M1008 CUCV as expedition platform?

[ramble_on]

Hello all,

I have lurked on this site for a good while now, not sure how long, and decided to join in on all the fun that's being had around here.

I have recently been brainstorming about the ideal vehicle to use for a self supported trip from the states through Mexico, Central, and South America. I currently own a 2001 Disco SE which is a fine starting platform but I have worries about the mileage, electronics, and other rover glitches that seem to start popping up when these cars start hitting the 100,000 miles mark.

Since first finding these forums I have discovered the Four Wheel Campers products and they seem to be a very good solution for overland travel. A nice sleek package that holds most of what you need to stay high and dry while on the road or in the bush.

Having said all that (sorry for the long intro) I want to get your thoughts on using a M1008 as the base vehicle for an expedition platform. I will list the pros and cons as I have seen them below.

Base Vehicle: M1008 CUCV GM 6.2L V8 Diesel/Turbo 400/NP 208

Pros:

Pretty cheap for a low mileage and relatively rust free vehicle. $2000-4000
Dana 60 front end and 14 bolt full float rear with a detroit locker. 4.56 gears
1 1/4 ton rating = good load rating
Few electronics to fail
Large aftermarket support
Don't really care about body damage. Not shiny=less attention
Pretty easy to work on
Utilitarian
6.2 can be great engine but it isn't a cummins

Cons:

Normally aspirated diesel is sort of a slug. Not great at altitude.
Very low gearing not good for highway speeds 50-70 mph. RMPs too high
Automatic is three speed
24volt electrical system. Not sure how much of a problem this would be
Full time rear locker is not good for normal driving, tire wear


After thinking it through I believe you could get a very capable rig fully ready to go for easily less than $15,000 and less than $10,000 is very doable. Truck and Four Wheel Camper would be used as well as other equipment. If possible I would like to also convert is to a manual transmission using a NV4500 so I would gain two speeds. I would also consider re-gearing to 4.11s.

I would love to hear what everybody here has to say about my ideas and encourage all remarks.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

1. Swap the 6.2 for a 6.5 Na and you will have plenty of power.

2. Although the three speed tranny is not that great on the highway, its almost indestructible off road and its relative cheap to repair/replace since they made millions of them.

3. I would do it in a heart beat if I was shopping for a expedition truck. Dollar for dollar nothing beats it. They use them for "bog trucks" around here and guys rave about them.

 

[ramble_on]

I would have a hard time swapping a perfectly good 6.2 if thats what I bought. I could get the factory Banks turbo kit that some of the trucks came with for less than a grand. That really adds some power and increases the mpg's a bit.

I know the Turbo 350 and 400 are great transmissions but I think there would be more benefits gained from doing a proper manual transmission swap. That NV4500 is a tough truck transmission.

Do all that with some higher gears and I think you could really hit the sweet spot for overland travel.

 

[jp0863]

The only things 24 volt are the starter and injection pump. Part of the glow plug system is 24, but it is stepped down to 12 at the firewall. The 6.2 is a good engine and swapping to a 6.5 would be a waste of time and only net you maybe 20 hp. A banks kit is a good option and will add about 60 hp and 120-130 lb ft. All in all i say it's a good platform, i've bought and built several of them for off road. Get a small lift 3" add some 33's-35's to back down some of the rpm's and still have plenty for offroad use. Parts are plentiful and dirt cheap!

 

[proto]

M1008 CUCV wouldn't be a bad choice, depending on your goals. Some people are neg on the 6.2 engine, it seems underpowered, but it won't let you down, and there are mods if you're so inclined. Combined with the 208 transfer case (2.61 low range) you have a vehicle that will grunble along across the badlands for days. It might not really be fast on the hills or (as you mentioned) at altitude -- but hey, what's your hurry?

If you need to cover a lot of highway to get to your jumping-off point, you can spring for taller gearsets. Or just do what I did: buy some ex-Hummer 36-inch tires off of eBay. Your cruising speed will gain about 6 or 8 mph. The one I owned had been converted to 12 V. My understanding is that, really, the whole truck uses the stock 12 V electrical system except for: glow plugs, starter, and alternator. They run dual batteries in series for those 24 V parts, but use a big resistor bank to burn off half that voltage so lights, gauges, radios, and whatnot get 12 volts. Not a difficult conversion, again, if you're so inclined.

Ultimately, I decided the CUCV was overkill for my overlanding needs, but I would have kept it -- it would cost a fortune to duplicate. (But if I did, I'd definitely build it with A/C.)

Good luck. Have fun!

 

[jefe4x4]

Rambleon,
You've covered most of the basses. Personally, I think the 6.2L and 6.5L's are dogs. Go over to the Chevy Diesel site and read up on those engines.
On the other hand, the basic platform of this Mil truck is good. 1-1/4ton,
Sturdy diffs/axles. I think the rear axle came with a Power Lok LSD.
Good, if gear limited, trannie..
I would replace the 208 with the NP-205.
A manual transmission would be more appropriate out-of-country.
The SM-465 4 speed manual married to the NP-205 would be the cheapest option. They're cheap and should all bolt together. But, no O.D. The GM version of the NV-4500 would be a good bet too with that O.D. 5th gear. A bit more pricey and not as strong as the SM-465.
You could solve the gearing hassle with 36 inch tires.
If you want to get real heavy duty, you could buy my Clark 280VO, 5 speed O.D. truck trans. It's out of a Ford F-600, 4WD dump truck, with a 6.00:1, 1st gear and a 0.80 5th gear. Great shape. $400.
Another option would be to find Military Jeep M-715 with about the same specs as the Chevy you're eyeing.
Good luck with your venture.
regards, as always, jefe

 

[ramble_on]

I would replace the 208 with the NP-205.

Jefe, why would you swap transfer cases?


Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I thought the truck would be a pretty solid base and so far I may be correct.

I like the idea of getting some slightly used hummer tires and rims to help with the rmp's at highway speed, load rating, and ground clearance. Not too hard to shove those under an old truck like this either.

Unfortunately I don't think I will be making this a reality anytime soon though. I just graduated from college and i'm sort of in a rut when it comes to getting work. I just think in a year or two down the road this could be a good option.

 

[jp0863]

why would someone want to swap an np208 with an np205 and get a higher 1.96 ratio? The 205 is bulletproof, but the 208 is strong enough for what most people will ever do. In fact i've only seen a couple broken 208's and they were abused big time. A 32 spline np208 will do just fine for 99% of offroaders and is very capable

And cucv m1008's did not come with a Power Lok, they came with a Detroit locker and 4.56 gears.

additionally the th400hd found in all cucv's is a very sturdy transmission and coupled with torque convertor multiplication, should do everything you could want it to, without having to ride a clutch. Throw a large cooler on it and you're set. I've wheeled this combo for years and never had a single issue except altitude.

 

[Rot Box]

I looked into the CUCV's and the 1st gen Dodge W250's with the Cummins when I last looked for a pickup. In comparison they have very comparable drivetrain as far as strength goes, they cost about the same (although the CUCV's typically have much less miles), they are about sixes as for simplicity and all around toughness and both lack comfortablility imo :elkgrin:

It was a close call, but I went with the Cummins because they have an available O/D transmission and the 6 popper has MUCH more power with the turn of a few screws. I don't think that a 3 speed auto has any place behind a diesel. The 6.2 does not have the RPM range that the gassers do and you basically sit on redline while driving the speed limit. If you install large tires you will loose the acceleration speed that the 6.2 really needs (expecially with a load) so the best option would be an NV4500 or a 4L80E with an aftermarket controller. Next issue is power. Install a turbocharger from a donor 6.5 or go with an aftermarket unit and install an custom intercooler along with a 180* T-stat. A properly tuned 6.2 with a turbo will have enough power for what you want to do, and will still provide comparable milage to the Cummins. Just my .02 :snorkel:

 

[ehasson]

I have a 1986 M1009 CUCV with the 24 Volt system and I love it however I have made two mods. First of all, my Blazer still has the voltage drop resistors for the glow plugs to drop the voltage to 12 Volts but it isn't using them. The motor pull just didn't feel like taking them out. The starter and the glow plug system are running on 24 volts, I haven't checked the injection pump so I am clueless. It has been in the teens the last week and the truck starts on the first try every morning.

The front battery is the 12 Volt supply that runs most of the vehicle. I moved my anti-freeze jug to an after market unit and mounted it between the two batteries on the passenger side. This frees up room for a replacement battery tray on the drivers side for a third battery. I ran positive line over to the front passenger side battery (positive to positive) and then I took the ground on the new battery and ran it to chassis. That gives my 12 Volt system plenty of power and I never worry about the 12 volt side going dead. I can run all of the electronics I want.

I am also a Amateur Radio Operator (as is my wife and son) so we set this up with an all band radio, antenna equipment and so on. The equipment runs best at 13.6 volts which is great if the engine is running and with 100 watts out, it does have a bit of current drain during a long talk. This mean trouble if the voltage drops. I picked up a 24 Volt to 13.6 volt inverter and now I have a rock solid 13.6 volts all the time no matter what. I also picked up a 24 volt to 120 volt inverter off ebay and that runs the computer.

It is an ongoing project but it is a lot of fun and I think the 24 volts adds to the usefulness. And as I said, it is easy to up the current ability of the 12 volt side.

Eric

The only things 24 volt are the starter and injection pump. Part of the glow plug system is 24, but it is stepped down to 12 at the firewall. The 6.2 is a good engine and swapping to a 6.5 would be a waste of time and only net you maybe 20 hp. A banks kit is a good option and will add about 60 hp and 120-130 lb ft. All in all i say it's a good platform, i've bought and built several of them for off road. Get a small lift 3" add some 33's-35's to back down some of the rpm's and still have plenty for offroad use. Parts are plentiful and dirt cheap!

 

[earthmuffin]

In my ever so humble opinion, I think people over estimate what kind of "power" they are going to need for an expo rig.

I want 3 things when I look for an expo powerplant......I want it to be efficient, I want it to be dependable, and i want it to be easy to work on if it does die.
In my mind the 6.2 fits all those. Sure, you can add a turbo and get a little more poop out of it, but you are also adding complexity and cost.I always wonder how many of the naturally aspirated 6.2 naysayers have ever even driven one. They really aren't that bad.

A solid 6.2 with good head gaskets and an overhauled fuel system would serve anyone well as long as they are not trying to pull a heavy load.....they just weren't designed for that kind of duty. I fill my suburban up with crap and go up into the woods and idle around all day long without missing a beat and hardly ever even touch the gas at a fraction of the cost of a gas motor.

You aren't going to be desert racing.....

I think a 1008 would be awesome. The only thing I would change is maybe an overdrive tranny.....

 

[ExpoMike]

I agree the CUCV's have all the right HD parts for a rock solid and reliable rig. That is why I am awaiting my M1010 to be shipped to me. With the ambulance box on the back, I am going to build a camp rig that can support two people without having to deal with a trailer like we currently do. Not that the trailer is a bad thing as we have wheeled our Kamparoo everywhere but when I want to do solo (both by myself and one rig total), it is a little more effort then without.

I am still on the fence whether I will pull the 24 volt system or leave it. Pluses and minuses to each. One cool thing is they are already setup with dual altenators.

 

[MakersTeleMark]

I agree the CUCV's have all the right HD parts for a rock solid and reliable rig. That is why I am awaiting my M1010 to be shipped to me. With the ambulance box on the back, I am going to build a camp rig that can support two people without having to deal with a trailer like we currently do. Not that the trailer is a bad thing as we have wheeled our Kamparoo everywhere but when I want to do solo (both by myself and one rig total), it is a little more effort then without.

I am still on the fence whether I will pull the 24 volt system or leave it. Pluses and minuses to each. One cool thing is they are already setup with dual altenators.

Leave it at 24. There's only a couple 24v items anyway.

 

[Brian1]

I have been saving these pictures for a while now, I love this M1008. I have owned 2 of them but wound up parting both of them out. One of these days if I ever find a really nice one I may turn it in to something like this one-