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Keystone Kustoms Project: Dezert Cruizer - 1978 Chevy LUV

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The Project Of A Lifetime - Dezert Cruizer - Lookin for a Dezert to Cruize

Purchased from my grandmother was my first "running" vehicle, this 1978 Chevrolet LUV concreted forever my addiction to little trucks. I will always be cursed to have one at least as a project. Currently, I have three.

Photos are forthcoming and I will be documenting each process of the rebuilding as I can afford the upgrades, but at this point it looks like a "frame-up" restoration, with me making most of the parts myself, because I can not find anything I want for this truck.

Future concepts for this truck will be the Chevrolet V-6 power plant with a 5-speed, unless I figure out how to mate the Corvette 6-speed instead. The bed will be rebuilt as a full uni-body, so that the truck can be used as a drift truck. A custom pre-pressurized air intake system hopefully with a high powered Brown's Gas generator added to a large turbo charger and intercooler system. As I said, most of these parts I will likely have to cast myself.

The interior is going to a massive undertaking as I am converting it to Right-Hand-Drive, like an English or Japanese car, with the entire interior being completely formed out of wood, including the seats. The sound system is to be my compression styled system with 40 10" subwoofers. The box will be cut through the back of the cab. The sub volume is easily controlled by individual amplifiers per each driver which will be capable of making the truck to compete in either SPL or SQ audio competitions.

The Starter Truck - My Chevy LUV

Light Utility Vehicle

Purchased in 1988 from my grandmother who still lived in Cottonwood, Arizona. My other grandparents towed DC from Arizona to Arkansas behind CHATTERbOX. Bone stock except for a huge single camper, and limo-tint which had already turned purple from the Arizona sun.

DC had 54,000 miles on him when I bought him and still even now barely has 100,000 miles.

He has under gone five paint tranformations, three sets of wheels, being lowered six inches, two motors, a side swing tailgate. He has been tinted about six times in various fashions including flames to match the flame job he had when I was in highschool.

He has had 12 different sound systems and I really can't tell you how many times I have had him stuck.

Dezert Cruizer's Status Update

April 2011
Still nothing as all of my projects have ground to a halt to help my daughter through her divorce. But, a keen eye has returned to the projects and Synyster is in the garage to fix her engine ails. Once that is patched up, either DC or Patriot will be making their way to the garage next.

July 2010
My son had nearly talked me into making this a rat rod until I have the body mods the way I want them. In so doing, he has offered one of his dirt track 350s that has been built to a 406 cubic inch long stroke. We are nearly ready to move DC out of storage and to our own property so that we can work as we see we have a chance.

Although Synyster is taking a heavy priority right now with doing the color sand and re clear and all of the mechanical mods we need to do to her, we do plan on moving forward with this and possibly Patriot as winter gets closer. I say that in the middle of summer... but remember DC hasn't ran since my son was born and he is now 21!