Or a Cummins.
Old 6.2L GM military truck ... Talk me out of this......
- Thread starter burbguy82
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2024
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- 302
Drive hard,
Keep the ol' girl original.
LS swaps are everywhere including Nissan Minitrucks...
Leave it original and take care of it and it should outlast you.
Everyone and her sister puts Cummins in trucks. Why not just buy a white Suburban put black Chinese rims on it, a my kids are on the honor roll sticker on the back window, and drive it to Starbucks like EVERYONE else. That is not the point of this rig. If you think it is, I can't explain it to you.
If you have to ask why...I have no words for that question.
Keep the ol' girl original.
LS swaps are everywhere including Nissan Minitrucks...
Leave it original and take care of it and it should outlast you.
Everyone and her sister puts Cummins in trucks. Why not just buy a white Suburban put black Chinese rims on it, a my kids are on the honor roll sticker on the back window, and drive it to Starbucks like EVERYONE else. That is not the point of this rig. If you think it is, I can't explain it to you.
If you have to ask why...I have no words for that question.
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JHZR2
Staff member
Square body diesel?!? I’m jealous.
Who cares if it’s slow or doesn’t have much power.
Seems like a lot of money, but the low mileage, good bad or otherwise, helps to justify it.
If you can afford it, garage it (so you can put colllector insurance on it), then go have fun!!
Who cares if it’s slow or doesn’t have much power.
Seems like a lot of money, but the low mileage, good bad or otherwise, helps to justify it.
If you can afford it, garage it (so you can put colllector insurance on it), then go have fun!!
kind of defeats the purpose, and value of the truck, but sure.....
i think if it ever died, i would go with the GEP engine
this is correct
already have hagerty on it, just for what i paid, in line now at dmv........which sucks
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
I vote to keeping it all original with one exception. If you ever need to work on suspension...... there are simply too many new upgrades available all over to not look into that at such time which is probably a long way off. I could see maybe only needing to replace
the shocks. Even on low mileage stuff those oem shocks have a way of just flat our dying ....losing fluid etc. from just sitting too much in the same position with little movement. Main thing... ENJOY IT!
That’s like saying every vehicle made 1950 or earlier is undrivable.
My father had a 30’s era truck that had somewhere around 65hp.
Best to just enjoy things the way they are.
JHZR2
Staff member
72 hp gets me interstate speeds in my 240d. This truck is heavier and less aerodynamic, and has quite a gearing ratio, but it should go around ok.
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2024
- Messages
- 302
I'd be absolutely fine with it. Right lane and all. That's a fun rig. It aught to do 60-65mph just fine. Burb gets it. I drove an 87 6.9 F350 4.10s with small tires, direct drive 4spd from Dallas down I35 in traffic and all. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It's breed in the country boy DNA.
It's breed in the country boy DNA.
If it was a 2wd with a 2:1 T-case you just run the case in reverse to get a super high overdrive. Straight cut gears usually run just as good backwards
Would probably need smaller tires though.
The big tires especially combined with a lift make for really bad gas mileage
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/m1008-fuel-mileage.155819/
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Well, so far the truck operates really nice and smooth. Drivetrain fluids were check=OK to good condition. Tcase was 1.5 quarts low, out of 5 total. Gear oil was "clean"
I have found a few things that need addressing:
*power steering pump is leaking pretty bad from the reservoir tank to pump seal.....not sure if I am going to get a new pump or reseal that part.
*coolant tank is cracked (already fixed plastic welding and epoxy), just an overflow tank, no pressure
*under one battery tray is pretty rusted, likely from leaking battery at one point, will need to fab a new battery support and hold-down.
So, I plan to drain and fill all fluids and replace with new, change the ATF filter, change the fuel filter, and that is that. Not bad for a near 40 years old truck.
Cruising speed seems to be 50mph, due to the 4.56 gears and no overdrive.
The thing has some power (due to gears), and gets up pretty quick. From 0 to max cruising speed, I would race a Veyron all day.
One interesting thing is the brake fluid........DOT5 silicone brake fluid only.
I will post some pics when I tear into it.
I have found a few things that need addressing:
*power steering pump is leaking pretty bad from the reservoir tank to pump seal.....not sure if I am going to get a new pump or reseal that part.
*coolant tank is cracked (already fixed plastic welding and epoxy), just an overflow tank, no pressure
*under one battery tray is pretty rusted, likely from leaking battery at one point, will need to fab a new battery support and hold-down.
So, I plan to drain and fill all fluids and replace with new, change the ATF filter, change the fuel filter, and that is that. Not bad for a near 40 years old truck.
Cruising speed seems to be 50mph, due to the 4.56 gears and no overdrive.
The thing has some power (due to gears), and gets up pretty quick. From 0 to max cruising speed, I would race a Veyron all day.
One interesting thing is the brake fluid........DOT5 silicone brake fluid only.
I will post some pics when I tear into it.
Yeah, the nature of the NA diesel allows a bit of more high revving without extra cooling and the like. Judging by my experience so far, cruising at 70 would not be a good idea. 3400 aprx is pretty high for extended periods IMO. 50 would be "safer".
I have read that these were made to run at the higher RPM range though.
Can you post some pictures please? Thanks!
I remember similar vehicles for sale at auction back when I worked as a firefighter at Camp Pendleton. Many of those never saw anytime down-range, so they were generally in excellent condition. They simply puttered around the base delivering stuff from location to location. They were essentially Admin vehicles. 
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
Nice catch it looks like to me.
Exactly how do you plan on using it? Would that be a manual 4wd set up? I have seen some look like that. One idea would be as a real good/tough hunting vehicle and MAYBE even a good one to launch and pull all size boats out of any very good to very steep boat launches. Enjoy! 
It is in good shape for an M1008 Most of them lived outside in the rain. This one did not.Nice catch it looks like to me.
I plan on fixing what needs do be (not much or unknown) and just driving it around town. Really wanted one for a long time, and as time goes by, they will just get more scarce.
It is a fully manual 4wd, meaning locking hubs and manual shift. the 1986 model had a chain driven 4wd as opposed to the NP205 which was gear driven. I would prefer the 205, but the 208 is pretty tough also.
I will use it sparingly, keep up with it, and see what happens.
It is a torquey thing.