LUVTruck.com

Will a 1.8L zuzu from a 79' or above fit in a Chevy LUV body that's 78' or below?

1.8L motor from a 79 is basically the same all the way back to 76, you'd only run into trouble if you try to swap that motor into a 75 or older. The Isuzu 1.8L and 1.9L even up to about 85 are basically the same block (on the outside at least.

Ok, I hope my body is a 76' or newer than. but, if it's 75 or older, is it easy to fit a 78' 1.8L in it?

First off, you'll have to build motor mounts that are like the later year trucks if it's an older truck. If the stock motor mounts are positioned basicly on top of the engine crossmember, it's a 76 or later year truck. If the stock mounts are about 6" forward of the crossmember, it's an early model truck(72-75). Also you'll have to see if both the truck and the transmission share the same kind of clutch setup. Cable or hydraulic. Im assuming that the trans will be swapped also. If not, your not going to get the motor swap to work because the transmissions housings are made to handle specific starter placement. The early trucks have the starter on the left side of the motor and the later trucks are on the right side. Hopefully this wont be an issue for you.

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

this is what 800xl wrote in another topic.

1972 First year of production. Tail lights are round and positioned under the tail gate. The rear corners of the bed and the tailgate are different from later year trucks with lights up in the corners of the bed.

1973 I don't know of any significant changes, though perhaps round tail lights were replaced with rectangular ones, still under the tailgate.

1974 Last year before tail lights went into the corners of the bed (?)

1975 Tail lights in corners of the bed, red stop/tail and red turn lenses. This was the last year for front drum brakes and for the original 1.8L motor. This motor has the intake and exhaust both on the driver's side of the motor, and has a bare aluminium valve cover.

1976 1st MAJOR update to the LUV. Disc brakes up front, new 1.8L motor with cross flow head. Intake and carb now mounted on passenger side of the motor. Valve cover is wider and made of sheet metal painted black. Motor mounts are in a different position on the frame than in earlier years.
The front bumper was changed to a wider design and the valance right behind it is different as well. This also changes the design of the front turn signal assemblies.

1977 Last year for hydraulic clutch, slave cylinder located on passenger side of trans, also last year for wing windows and 4 small round headlights. First year for amber rear turn signal lenses.

1978 First year for no wing windows and two large headlights instead of 4. I believe first year for long wheelbase models, and there are some rumors of factory 4x4 models from 78, but I've never confirmed. The fuse block is now shorter with less fuses. (got rid of four, one for each headlight) Headlights now have a thermal circuit breaker up under the dash I think. This was the first year for the cable clutch, the clutch fork moved to the driver's side of the bellhousing to make cable routing easy.

78 or 79 ? Minor changes to interior trim, round gauges instead of of egg shaped, and different texture on the gauge cluster and glove box door. Side vent design changed too somewhere in this period.

1979 First official year of 4x4 model. This was the first 4x4 production vehicle (according to what I've read) with IFS. Nothing major changed other than the unknowns between 78 or 79 above. 4x4 models have a different torsion bar configuration to go along with the front axle. Changes were made to the frame mounts for the torsion bars and axle.

1980 Basically the same as 1979, I believe the 4x4 dash light was added (but that might be a Mikado option from 79). There is a minor change to the side marker lights, the mounting and lenses are slightly different. The voltage regulator connector is round as opposed to squarish, but I'm not sure what else changed along with that.

1981 2nd MAJOR rework of the LUV. Body style completely changed, interior completely changed. Gas tank now on passenger side of truck. Frame and motor are basically unchanged, with a few exceptions. Distributor is now electronic instead of points, but still fits into older motors. I believe this was the first year a diesel motor was an option.

1982-1986 Isuzu PUP continues pretty much the same as the 1981 LUV. GM switches to the S10 line, some of the 1st years of which have the same 1.8L Isuzu 4 cyl motor. The PUP doesn't really change too much up to about 85 or 86 when the 2.3L 4cyl gas motor is added. Even then the motor mounts appear to be in about the same places. 87 or so they switched to a fuel injection 2.3L and 2.6L, but still probably physically compatible. 87 was the first year in Troopers for 4x4 transfer case to be seperate from the transmission(?). Before the the tcase and transmission (including the 5Spd) should be physically compatible to 76 and newer LUV motors.


Anyone and everyone please feel free to kibitz this and add to it. I left off Mikado options this pass, I'll research some of the discussions we've already had on that and add it in.

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1980 luv sport 4x4 Just a memory now
Frame rusted from the inside. Truck stripped and now looking for a new donor in southern ohio

Wow! thanks everyone, I asked the guy I'm buying it from and he said it is a 77', so I'm in the clear I guess. And yeah, I am taking the transmission out with it.