That’s not a misprint: just 76 original miles are on this Chevy LUV pickup, which must make it the lowest mileage pickup from the 1970s in existence, anywhere. If you can top that, please tell us where that truck is with fewer miles than this! The seller posted this truck on Facebook and noted that shortly after the original owner purchased the truck, he passed away and it sat with practically delivery miles on it for years. Find the LUV here on craigslist for $24,500 in near-perfect condition.
The seller says the only non-original items are the gas in the tank and the rear bumper, which was a dealer-installed option but the seller repainted silver. It’s still white in color here, but I would say silver isn’t a great option, either, as the front bumper is chrome. Honestly, I would just leave it exactly as the dealer sold it, and if I was really obsessive, perhaps get the rear bumper chrome-plated – but that wouldn’t be a wise use of money given the cost and the impact on the truck’s originality. The body is immaculate and I haven’t seen lettering that sharp on a LUV tailgate in decades.
The interior, as you would expect, is perfect, with beautiful dash plastics, door panels, seating surfaces, and plastic floor liner. The colors are great, too, as yellow over nut-brown is a good look no matter the vehicle that wears it. The seller notes that they’ve enjoyed using the truck on the show scene and that several associated display pieces, including an old dealer sign, will be included with the sale. A nice presentation makes all the difference on outliers like this, as it will take a dedicated collector to justify spending near $25K for a LUV.
The crop of small, rebadged pickups from this era were tough little workhorses, even if fuel efficiency was their primary goal. The LUV seen here should never be used for anything other than display purposes, and I’m surprised that Chevrolet hasn’t contacted the seller to acquire the LUV for a corporate museum. The trouble is you have to be as dedicated as the seller is to using this LUV for display purposes, as actually driving it will negate that $25K investment fairly quickly. Find another one!
Chevy wont buy it for their museum because its really an Isuzu , and who knows if Isuzu has the money to buy it ! LOL . Its hard to believe the owner died and no one did anything to it for 43 years, but the worlds a strange place. Really though, it should be in a museum of some sort, how many Luvs in even fair condition can there be left ?
I’d be nervous about buying anything that looks like Godzilla would make a habit of stepping on.
I have one about to install a Rover 215 V8 back the 1970’s it was a 350 Chevy same time the Z’s went the same!
Man ,I was in 10th grade when this LUV came out , I would put it in a museum.
I love it!
Can we drop a 340 in it with a 727tf trans and a Ford 9 inch rear?
Why?
A rebadged Isuzu PUP.I remember a company I used to work for had a fleet of Isuzus, some were gas, others were diesel. The diesel ones were horrible. They leaked oil like crazy, they had to be jump started a lot when left out in the cold, and you couldn’t get them over 65 mph unless you left it in 4th gear.
Bob C. this is not a rebadged P’up. This generation LUV was based on the Isuzu Faster, which was not sold in the US. It wasn’t until the next generation came out (1980) that Isuzu sold their version in the US, called P’up (Faster in Japan).
I think I was in 6th grade when the luv came out I can remember thinking what the heck is little thing going to good for?
Thank you George, I just learned something new.
Don’t think it will bring that price, but eventually someone will pay up for it, A museum piece for sure.
A museum piece? Really? It’s just a small import truck, and not all that special when new, so who would pay even a quarter to see it? But if people will look at “The World’s Largest Ball of Twine” . . . maybe??
How in the heck does a LUV end up with only 76 miles 40 years on?!? My guess would be somebody bought it new and then died, or forgot about it due to an unfortunate medical condition. But this one looks pretty good for just being neglected so maybe not. The world is indeed a strange place! Somebody luved the LUV!
Investment? I would buy it and act like it was 1980 all over again. Just because it had super low mileage everyone thinks it should be displayed in a museum. That is whacked. You pay and you drive it. Its a machine. One that has not been used. And one that won’t ever have its twin parked next to it. Life’s too short and memories over money anyday. It would probably end up being displayed in some freak collection next to a AMC Hornet and Matador in Van Horn, Texas.
I’d drive it too. How much less is it worth if it has a few thousand fun miles on it.
That’s funny, back in 1980 my dad had a hornet and a luv
I doubt GM would want it for a museum, if any still exist, it wasn’t Chevy’s most glorious moment. The LUV was just a stop gap measure to offer something until the S-10 was ready. I don’t see $25,000 dollars worth of vehicle here, they were good trucks, but it’s a pretty basic truck, and the novelty will wear off pretty quick. These really could have used a 5 speed, they holler on the freeway. It’s too bad Chevy chose that awful 2.8(or worse, the 4 cylinder) for the S-10, it was really a much nicer truck. This is certainly an unusual find, but the seller is dreamin’ at $25g’s. BJ auction would be the place to get that kind of money, for the person that has one of everything.
My Toyota dealership has all of those old little trucks in their showroom. Kind of cool to see when you go in
Yawn……….. will some please tell these folks that have such vehicles that NO ONE CARES!
I worked at a Chevrolet dealer during these dark times. You could hear the LUV trucks rust. Way too much money for this truck. No LUV here.
I think they actually recalled and crushed some of these due to rust issues.
Looks like someone got drunk and wondered into a Chevy dealer circa 1980. The salesman was so eager to sell something, because Jimmy Carter had new car interest set higher than the Gambino crime family would loan at, that he didn’t feel bad about taking advantage of the drunk. The drunk drove it 24 miles home, woke up the next morning and was too embarrassed to be seen in a Luv and just parked it.
LUV the truck. Don’t LUV the price. :)
Gone off Craigslist
Love it my dad bought one of these when we moved to the states from Brazil. He purchased it first thing from a rental car company and we kept it as a primary for many years (longbed too). The tranny blew up (Auto) and we switched it to a 4 speed and got it repainted yellow and white (the milktruck) for many more years of service until we sold it and got something bigger ( my dad and I are over 6′). Many great memories in the city and in the country with these jewels!
Why not buy it and drive it? It’s cool and the cost of an economy car. I get you’d have to get it roadworthy, but as long as you don’t trash it, even with 10k miles, its still gonna be worth at least half I’d think.
wouldn’t anything that’s made of rubber be falling apart?
This would be a great small block CHEVY candidate cheap and easy to do . If it had the bigger isuzu diesel it would have lasted longer and be worth buying just not 25g tho.
I owned one back in ’82 and I had a blast driving that little truck all over south Texas. Great handling, gas mileage and pretty comfortable to ride in. Couldn’t haul very much.
My Dad bought one of these new and when the tin worm got beyond his ability to treat gave it to my brother. One fine winter day in Massachusetts bro’ was rounding a traffic circle, hit a large slush puddle, and ‘BOOM!’ the floorboards imploded, drenching the cabin and surprised driver in icy brine. He couldn’t have been wetter had he jumped into Boston Harbor. Dad had crudely fiber glassed the floors to pass inspection. Not long thereafter brother was walking to the truck and noticed it had ‘bent’ in the middle- frame/unibody had given up the ghost. Engine still ran, so he drove it carefully to the salvage yard for scrap. The best one in the universe would not be worth $25K.
I worked at Chevy dealership when these were being sold, around 1973. Service Dept. had one that was used for whatever was needed. Everyone, including me, dogged that lil ole truck.It took it without a whimper. The body shop had one in for repairs, when they had it ready, the owner came got it drove it home some 15 miles or so away. He called them it was running hot. The wrecker was sent out, brought it back in. Body shop failed to replace the coolant. Long story short, after testing it, didn’t appear to have damaged it. I would have loved to have had one. True a very simple truck, but loads of fun to drive. 25k is more than I would want to pay for it, but if I could buy it, I would drive it and enjoy making new memories. We are spoiled today with our fancy trucks.
If this could be purchased for half it’s asking it would be worth it to use as intended being you simply cannot buy anything like it anymore despite a decent size market for such a vehicle. Not everything has to be a museum piece.
I remember buying my new ’77 Chevy Luv, bright yellow like this one. I used it pulling my two horse trailer and talk about a little work horse. The only thing I had to do after I bought a full sized truck, was to replace the clutch plate on that little Luv and I drove it after retiring it from the horse trailer. Great little truck !