We’ve all seen a Chevy Luv before but I don’t know how many of us have seen a 1974 Chevrolet LUV convertible with a V6? This one is different but I couldn’t resist. This drop top can be found on Craigslist, or here on the CL archive, in Vancouver, Washington with an asking price of $2,500. Just a couple of housekeeping items: 1) LUV stands for Light Utility Vehicle and 2) the LUV is actually a rebadged Isuzu Faster.
This is one unusual vehicle, to say the least. I’m a huge Chevy LUV fan but I have never seen a LUV convertible. The seller says that the “Conversion was performed by a company called “Trail Wagon Conversions” and this model was called “the Blazette,” as in small Blazer.” That’s nice to hear that it wasn’t a home hack-job but an actual company that studied, designed, and engineered this conversion. So far the $2,500 asking price is looking great to me.
Whenever I see black on the bottom portion of a vehicle I automatically think that it’s a quick rust cover-up. I thought that Minnesotans were the only ones who did that but maybe that isn’t what’s happening here. I know that vehicles can and do rust in the Pacific Northwest, but only a fraction as much as they do in the upper-Midwest or the Northeast. There is no mention of the body at all but it looks straight and solid from the many photos that are provided with the top off and the top on. They say that this “short narrow step-side bed pickup, was originally a bright, cheery yellow, now an old white repaint.”
Well, there’s the rust, at least what’s visible of the bed. This is it for interior photos but hey, sometimes there aren’t any! This truck has an automatic transmission as you can see and it’s a “TH350 trans conversion, B&M floor shifter.” This could be a really cool vehicle with some detail work – change the seats, repair/replace the dashtop, lose the steering wheel, etc. Well, don’t lose it until a new one can be installed, it would be a little awkward to drive without one.
Speaking of driving, unfortunately the seller says that this “built high-performance 231 V6 with cam, aluminum hi-rise intake, 4v carb, and more. Not currently running, but turns over and will likely run.” Bummer. Hopefully it isn’t a big issue but it would have to come out anyway to detail the living ___ (heck?) out of that engine bay. This truck deserves to be as nice as it can be, not flat white with flat black on the bottom and an old, dirty interior and engine. But for $2,500 there’s enough to start with here to make for a great project. Have any of you seen a LUV convertible?
Why so far away!
I would definitely snag this and paint it!
I am thinking a cool blue paint similar to the daily driver (18 Prius prime plug in blue) and new interior !
I like it !
If the owner can deliver it to Midwest cash is waiting 😎
Interesting looks like a 225 v6 though perhaps . Topless woooo
I’ve always liked luvs, but not sans top. I just never got the whole convertible pickup thing. That being said, this seems like a reasonable buy for a summer cruiser.
I remember these hardtop convertible kits being available back in the day in Mini Truckin’ magazine.
This is the first time I’ve seen a LUV with a stepside bed. I bought one new in ’72 and loved the truck (pun intended). Its amazing that no one makes a good basic compact pickup anymore, they were cheap and useful.
LUV=
Light
Utility
Vehicle
(I think I’m right)
Great little truck! I like the Cherokee next to it.
I watched some of the convertible truck conversions being done back in the late 80’s & early 90’s when they were popular, & believe me, they were hack jobs. The cabs lost all rigidity, the A pillars would move so much he windshields would crack, the doors quit closing right after a few months, it took 2-3 people to take the top off & put back on, & they were just overall awful. It was just teenagers that wanted them, & the first time they got caught in the rain without the top, they usually sold them.
The PNW is not a great place for convertibles (lots of liquid sunshine) but it was common to customize mini trucks back then, I have a 73 I will be selling soon, WAS setup for a V8 SBC and T350 with shift kit and ran it that way for years.
Mine is NOT a convertible or stepside and I thought the stepsides were very cool but rare. Mine does have shaved door handles, and some body styling mods. It also currently has the motor out and options for another SBC with period hot rod parts, or a V6 Chevy or a Nissan 4 cyl and 5 speed to drop in.
Luvs are coming back in price and value and bonus in my area is pre 1975 vehicles do not require DEQ inspections
Where are you located with that Chevy Luv that you plan to sell?
Jeff, I am in the hills outside Portland Oregon, are you anywhere close? Be happy to send some pictures.
Sluggo:
Unfortunately I am too far away to make it worthwhile to ship. I live in the Birmingham, Alabama area, and I have a 1972 that is sitting. I need to put some money into it someday, or get a replacement to fix up.That is what interested me in yours. Money will be a little constrained over the next few months though as I have to put a new roof on the house and a new a/c in April / May.
Hit with an ugly stick-
I had a 1980 Ford Courier back in the mid-1990’s had this common aftermarket step-side bed on it and it also had a a V6 conversion (a 231 V^ turbo from a Buick T-Type). This truck brings back some those memories (or nightmares).
On to the convertible part. I was a mini-truck guy (and still kind of am). So my convertible was a 1990 Isuzu Pup (with a 350 V8 conversion and one of these convertible kits that were widely available. If done right they worked They were $99 for some pieces of plastic just like shown in these pictures. I am sure the shop mentioned did not engineer this, they just installed the kit. But unlike Tyler above said I had no issues with mine once we trouble shot all the leaks over about 6 months. Other friend with convertible or targa conversions had the leak issues but none of the windshield cracking problems. Oh and I easily could take the hardtop on or off by myself.
If I really wanted a project and this were a touch closer I would consider it .
local here could make a rag top 4 it (?$200 -600?) metal bows’n all.
Rather have this than the ‘vert mopwr p/u.
Thnx 4 da post, pic, write up Scot!
Never heard of or saw 1.
I had one back in the early nineties…what a peice……the 231 Buick v6 kept coming unbolted from the trans.Had to pull the motor to change the trans. Top leaked