1977 Chevrolet LUV (Isuzu Luv Series Six) Pickup Truck
My first vehicle, perfectly suited for a single male in his late teens and early 20’s. A unique custom mini-van conversion, I kept this truck for 11 years. I made two coast-to-coast trips plus several other long cross-country drives, and several moves. Although this was sold under the Chevy nameplate, it was actually an Isuzu, and the start of my love affair with the Isuzu brand.
The photo above was taken at my house in South Bay San Diego, summer of 1987. That would be me in the cheesecake pose, playing with my pet Guinea Pig “Fred.”
Read The History
1977 Chevy Luv Series Six Specifications
| Purchased: | – New in October 1977, San Diego, California, about 108 miles- Traded-in for 1988 Isuzu LS SpaceCab, August 1988, San Diego, California, about 110,000 miles |
| Standard Features: | – Black/Chrome trim – 1.6 Liter 4-cylinder Engine – 4-speed manual transmission – Standard bed – Rear chrome step bumper – Opening Vent Windows |
| Custom Options: | – Mini-Van conversion with red interior carpeting. – Fiberglas Camper shell with porthole windows – Chromed Wheels with oversize raised-white letter tires – Custom seats, black vinyl/red cloth – Custom black/gold-button accent interior upholstery – Custom built-in upright ice chest with mirror front. – Chromed Custom Wide Mirrors, right side mirror electric adjustable – Standard bumper-mount Trailer Hitch and trailer wiring – AM/FM Cassette Stereo with dual speakers in rear bed area, under-dash mounted headphone jack – Column-mounted tachometer – Citizens Band (CB) Radio w/antenna and remote under-dash speaker – Custom red overhead light in rear bed section |
| Major Repairs | Overhauled engine at about 94,000 miles. – Installed Jacobs Electronic Ignition – Rewired fuse block with new fuse panel and upgraded headlamp fuse – Installed electric thermostat-controlled fan – Installed heavier-power alternator – Added second oil pan drain plug |
| Comments: | – Stolen Early December 1985, from condo parking lot, San Diego, California – Recovered December 27, 1985, by police in Waukegan, Illinois. Subsequently driven back to San Diego – Isuzu import sold under the Chevrolet brand and distributorships. |
| External Reference: | Wikipedia Entry for Chevrolet Luv Series |
Photo Collection
This photo was taken in the early spring of 1980, at my Aunt and Uncle’s place in Baldwin, Long Island. The person with me is my cousin Mike Fenton.
This picture was taken in late spring, 1980, at Mom’s house in Burlingham, New York. The person in the photo is my best buddy Chuck Schmitt. (Chuck gav
Chevy Luv Factory Brochure
Cover page for a 1977 Chevy Luv advertising brochure. Looking through this brings back some pleasant memories…
I still love the lines of the exterior styling. Even in it’s time, this truck had a quirky, to me almost an “art deco” look, that set it apart from every other small truck in its class.
My particular truck did not have the Mikado package; there were enough options even without the factory upgrade package.
I did have custom split seats instead of the stock bench seat, one of the many custom upgrades.
Along with the exterior, I really loved the dashboard styling. This brochure doesn’t really show it well, but the padded dash featured a “sideways hourglass” look, with the instrument panel symmetrical with the glove box, and the radio as the “waist.” Without the A/C option there was a shelf where the A/C interior unit would have mounted, which provided plenty of map storage. I also mounted a fire extinguisher under this shelf for long distance driving safety.
For some reason, this brochure does not include the Black color scheme. The instrument panel lighting was light green (a feature carried through in the 1988 SpaceCab) which I also enjoyed. To me the green lighting looks “professional” and easy on the eyes.
Index
Introduction
1977 Chevrolet LUV (Isuzu Luv Series Six) Pickup Truck
1979 MG Midget 1500
1980 Chevrolet Chevette 4 door Hatchback
1988 Isuzu LS SpaceCab Pickup Truck
1976 Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1.6 Four Door Sedan
1978 Mercedes Benz 200D 4 Door Sedan
1991 Volvo 240 Sedan
2004 Isuzu Rodeo LS SUV
2000 Volkswagen New Beetle GL 2 Door Hatchback
2009 Nissan Versa 1.8S Hatchback
2013 Nissan Versa 1.6SV Sedan
2015 Jeep Cherokee “Latitude”
2024 Thor Scope 18G RV
Final Thoughts and Table of Changes
[…] basis over an eleven year period for family visits. My more memorable trips were made with the MG Midget I briefly owned, but ghosts of my frequent commutes are everywhere along the I-5 […]
Yikes, trying to comment and somehow ended up in your WordPress control panel. That was weird!
So anyway, found someone that’s owned a few cars like me,although I have ya beat by around 20 LOL.
Read most of your R. Garwood story. Geez that sucks.