1973 Chevrolet LUV

[Chuck Most]

In 1975, Hank Harris swapped a 1967 Camaro 350 and the rest was history. Hank's Speed Shop made a name for itself making V8 swap kits for compact pickups. Hank and the shop are gone now, but Hank's grandson Jace Thum has the LUV. It's on it's third paint job, it now has a 1975 4 bolt 350, and has been swapped to five lug hubs to fit a set of Cragar S/S wheels. But imagine a cleaner version with sparkly paint and it looks almost like it would have back then. 

This is the Monogram kit, with Edelbrock engine dress up parts from an AMT '55 Chevrolet stepside, and some old MRC Cragars and Mickey Thompson tires. Paint is distressed Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch aqua, with Gofer Racing decals and a Best Model Car Parts 1973 Michigan plate.

[PappyD340]

Cool build!

[Zen]

👍 Awesome

[1972coronet]

"When I say I'm in love you best I'm in love, L-U-V..." 

Nice Light Utility Vehicle ! The Cragars are spot on, as is that shade of blue. 

I've got one in my stash ; I'm gradually finding 'parts box' items to add (brake master cylinder, for example). 

Did you encounter any fitment issues with the cab's rear bulkhead (back-of-cab / backlight area) ? 

[espo]

Great looking patina finish and the camper shell looks like one where the fiberglass is starting to deteriorate. Like the flares and the wheel and tire setup. 

[Chuck Most]

4 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

"When I say I'm in love you best I'm in love, L-U-V..." 

Nice Light Utility Vehicle ! The Cragars are spot on, as is that shade of blue. 

I've got one in my stash ; I'm gradually finding 'parts box' items to add (brake master cylinder, for example). 

Did you encounter any fitment issues with the cab's rear bulkhead (back-of-cab / backlight area) ? 

I had to fill some startlingly wide gaps after installing the bulkhead.

[1972coronet]

37 minutes ago, Chuck Most said:

I had to fill some startlingly wide gaps after installing the bulkhead.

I don't know if it's the grade of styrene that Revell USA (insofar as the kit's produced in the US) used, or if the tooling is just long in the tooth - I dry-fitted the bulkhead to the cab on my sample, and was disappointed by the de facto 'warpage'. 

Some day I'll drag it out of the stack of unbuilts I have and examine it further... 

[meechum68]

That is great!! The Cragars, the patina on the paint... and the fact you have a v8 in the engine bay makes such a sweet little sleeper! I was expecting to find the I-4. 

That is fantastic!!

[slusher]

 Great build Chuck and I mean great Chevy Luv!

[ncbuckeye67]

Excellent build and weathering. I really enjoy reading your stories too! The cool box art really drew me to buy one of these kits for myself, and it looks really good (still sealed) on my shelf, Lol.

[Dirty Gringo]

On 5/31/2025 at 5:23 PM, Chuck Most said:

In 1975, Hank Harris swapped a 1967 Camaro 350 and the rest was history. Hank's Speed Shop made a name for itself making V8 swap kits for compact pickups. Hank and the shop are gone now, but Hank's grandson Jace Thum has the LUV. It's on it's third paint job, it now has a 1975 4 bolt 350, and has been swapped to five lug hubs to fit a set of Cragar S/S wheels. But imagine a cleaner version with sparkly paint and it looks almost like it would have back then. 

This is the Monogram kit, with Edelbrock engine dress up parts from an AMT '55 Chevrolet stepside, and some old MRC Cragars and Mickey Thompson tires. Paint is distressed Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch aqua, with Gofer Racing decals and a Best Model Car Parts 1973 Michigan plate.

Perfect build this is exactly how I would want to build one of these. 

[Mad Slammer]

Love it, great story too