Looking the part of a full-sized toy, this unique project could become the only V8-powered All-Wheel-Drive vehicle in your neighborhood (in the world?) using the body of a Genco Mine Service transporter. The unfinished custom creation comes for sale on Facebook Marketplace, where $2500 buys what you see here and the opportunity to get this Battle Mountain, Nevada project over the finish line. Stylish 17″ Hummer wheels give the Genco-bodied truck a stylish and aggressive look.
While we don’t know the year of this body, Genco’s current lineup uses a small Cummins diesel engine making 74 HP. In the time-honored tradition of dropping a Chevrolet V8 into anything from a Volkswagen beetle to a kitchen blender, this project vehicle uses a carburetor-converted 5.7L (350 cid) Vortec V8 as might have been found in 1996 to 2002 Chevy trucks and vans, according to ItStillRuns . I drove many miles in a ’96 work van with this engine and it did quite well even with a load of tools and supplies in the back. A Griffin aluminum radiator should provide more than enough cooling power for what looks like a stock V8.
Engineering stopped short of a custom driveshaft, but the four-speed manual gearbox mates up to a ubiquitous New Process 205 transfer case. A partial exhaust system is plumbed as well, and the setup ran (but did not drive) when the project was abandoned.
Drivetrain components include this rear end from a 2005 Ram 2500 including limited slip and disc brakes, and a “70’s king pin Dana 60” up front. Dual real wheels seem redundant, and not in a good way, but certainly add to the over-the-top “toy” vibe. The frame looks a bit light for punishing off-road duties, but could be trussed up with a couple days of welding.
The industrial-spec interior ambiance should be kept for sure, imparting a lunar rover look that perfectly contrasts the full-on luxury found in many trucks today. For the right buyer hearing this Genco custom calling their wild side, it represents yeoman’s work completed, with some latitude left in the finishing. Imagine it riding atop a full-on chassis; that approach would be wicked cool, but not everyone will justify the $50,000 price tag. On the lower end, how about a new Jeep frame for under $5000 and a long-arm suspension kit for under $3000? Add miscellaneous parts and custom work and you’ve got this Genco body underpinned with proven components, and you’re blasting down the trail for less than half the cost of a new all-wheel-drive anything. How would you finish this interesting Mine Service-bodied custom?
I just followed the link to their calalogue. Some cool stuff there. Now I’m thinking of how to get some when the mines retire them.
Quite the little rig.
We had a np205 in an old Ford pickup we owned. No chain. Gear driven, that was the best, smoothest transfer case in any of the trucks ive driven.
How about someone who has experience with Genco in the field? The mine I work in recently purchased a new Genco Crew hauler which Genco modified to use as a fuel hauler for our heavy equipment. Not inexpensive. Three months in and the truck has a severely, as in kinked in the middle, frame. Genco has offered an apology…..and that’s it. I know, I know, the chances of this happening with the rig in this ad are minimal, but I wanted to share. Also, as far as picking one up used after the mine retires them, in our mine NOTHING comes out after it goes in. Once a vehicle has lived it’s complete service life it gets pushed off into a dead heading to retire. In a 112 year old mine there’s A LOT of cool stuff in the graveyards!