Chevrolet LUV

LUV

Manufacturer	Chevrolet and GMC
Also called	Isuzu KB Isuzu Pup
Production	1972-1982
Successor	Chevrolet S-10
Class	Pickup truck
Engine(s)	1.8 L SOHC straight-4 Isuzu C223 diesel
Transmission(s)	4-speed manual Automatic
Wheelbase	102.4 in (2,601 mm) 117.9 in (2,995 mm) 104.3 in (2,649 mm)

The Chevrolet LUV (LUV stands for Light Utility Vehicle) is a rebadged Isuzu KB light truck. Sales began in the United States in March 1972 as a response to the Toyota Hilux and the Datsun pickup, as well as Ford's Mazda-built Courier. The LUV was replaced in the United States by the US-built Chevrolet S-10 after 1982.

History

To circumvent the 25% on light trucks (known as the Chicken tax ), LUV's (as with Ford Couriers) were imported in "cab chassis" configurations, which included the entire light truck, less the cargo box or truck bed and were only subject to a 4% tariff.^[1] Subsequently, a truck bed would be attached to the chassis and the vehicle could be sold as a light truck.

The LUV used a traditional truck chassis with a ladder frame and a leaf spring/live axle rear suspension. In front, an independent suspension used a-arm suspension. The 102.4 in (2.6 m) wheelbase was similar to its competitors, as was the six-foot (1.8 m) bed. The only engine was a 1.8 L SOHC straight-4 which produced 75 hp (56 kW).

The LUV's exterior was updated slightly for 1974, but the first real refresh came in 1976. A 3-speed automatic transmission option and front disc brakes were added that year. Power was up to 80 hp (60 kW) for 1977, and sales continued to rise. An exterior refresh and the addition of a 7.5 ft (2.3 m) bed option, with 117.9 in (3 m) wheelbase, brought sales up in 1978 to 71,145.

The addition of four wheel drive in 1979 brought the LUV to the attention of Motor Trend magazine, which awarded it their second Truck of the Year award. Sales peaked at 100,192.

The truck was redesigned for 1981 with the wheelbase stretched by 1.9 in (48 mm) to 104.3 in (2.6 m). The gas engine remained the same but the LUV was now available with an Isuzu C223 diesel engine making 58 hp (43 kW) at 4300 rpm and 93 ft·lbf (126.1 Nm) at 2200 rpm. This new engine gave the 2WD diesel LUV a fuel economy rating of 33 mpg_-US (7.1 L/100 km; 40 mpg_-imp) city / 44 mpg_-US (5.3 L/100 km; 53 mpg_-imp) highway making it one of the most economical trucks ever built.^{[citation needed]} This engine is also renowned for its reliability; many LUV trucks of this vintage have achieved over 500,000 miles (800,000 km) before requiring a rebuild.^{[citation needed]} Chevrolet stopped selling the LUV in the USA after 1982 in favor of their own S-10 compact pickup, but Isuzu picked up sales in the US as the Isuzu Pup that same year.

Today

The LUV name is still used today on badge-engineered versions of the Isuzu D-Max. That version was also sold unofficially in the UK as an alternative to the domestic Isuzu Rodeo in pickup and commercial vehicles dealers.

As of recently the LUV is one of the many vehicles that the Iraqi Government has purchased for use in the various local and national police forces.

South American production as Chevrolet LUV

This Isuzu pick-up was also made in Chile from Japanese CKD sets in Chevrolet's plant in Arica from 1980 ^[2] to October, 2005 (replaced with LUV D-Max). At the start, the versions assembled were the K-26 and K-28. In 1988 came the TF model, which reached a 40% of domestic parts, and was exported successfully to Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, México, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia and Venezuela, from 1993. In total, more than 220.000 units were produced.

By the late 1980 it was assembled in Bogotá, Colombia by Colmotores ^[3] and in Quito, Ecuador by Omnibus BB Transportes (Now General Motors Ecuador) . That meant the introduction of the light pickup truck in the Andean market, in a package that included a 1600 cc, 4 cylinder engine, making in 80 hp (60 kW), that can carry up to 1 ton of cargo.

Today, the Isuzu D-Max is built in Quito, Ecuador with Chevrolet badge and exported to the Colombian and Venezuelan markets ^[4].

In 1999 Thai Rung Union Car from Thailand supplied the Chevrolet plant in Arica, Chile body parts of their Grand Adventure model to make the Chevrolet Luv Wagon and the Grand Luv, sold with little success.

Criticisms

While the trucks had reliable and well built (albeit underpowered) drive trains, the Luvs had serious rusting problems. In the last years of production almost half of the trucks that were shipped on boats to the United States from South America were found with rusted frames on arrival due to salt water corrosion.^{[citation needed]} It is not unusual to find a high mileage LUV that has a drive train in perfect working order, but some to have a frame broken in half from rust.^{[citation needed]}

Notes

References

• "Chevrolet LUV, S-10 and Colorado". Edmunds.com. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/generations/articles/104456/article.html. Retrieved March 25 2005. 
• "1982 Fuel Economy Guide Data Files". www.epa.gov. http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fedata.htm. Retrieved May 26 2006. 
• "LuvTruck.com". http://www.luvtruck.com.