Any good hacks/upgrades you've come up with for our trucks

[Iowan]

Probably not exactly what you're looking for, but the F*rd Windstar e-fan conversion is a great way to free up some horsepower. mostly on the top end. Vortec heads as well. The Blazer gas tank mod is a great one, too. MSD has a nice digital ignition module with a built-in rev limiter, that is one of my favorites. No more floating valves or bent pushrods. Another is swapping the front output shaft of the NP205 for a F*rd front output shaft. It is 32 spline, just like the rear output, giving you a wider option for larger, stronger yokes, all the way up to 1410. Another neat one I've heard of but not tried yet is a 2005-ish D*dge 2500 front driveshaft. It is a flange-style double cardan joint just like ours, but with 1350 u-joints throughout, allowing a higher running angle and much stronger than 3R joints ours uses. It will have to be cut down to fit our trucks but it is always cheaper to have a driveline shop cut a shaft down than lengthen one. Converting to rear disk brakes is another good mod. You can use Cadillac Eldorado calipers if you want to retain your park brake but I don't remember which year works. The rear shackle flip is another one I like, easy way to gain 4 inches of lift without using lift blocks, and much cheaper than lift springs.

Whats the Blazer tank mod?

 

[Dougnsalem]

my truck's previous owner had a couple hidden 3 position switches put in. they're down near the fuse block left of the column. anyway i was wiring something in and when i was finished everything as far as the new accessory worked out great. then i went to drive the truck to my blind early a few days later and the tail light weren't working. i thought i accidentally messed something up. it turns out i bumped one of those switches by mistake. i've yet to trace them both to where they go, but the one 3 position switch disables lights in different combinations. turns out i can black the truck out so even the brake lights won't work. dude mustve been a poacher or drug runner, haha!!! unless other cucv trucks have this option to sneak around...

What's the other switch for?

 

[Frankenchevy]

What's the other switch for?

not sure, haven’t bothered to trace it. All the wiring looks to be professionally done though. I’ve just left them alone for now. I plan on doing a body off and re-doing all that stuff once my new garage is finished.

 

[Snoots]

keyless entry. I've got this on my truck. The only complaint I have with this specific model is the screws and plate that clamp on to your locking rod are very cheap and strip out easily and loosen up easily. You should be able to come up with something pretty easy to replace that. It's no longer available, just find one with good reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KTNO1WQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

See if you can garner so info out of this. If not, I can help further.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Whats the Blazer tank mod?

Getting rid of the saddle tanks and putting a Blazer or Burb tank in between the frame rails where the spare would go. It’s easy enough to mount the tank but opens a can of worms in respect to where to put the filler.

 

[bucket]

keyless entry. I've got this on my truck. The only complaint I have with this specific model is the screws and plate that clamp on to your locking rod are very cheap and strip out easily and loosen up easily. You should be able to come up with something pretty easy to replace that. It's no longer available, just find one with good reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KTNO1WQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Oh yeah! My C10 had keyless entry and it was awesome! Besides convenience, it always caught people off guard when they saw the ratty old multi-colored truck go "chirp chirp" and unlock itself.

But sadly, the leaking windshield gasket killed the power lock output of the control box.

 

[hatzie]

What's the other switch for?

Google CUCV Blackout Lights. Lots of hits on Steel Soldiers in the CUCV sub-forum.
The CUCV trucks do indeed have blackout capabilities. The military has used blackout lights since WW II.
This M1028 has the Blackout bulb in the LH side of the grille and all four corner lights in the bumpers.

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All of the CUCV Tech Manuals are all available on Steel Soldiers to download for free. They'll have service details on the NATO electrical system and all the other parts of the M1008, M1010, M1028, & M1031 CUCV trucks and the M1009 Blazer.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is to try to turn them back into 12v civilian vehicles. They aren't. I've parted a couple that were in pretty rough shape but My driver is 100% Steel Soldier right down to the pair of 6TMF Batteries.
Embrace the NATO hybrid electric system... then buy a Deuce and a Half after you really catch the green iron disease.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Oh yeah! My C10 had keyless entry and it was awesome! Besides convenience, it always caught people off guard when they saw the ratty old multi-colored truck go "chirp chirp" and unlock itself.

But sadly, the leaking windshield gasket killed the power lock output of the control box.

I have one......along with the under dash harness lol

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

That's awesome! You know, I never even gave it a thought in the past- are all of the steering box input shafts on those year trucks the same? (1/2, 3/4, 1, C, K.....). Thanks for the info!

The Saginaw inputs stayed the same practically forever on everything conventional. I don't know about medium duty trucks, I think Vettes had something else going on, and I don't know what's going on with FWD. The hangup on using them on pre-79 cars and trucks is the splined steering column output. I think the death of RWD cars and probably the advent of air bags and more complex steering columns killed the mod on the newer end. I checked on a GMT400 site to verify myself on the years, and it seems a little hazy. It'll work flawlessly through 1994, and it gets a little squirrely after that. Some people seem to make them work, some use a YJ shaft, and some can't make it work at all. But anyways, for our intents and purposes, it should work on any 79-91 square body.

 

[bucket]

I have one......along with the under dash harness lol

My power locks still work, it's just that the aftermarket alarm magic black box will no longer activate the power locks. The terminals of the lock output plug-in are toast.

 

[Dougnsalem]

The Saginaw inputs stayed the same practically forever on everything conventional. I don't know about medium duty trucks, I think Vettes had something else going on, and I don't know what's going on with FWD. The hangup on using them on pre-79 cars and trucks is the splined steering column output. I think the death of RWD cars and probably the advent of air bags and more complex steering columns killed the mod on the newer end. I checked on a GMT400 site to verify myself on the years, and it seems a little hazy. It'll work flawlessly through 1994, and it gets a little squirrely after that. Some people seem to make them work, some use a YJ shaft, and some can't make it work at all. But anyways, for our intents and purposes, it should work on any 79-91 square body.

Really nice write up! Thanks much for taking the time to do it. That's something I really like about this site. Its awesome how the majority of the members are more than willing to help, or inform others.Cool stuff there....

 

[Camar068]

Someone also put a magnet strip by the hood latch to help hold tools. Someone else also put an led strip on the front/underside of the hood to light up the engine bay.

 

[Iowan]

Getting rid of the saddle tanks and putting a Blazer or Burb tank in between the frame rails where the spare would go. It’s easy enough to mount the tank but opens a can of worms in respect to where to put the filler.

Just put it through the tail light area. Ive seen it here.

 

[yevgenievich]

installed the aluminum hvac door actuator bracket today. There are also versions with a simpler replacement from a gate latch

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[Honky Kong jr]

Just put it through the tail light area. Ive seen it here.

I like how I did mine.