LUVTruck.com

We just picked up a stock 81 Luv. Almost unmolested. It was a service truck, but the service bed is long gone. It was originally purchased by a local oil company, I have the original title. I have a question about the rear differential. It doesn't look standard for luv trucks. It has a bolt in center section similar to a 9 inch Ford or older 50's Chevrolet. Title says it's a 1/2 ton truck, could it be a beefed up rear from the factory? Any information would be great. Thanks.

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Luv, hard and fast! John Kay, Steppenwolf.

Titles are notorious for having misinformation. Standard payload exceeded a half ton (counting passengers) on all models. It was 1,250 lbs. on the short bed, if I recall correctly, and 1,750 for the long bed. I may need to pull out my owner's manual to confirm that.

If it's gas and 5-speed or auto, it should be a 4.10 rear end. If diesel and 5-speed, then a 3.73. There was also a 3.41 rear end used in 4-speed "MPG PLUS" models. I'm not aware of any other options.

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com

Yea, that notorious misinformation thing... I did a VIN check and it said 4x4. Definitely not a 4x4.

I just don't recall seeing a rear end like that, with a separate center section.

Thanks Jack.

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Luv, hard and fast! John Kay, Steppenwolf.

You're right, it does look unusual. There may have once been an aftermarket upgrade, but I'd probably have heard about a factory one. Back in the day, there were quite a few aftermarket upgrades and accessories.

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com

Looks like a baby 9” Ford. Any idea what the gear ratio is?

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Tom
'81 Luv diesel 4X4 - daily driver

looks factory. my 81 has a similar rear end.

I'll see if there are any numbers on the rear end. Maybe that will lead to some idea's. I haven't yet been through the cab to see if there are RPO codes or any literature. So after 40 years there's a very slim possibility that a factory owners manual accompanies the truck.... maybe.

lspower, was your 81 a utility or service truck?

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Luv, hard and fast! John Kay, Steppenwolf.

It was my assumption that the service bed was always an aftermarket modification. But maybe
the factory offered the trucks this way (with a different rear end), but didn't ship many of them. The reason I assumed that is, back when I was looking for a replacement bed, was chatting with Jerry Lemond (everybody on Isuzu sites considers him the "authority"), and he told me that his dealership outside Atlanta had a yard full of them, which they had removed before delivery because the trucks were getting service beds. His dealership was going to scrap them all, but Jerry found some way to sell them.

I'll ask Jerry if there was a special rear end for service trucks.

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com

Thanks Jack. I know this isn't really part of this thread, but I tried to post a pdf file from the GM Heritage Center. It was a 1981 LUV (series 11) information sheet with some good information. But the LUVTruck site said it did do pdf. Theres some good info on trim, decals and paint.

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Luv, hard and fast! John Kay, Steppenwolf.

And I guess it's even possible that Chevy offered it in a configuration that Isuzu didn't.

Jack

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'83 Isuzu P'up Diesel LS - Original Owner
JoeIsuzu@IsuzuPup.com
IsuzuPup.com