This Must be the Cleanest Diesel Luv on the Planet

Tim Odell

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1982 chevy luv diesel for saleQuick, think of the Chevy LUV. Is your mental image that of a faded yellow or brown model with an oxidized-to-chalk camper shell on the bed? Dinky tires that cost $15 each when new 18 years ago? Right. Such is the LUV in its natural habitat.

But then we have this thing: with 82,000 miles on the clock, it’s cleaner than any vehicle I’ve ever owned. The silver paint’s still shiny and unoxidized. The red interior’s still red. The seats have no tears. The carpet, no stains. Its only modification is a set of cheap chrome wheels.

I suspect the its powertrain might’ve saved it. GM’s early 80s “experimenting with BDSM diesel” phase didn’t exactly work out, so the (I’m guessing) 58 horsepower this unit’s 2.2L motor made kept it away from serious truck duty or wannabe racer/minitruckin’ influences.

So, um, does anyone want to go to Hardy, Arkansas and pay around $5k for the World’s Nicest Diesel LUV?
1982 Chevrolet LUV Diesel for sale – eBay Motors

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Tim Odell

Tim Odell

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  1. dukeisduke Avatar
    dukeisduke

    Tires that cost $15 each? I don’t think I’ve seen anything like that, unless they’re used. The cheapest tires I’ve ever bought were for a Corvair, back in the late ’80s, and those were like $34. And the Metzeler Perfect radials I put on my first car (’75 Vega, 165R-13) back in 1978 were $36 apiece from 4Day Tire (remember them?).

    Reply
    1. 0A5599 Avatar
      0A5599

      I bought a pair of 225-78R-15 for $25 each at NTB around 2002. They were brand new, but considerably cheaper than the next size up.

      Reply
  2. Wayward David Avatar
    Wayward David

    My Dad had a Chevy LUV of the previous generation back in the early ’80s. I remember it being a capable and reasonably fun little hauler when I would (frequently) borrow it to move during those restless just-out-of-college years. This one intrigues me for a couple of reasons. First, I’ve been wanting to get a small(ish) truck, and second, I’m planning a trip to visit family in Jonesboro, which is just over an hour drive from Hardy. I could fly out and drive back! But no… $5k is way too much to pay for a LUV that old. And the thought of driving a 58 hp pickup over the Rockies… in winter… I’m confident that I haven’t done anything terrible enough in my life to deserve that kind of punishment.

    Reply
  3. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    I’ve driven on of these, on loan from a friend. The experience is liberating.

    Reply
  4. GTXcellent Avatar
    GTXcellent

    The one summer I worked for the county highway dept, they had a baby blue long box diesel Luv. I got stuck with it many, many times on overlay projects (I was the monkey who collected the tickets from the belly dumps). No matter how hard I tried, it would not powerbrake – even going from gravel onto tar. Is this the root of my hatred of the tiny truck?

    Reply
  5. Cool_Cadillac_Cat Avatar
    Cool_Cadillac_Cat

    You can’t polish a turd.
    Oh, wait…someone did.

    Reply
  6. boxdin Avatar
    boxdin

    Neighbor still have one of these in a longbed w deluxe trim. Dog slow.

    Reply