couple little leaks, but that's to be expected.

It has the 6.2 diesel, th400 trans, np205 t case, king pin Dana 60 front axle with a limited slip, 14 BFF rear with locker, and 4.56 gears. The service body is all aluminum. It used to have a PTO driven generator and air compressor, but those have since been removed. The PTO is still on the t case though.

My plans are to keep it fairly original, but add a few creature comforts to suit me better.

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4silverado

· #2 · Dec 6, 2021

It'll be interesting to see what you do with this.

19trax95

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 6, 2021

Yeah it'll be staying fairly original all around. The biggest thing that could potentially change would be swapping the service body for a pickup bed. Still undecided on that.

But the things I have planned for the immediate future are as follows

-new tires (will be ordered tomorrow, toyos of course lol)

get all the body lights working and make them the same type
replace the burned out dash lights
fix a small fuel leak on the drivers side (injector return line)
add a radio to it
new dash pad
tilt steering column
88-94 silverado steering wheel (they are smaller diameter and more comfortable imo)
clean and paint frame (it still has the factory GM coating on most of it)

Then the rest will be slower progress and spring time stuff. I want to do all the fluids and I'll probably do a rear brake line since it is a little more rusty than I prefer. Steering is a little loose, but not bad. I think the rag joint is just wore out a bit since the tie rod ends and all feel pretty good still.

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4silverado

· #4 · Dec 6, 2021

Nice thing about these is that some parts from the blazer, suburban, and the crew cab are interchangeable through 1991. I ended up using a set of suburban bucket seats and center console in my 87 Custom Deluxe.

19trax95

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 6, 2021

Yeah pretty much everything interior wise is compatible from 73-91. Exterior panels and such changed a bit through the different years, but a lot of the stuff is the same.

Plus they are stupid easy to work on haha.

Next weekend I'll hit the junk yard and search for a tilt column and steering wheel.

i82much

· #6 · Dec 6, 2021

that’s awesome. it’s like a rolling ammo can.

tobyhd02

· #7 · Dec 6, 2021

Good find! I am really looking forward to this. I've been looking (passively) for something like this.

gnarly31

· #8 · Dec 6, 2021

I drove one nearly identical to that when I was in the Army until it was replaced with an HMMWV in '92. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

GobblerK5

· #9 · Dec 6, 2021

Nice find! Those are always a good platform to start from with the axles underneath them.

Has it been converted to 12v yet?

Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using Tapatalk

19trax95

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 6, 2021

Nope. Still 24V for the starting system. I'll probably leave it that way. I actually prefer how the 24v starters crank over. Faster and more reliably in the cold than 24v imo.

tsuintx

· #11 · Dec 6, 2021

Nice! Congrats! If it's just a toy without really need for a bed, I'd leave the service body on it. Already looks cool the way it is and with the inevitable sprucing up you'll do, it'll look ever cooler.

Looking forward to seeing the progress.

Bradley21sanders

· #12 · Dec 6, 2021

service bed or custom flat bed build

19trax95

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 6, 2021

Tires are ordered. Hopefully will see them this week.

Went with a 255/85r16 Toyo Open Country MT.

As for the bed, if I were to sell the service body, it would either get a pickup bed put on it, or I'd build a flat bed.

I'll see how useful I find this bed. If I'm not really using it, then I'll probably sell it and buy a clean bed. And that would still technically be correct since the M1028 trucks were converted from the chassis cab M1031 trucks.

shakenfake

· #14 · Dec 6, 2021

Custom flat bed FTW

Reactions: 1

19trax95

Discussion Starter · #15 · Dec 6, 2021

Got the truck all registered and the title transfered. Just need to add it to my insurance for the whopping $15 a month, and then inspect it.

roorancher

· #16 · Dec 7, 2021

I agree with the idea of a custom flat bed....Some of the welders around here have built them and they're super cool!

silentbravo

· #17 · Dec 7, 2021

Great truck. Was it used for plowing or is that attachment point for something else in front?

19trax95

Discussion Starter · #18 · Dec 7, 2021

Yup it came with a plow. The previous owner used it to plow his driveway. I'll probably use it this winter and then sell it. It's an 8' fisher MM1. Works great and isn't all wore out.

I didn't take any other pics with the plow on before I took it off. It's a heavy sob lol. Will definitely need at least 500lbs or more in the bed with the plow on there to even think about traction for the rear wheels lol.

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silentbravo

· #19 · Dec 7, 2021

Funny, that looks very similar to the plow that's on my dad's plow truck, which is a 70s square body Chevy. His truck is beat to death but gets the job done!

19trax95

Discussion Starter · #20 · Dec 8, 2021

First real "mod" done today. Got a cheap (sub $100) backup camera. It's not bad for what it is. It's a wireless unit.

Installed it tonight in sort of a temporary fashion. Haven't quite decided where I want the monitor to reside, so it's just suctioned to the dash at the moment.

The camera is mounted centered on the top of the body under the clearance lights. I need to make a little mount for it so I can angle it down far enough to see the bumper. Quality of the image actually isn't too bad. Pics to follow in the daylight.

I also got a new clearance light from work to test fit. It is of similar type to what's on there, so I think I'm going to replace all of them so they are all the same type and brightness. That is I we have enough of them. They are new old stock, and not made anymore so I'm not sure how many we have left. I need 10 total. 5 amber and 5 red.

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