oldestisuzuist wrote:
Yes, 4x4 LUVs were a dealer (not factory) option in '77 & '78, both in long & short bed. They were equipped with 4.10 geared Dana 30 fronts that had the stock 6-lug rotors & calipers adapted, & had Warn lockout hubs. They often came with G78-14 Goodyear M&S tires on white spoke wheels & a bed-mount light/roll bar. The t-case was a divorced Dana 20. The rear springs were made SOA. This is what my LUV was when I bought it in 1978.
There was a fabricator in Spokane, WA that received 2wd trucks fresh off the boat, installed all the 4wd goodies & shipped them on to various Chevy dealerships in this area for sale as a new truck. The conversion added between $2,500 & $3,000 to the price of the base truck. Other areas may have used different fabricators that in turn used different conversion products, but it's doubtful, since this was a very small market. There were only about a half dozen conversions delivered over a two year period in this entire area. At least one other than mine is still around.
There were aftermarket kits from at least two sources, one of which offered a Dana 300 t-case I think, so a '77 4x4 LUV may not be a dealer-option model. Look for a build plate on the driver's door sill with the fabricator info on it, if it's there it's probably a dealer option version. Of course, the plate could be worn slick & unreadable like it is on mine.
I think Ford offered a similar 4x4 dealer option on Couriers & the kits for the Courier, LUV & Datsun were nearly identical, in part because they all used the same 6-lug pattern. Toyota 2wd trucks came with a 5-lug pattern too small to accept a 4wd hub, so the kit used 5x5-1/2 Ford/Jeep front hubs and adapters to match on the rear axles.
good bit of info right there.it for sure has a straight axle. From the pics I seen I am thinking it is a Dana 30.guy said trans and t case where rebuilt about 2 years ago, front axle was all gone through and gears replaced(at a shop) at the same time. He put a rebuilt 80 luv motor in it last year and has around 25k on it.glass is perfect and everything works.
I will for sure check the vin to the title. Bringing it in to Oregon from out of state and getting it to pass DEQ will be the big bear on this but for a good luv I am down.
is it un heard of to swap the lamps from 4 to 2 .from what I understand it is not a hard swap. But I don't know that first hand
again thanks for the help. I want to get this truck right.