Years ago, rumors spread that you could buy a surplus Army Jeep for $100, still disassembled in the shipping crate.
"1986 M1009 CUCV Diesel 4X4 Chevy K5 Blazer Army Truck" by dc2wheel is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
If there ever were surplus, crated Jeeps, they were probably gone two days after VE Day in 1945. But those weren't the end of surplus military trucks. Not by a mile. Over the years, one of the most popular surplus vehicles to buy was the Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle, but everyone calls them CUCV. While the supply of CUCVs from commercial government auctions (Iron Planet, Gov Liquidation) has slowed, they still come around from time to time.
Let’s look at what they were, why they’re still awesome, and how you can title and register one.
Even though it looks like a standard square-body Chevy truck, which it basically is, CUCVs were military fleet vehicles, not GSA.
What Is A CUCV?
To understand the CUCV, you must first understand a little history. CUCV is a program, not a specific vehicle. Like all military acquisitions, it started as a concept to be proved, and that concept was pushed out in the form of an acquisition contract to be fulfilled by the winning vendor. It’s not different from how they approve and acquire small arms, artillery systems, or new helicopters.
The CUCV program came from a demand for military fleet vehicles that the Army could buy off the civilian market. All tactical vehicles cost far more to procure and buy (Kaiser, HMMWVs) than commercially available vehicles. The military uses an enormous fleet of commercial vehicles for public works, police and security services, and general transportation. These are not for use in the field, deployment, or tactical situations. The military purchased the CUCVs and tactical vehicles outright, which were kept and maintained for many years.
They wanted a fleet of utility and cargo trucks to support garrison activities and follow tactical vehicles in the field and on deployments. So, in the 1970s, the call went out for a commercially available pickup they could use for this purpose.
The first iteration of the CUCV was the Dodge M880. It was a D200 ¾-ton truck with beefed-up spring packs with a 1 ¼-ton rating. It was powered with the ultra-reliable 318ci Mopar small block and used a Torqueflite 727. Also, all CUCVs ran a 24-volt system to be compatible with large tactical vehicles.
The Dodge M880s were phased out long ago, but the successive iterations were in service well into the 2000s. My former job at Fort Leavenworth used an M1009 CUCV Blazer until around 2010. It’s a shame I missed it.
Why Is the CUCV the Most Awesome Surplus Pickup Ever?
The next generation of CUCVs was the first diesel iteration. These took a square-body Chevy pickup or Blazer with the 6.2l Detroit diesel engine (naturally aspirated for sub-optimal performance in all conditions) and a TH400 transmission.
The M1008 pickup was plussed up to a 1 ¼-ton chassis, and the K5 Blazer was beefed up to a ¾-ton chassis. That’s right, kids, a ¾-ton Blazer with a diesel. Baller.
Also, the Blazer ran on the 10-bolt rear ends with 3.08:1 gears, while the M1008 pickup ran on super-beefy 10.5” rear ends geared down to 4.56:1. Why they geared these two trucks so differently and expected them to drive in fleets together, I have no idea. But convoys are limited to 40mph on highways, so it worked.
CUCV Blazer?! The M1009
"1986 M1009 CUCV Diesel 4X4 Chevy K5 Blazer Army Truck" by dc2wheel is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
We’ve already touched on this, but the Blazer version was intended for use as an officer transport vehicle, mobile command and control, and other administrative tasks. But, of course, the allure as a surplus truck is a ¾-ton Blazer with a diesel. Of course, it’d be much cooler if the 6.2l weren’t so gutless, but it’s still an awesome rig.
Where Can You Buy A CUCV?
Well, there are a few different ways to find a CUCV. You can still find them on contracted auction websites, although they are getting a little thin now. If you find one here, you’ll have to figure out how to title and register it.
See, if you buy a used GSA from an auction, it comes with a clean title (unless otherwise indicated) because GSA fleets are just plain old fleet vehicles and carry a plain title.
Isn't It A GSA With A Title?
No, the CUCVs were never a GSA fleet vehicle. GSA fleet vehicles are never owned by any agency other than the GSA; they are leased to whatever agency uses them. Once they hit the magic ticker on the calendar, GSA recalls them from the agency and auctions them off.
CUCVs were government-owned non-tactical vehicles. Since they were owned by the DoD and not a fleet lease, the DoD never had to title or register them. It doesn’t matter much to the military, but it can make life a little more difficult for the rest of us trying to pick one up for street legal use. Of course, they are street-legal by design, with all required safety equipment, lights, horns, etc. But you must figure out how to get a title for it and register it. Otherwise, you’re stuck with an ornamental OHV.
Can I Register It With Just A Bill of Sale?
Yes! When you buy a used CUCV (or any decommissioned military vehicle, for that matter), you will only be issued a bill of sale from the auctioneer.
However, not every state is friendly with issuing titles from a bill of sale. However, we work with the Utah DMV, which is more friendly towards issuing titles for military surplus vehicles.
Here is what you need to make sure you can get your title and registration with the least resistance possible:
ID/Passport/Drivers License (Copy)
Bill of sale
Proof of insurance
Proof of tax paid in the form of a dealer bill of sale or DMV tax receipt (if applicable — if you don’t have proof, you’ll need to pay tax).
Photo of VIN
VIN Inspection (We provide this form to be completed by your local police or the DMV)
Other Items You’ll Need
Also, we work with a few select insurance options that will get you on the road with the least resistance:
Before you can register it, make sure to confirm it is DOT legal. Since you are driving a decommissioned military vehicle, you are a large target for scrutiny, so double-check that all of these are satisfied:
White headlights with low and high beam
Red tail lights with brighter or separate brake light
Reflectors: yellow front and rear
White license plate light
Front and rear turn signals
DOT tires
Mirrors
Horn
Quiet exhaust with muffler
Spark arrestor (if you plan to use trails, OHV areas, etc.)
Seat belts
Handbrake
Rollover protection
Windshield and wipers
We don’t need them to register your vehicle, but we don’t want you getting pinched by Johnny Law, so please make sure you’re squared away.
Do I need an SF97?
Only if the vehicle is newer than 2008, which a CUCV won’t come even close to. However, if you have the opportunity to get an SF97 with it, I’d suggest it. This is the government we’re dealing with here; more information and proof of ownership is always better than not enough. Once you pull away with your surplus vehicle, you won’t get another chance to get an SF97.
Wrapping Up
There is something so cool about a vintage military surplus vehicle. They are so spartan; there are no amenities at all. They are drab and colorless, and that’s probably why we like them so much. Why else would brand new, $60,000+ civilian trucks be painted in drab, muted colors similar to military paint schemes?
However, you don’t have to settle for a new truck when you want a genuine article. We’ll help you title and register the truck if you handle sourcing and buying it. We take the pain and hassle out of it so you can focus on driving it!
John McCoy is a lifelong car and truck enthusiast and has a strong mechanical background off the road. He spent over 13 years in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief, assigned to the B-1B Lancer, affectionately known as the Bone to those in the community, and the KC-135R Stratotanker. He resides on a small farm in Eastern Kansas where he (sometimes) enjoys fixing ancient farm equipment.