LUVTruck.com

Saturday I am going to by a 77 luv.it is 4x4 but the owner tells me it was a dealer option or that is the best info he can find. Was there a dealer option for 4x4 in 77?.i know factory was not till 79.it has two lamps instead of 4 as well(might have been changed at some point). Some info on this would be great.as in what would they have used for a straight axle back then. Jeep?
Toyota was not a option till 79 so am not sure.
this is not my first luv but it is my first 4x4 luv.

any help would be great.

I know back in the day there was an aftermarket company that made a kit for the Ford Courier. There was probably the same thing for a LUV that maybe a dealer had done to some of their trucks to sell. I don't know for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me.

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OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

well that gives me some hope.im driving 5 hours to pick it up on Saturday(if the luv is all good)and driving it home.it has a straight axle under it and I like that a lot. Guy wants 2500(talked him down from 3k and it looks nice and clean from the pics.

thanks for the info.

would you know if a straight axle was the option for back then or was it IFS.trying to pull as much info before I check it out and drive it home. A 5 hour trip on I-5 is going to be fun.

If its a straight axle it was a non-factory option. Either a dealer or aftermarket. Most of these I've seen used a Jeep axle of some kind, usually a Dana, probably like a 25 or 30. Once you have the truck it should be easy to identify.

The transfer case will likely be a bit odd as well, some kind of divorced setup behind the stock tranny.

The IFS 4x4 did not appear until 1979 so a 1977 would have to be something with a straight axle or one that the body was swapped onto a newer frame. Given it has two headlights not four, I'd be looking extra careful at the VIN and paperwork. Especially if it has IFS 4x4. It could be a 79 or 80 that has been titled with a 77 VIN.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

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.

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.

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.

4 lights to 2 is possible just less common it seems.

Good luck with Oregon DMV and DEQ, I am so very glad I live just outside of their reach for emissions testing. Last couple of rigs we've bought were from Washington and it took a whole 10 minutes at the DMV for the VIN inspection.

If you make sure you have a nice clear chain of ownership from the person on the title you should be good as far as the out of state transfer part. I bought a car from a bunch of tweakers about a year ago and it had been passed around all over with several bills of sale. It took a bunch of tracking and such to get all the right signatures and people signed off before DMV allowed the transfer. $300 car cost that in pain, suffering, and gas just to get a title.

I might have some emissions parts around if its missing anything. The hoses for the AIR pump are usually the worst part but creative use of heater hose can work.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

guy said it has a clean and clear title in his name. He has had the truck since 2001.i already plan on a new pipe and cat from the manifold back.it is one of them take a chance trips.

seeing as you are in mac I might just have to take you up on that offer if anything is missing. And if I do need help you are just a few miles up the road. Worst comes to worst I will register it and my buddy's in Dayton.

if you would take a look at the pics on the link that would be great.

http://olympic.craigslist.org/pts/3924918772.html

Almost every single year specific thing about that truck says 1978-1980 to me.

2 head lights and wide grill (78-80)
no vent windows in the doors (78-80)
LUV emblems on front fenders, 77 didn't have the square under LUV
gauge cluster has three round instead of two rounded/squarish pods (78-80)
no shiny stainless ring on the side marker lights on the front fenders (1980 only)

That said, every one of those things can be swapped over. The paint color is not a factory one so it could just be a truck of many parts and been repainted. I do notice that the shifter is the thin one piece style that would be in a 77. If the transfer case is separate and mounted behind a 2WD transmission then that points back to 77. Also look at the clutch, if its a cable that is 78-80, if it is hydraulic with a master cylinder then its a 77 or older.

The VIN tag is on the cab next to the door latch. If that says its a 77, that is about all the DMV will care about and you won't have any trouble. Now if you want to go looking part of the VIN also exists under the cowl cover, between the hood and the windshield. You'd have to pull the wipers and some screws to get at it though.

That is one unique LUV for sure! Someone put a lot of work into it. See if you can find out what make/model/year that seat came out of. I like it.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

Oh and it won't have a cat, only california emissions 1980 LUVs had a cat. AIR pump, EGR valve, and a couple gizmos on the carb should be it. That and making sure the fuel tank is sealed. That second tank might have to be looked at.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

Sheet metal is '79 or '80, the square under the fender emblem didn't appear until '79. The steel guard under the front bumper is stock 4x4 LUV, if it came with the truck this is a 4x4 LUV with a straight axle swapped in. I can't tell if the hub is Warn or Aisin, if it's Aisin then it's a Toyota front axle. The shifter looks like a 2wd, can't tell much about t-case shifter but it looks smaller diameter than I would expect. It's in the right location for a divorced or a stock LUV 4x4 t-case.
Look the thing over closely before buying, make sure the mods look professionally installed & everything works properly, especially the p-brake. Make sure the title matches the VIN on the sheet metal, this is what determines the model year, frames don't have a VIN, so find out why it's listed as a '77. Don't buy it because it's pretty & you always wanted a 4x4, if it's a cobbled-together mess it will soon turn into a money pit. For the price they are asking it had better be in tip top shape.

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.

I would take the 15 minuets it takes and pull off the cowl behind the hood for a VIN check.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

Yeah the more I think about it the more I'd be curious and want to make sure it wasn't stolen or VIN swapped.

There was a VIN on the frame on some of the trucks I've owned but it was painted on. I have heard there is also a VIN stamped into the frame near the fuel tank but I've never seen one there personally.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

Well, it's past Saturday. What happened, did you buy or not?

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.

He did say it was a long drive.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

ok I'm back. Lots of great info. Thanks.
well I could not wait and I drove out Thursday and stayed the night. I did buy it.vin was a match. Just got done with DEQ and DMV,now the truck is a Oregon truck in my name.

I have 4600 in receipts that he gave me.extra set of tires and wheels and lots more good stuff.it does have the stock 2wd trans and then the split T-case in the rear. Dana 30 up front. New springs, fresh trans, hub to hub rebuilt, rebuilt motor out of a 80.i have all receipts. Everything works on this truck.it has been a slow 12 year build for him. The truck does run a bit rough but I think it is timing, might need advanced a bit, but I did drive it back and 75 down I5 it drive straight as a arrow. I am very happy with it. my price to pay was $1800.00

if it is pieced together they did a good and caring job at it.sorry I don't have internet and I just got to work.

it will diesel once in a wile when I shut it off. Tires are too big for it, very sluggish off the start.im putting the smaller tires on it now.

now the bench seat. I cant remember the year but it is out of a dodge Dakota.

I put a 50 amp alt and new belts on it.have a new break booster and master on the way. The clutch does have its own master along with a new clutch put in it 3 months ago. I will be adding new shocks to help with the ride. All and all it is a clean little truck. If yawl have question fire away.

and I don't want to know if it has been vin swapped so I will not be removing the cowl. Truck is mine now so I feel better not knowing.

The hydraulic clutch would indicate that it is a 77 as he claimed.

I agree on the VIN deal, you bought it, showed it to the proper authorities and they passed it. Nice buy at $1800.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

can anyone point me in the right direction for calipers and rotors. I am having a heck of a time finding what they are.
did the use the stock calipers and rotors off the luv when they do the Dana 30 swap.

Take pictures please, curious to see how it was assembled & which t-case was used.
One thing you might want to look at is the turning radius, the stock LUV pitman arm is too short to turn a Dana 30 knuckle as far as it needs to go. What you wind up with is a truck that requires a LOT of room to turn. The cure is to shorten the distance between the tie rod connection and the center pivot point at the knuckle OR lengthen the pitman arm or both. The tighter the turning radius the better you will like it, especially off-road.
BTW the power steering setup from an '84 or '85 Trooper is a bolt-in except for the Trooper box to Luv steering shaft connection.

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.