I had 78 Luv in High School, circa 1990, and we put a used Isuzu G200 engine in it, added a DGAV 32/36 Weber, deleted the smog pump, and set of Hedman long tube headers on it. Probably squeezed 90 to 100 hp out of the little 1949 cc motor. Fun truck!!

I wish the Auto manufacturers would bring back the small trucks for the in-between jobs.❤

Hell yes i was a minitrucker , still am. Its reassuring to know im not the only insane adult playing with toys.

I can't believe I sat there while eating breakfast watching someone maintenanceizing a Chevy Luv. To my surprise I enjoyed every minute! You never cease to amaze.

used to drive a 1980 Courier about 40 miles to work on dirt roads, had a portable radio for tunes that came free with a Time magazine suscription 😆

My 75 Chevy luv was pretty much one of the best trucks I ever owned. All 75 hp of it.

Merlin your work ethic is amazing. You manage to squeeze lemons into lemonade every week.

Merlin, you're a magician. That truck has risen from the grave(l).

I like that you do the old school brazing instead of welding

Really cool looking old truck

My Pops had a black 4x4 LUV with a 6.5' plow back in the 80's. He used to plow out everybody on the street. Up here in NH we can get a lot of snow. The truck never failed in its job. He was like a kid again when he was working that thing. Payment for his services usually involved a pie of some sort.

first car I ever bought was a 77 Luv long bed, 2wd, love what you did to this one, not a fan of the wheel choice or the lowering, but it's yours, you can have it how you like, I am a huge fan of saving these old cars

That’s a sweet truck! Everything Merlin touches turns to a thing of beauty! Love the channel Merl!

Looks fantastic Merlin, lowering it was the right call.😊

My first truck at my first wedding was a 1974 Chevy luv stick, it was baby color green lol it lasted about 1 year, and that marriage about 5 years , lol😮thanks BigAl California.

I had a Chevy Luv/Isuzu, a Ford Courrier/Mazda, several Datsun 710s... I was a mini trucker!

LUV...Light utility vehicle ! 😁

I had one of these as my 1st car… It was 2 years old!!!

She's gorgeous!!

Second best part of my Sundays are a morning with a video from MOSG....#1 of course is church.

An old friend had a Chevy Luv, we went everywhere in that truck, hardly ever had an issue, ran like a dream. Nice to see a mini back in action.

I wish I'd have known what I know now, that there would be days when light trucks like these wouldn't be available. I'd have bought so many Luvs, Couriers, D50s, Datsuns, Toyotas, etc. I went to high school with a guy who'd gotten one of the 1970's Chevy aluminum block V8s, and put it in a Luv over a summer. That was the world's most noisy, twitchy, and sketchy shade tree truck, but it was sure fun once the terror faded. Outside of the US, the Luv name lives on, we call it the Colorado.

That old LUV is cleaning up nice. Uses a bit of oil, but you’ve got a running truck. These are just cool old pickups. My favorite LUV I the first gen 4x4 short bed in black with the white wagon wheels, raised white letter tires and round tail lights below the tailgate. In black with red interior upholstery. And the shiny front bumper and headlight trim.

Love this episode Merlin! I had a 72, drove it in high school. Swapped in a 327 right after high school in 76, drove that truck for 14 years with builds from a tunnel ram dual quad to a blower. Lots of fun and honed my skills on it. Thanks for the memories!

Shoot, that thing will outlive us all. great job and a kool little ride. now it's gonna need some A/C.

Back in the day after school we would have these little trucks lowered, air cleaner lid flipped, hot-wired, have an hour of cruising in and put back together before Dad got home.

Sweet truck great job on the mini truck

You can't ruin that truck, you made it a lot better! My pride and joy is my garage-kept 1990 Ford Ranger which I bought new. It's a 5-speed standard cab with a 2.9L V6. Every time I drive it I get thumbs up from other car people. I love seeing the older vehicles resurrected from rust and wrecking yards.

The Chevy Luv is a nice time capsule from back then. Thanks for sharing Merlin the Luv looks great..

The Pott County Legend would be so proud of you guys.

Had a red '76 4X4 in the mid '80s, looking at a pic of it right now. Was a blast bombing around 2 tracks and sand hills, cheap on gas as a daily driver, all for $300!

I had a 76 Luv cool little truck.

Blast from the past for me. I had a '76 LUV. Drove that thing over 130 thousand miles all over the place. Thanks for the memories.

A school friend of mine had a Red 4x4 Luv. Always thought it was a sharp looking little truck. 💯👍

Nice luv Chevy nice tires with hub it awesome bring old mini truck on road

I've always wanted a LUV TRUCK

Back in the day a guy in my neighborhood put a small block Chevy in one of them trucks and it was a rocket ship 🚀!!!

Back in the Late 80s I bought a 1973 F-100. I was sold on that truck because of the AM, one-speaker radio. I knew if it had been owned by a teenager, they would have added an AM/FM Cassette with Stereo speakers and it would likely have been driven much harder.

I owned a 4x4 1979 little utility vehicle LUV and we did a lot of engine modifications and still wouldn't climb our mountain roads. It was gut less. But it looked great.

Nice little runabout. I love it.

I had a Ford courier back in the late 80s and it was the best truck I ever owned. It was painted with house paint with a roller and still the best truck I ever owned

My brother had a chevy luv diesel. That was an amazing truck. I had a Datsun with a ford v6 and a toyota 4x4 with a diesel and i miss both of them trucks especially the toy diesel

Yer’ lil mini truck might LUV some red n’ white pin stripe’in… regardless she’s gonna be a cool lil’ride! “Keep on Truckin"

I bought a Chevy LUV from the dealer back in the day. You mentioned the carb being junk and I agree. I had my little truck back for warranty work I have no idea how many times to try and fix the carb ( no idle what so ever at times ) and times it ran perfect. Once that was fixed the truck was a great vehicle.

Great video and the truck looks cool with Centerlines. Always liked that body style best among the minis. Thanks for an interesting watch😎

I bought a 74 Luv in 79 while stationed in Guam for 3 years in the Navy. Taught my wife how to drive a stick shift in it lol. Always wanted to get a 4x4 one.

Looks great Merlin. We lowered my son's Ford Ranger back in the 80s. He really enjoyed that truck.

Hey Merlin Paul at Fab Rats is building his 65 truck. And he said his is gonna be way faster and better then yours. So he's calling you out lol. Thanks for the video bro 👍 Hey that little luv looks AWESOME now man good job.

I remember those old Luv pickups. My Dad bought an old one a gave to my son back around 1989. He had a blast with that old truck. Drove the dickens out of it for 2 or 3 years before graduating to a bit newer S-10. Looks like you got it running pretty good. Nice job, Merlin!!

I miss my old luv

You did a great job on that truck! 😀👍

That mini semi is bad a$$ love it brother it turned out great looks cool .

I restored 3 Chevy LUV trucks way back. A 78, an 80, and an 81 4WD. Very reliable trucks.

You showed the little Chevy Luv some love!! Great little pickup!

I like it,you sure know how pick a classic.

Cool truck, I graduated in 78, so I kinda predated the mini truck era, but appreciated the work. I had a lower 73 stepside with a 454

Centerline wheels look great . I didn't get the Luv truck because the population of Vegas would have gone up too soon . So the El Camino was my truck back in the 80s

Thanks for your vid 😇💟💟💟 Love and bless you guys, good work Merlin.

Love those Chevy luv trucks. My uncle will be out @ long Beach as well selling model t parts as well out there. Not sure I will make but will try. Merlin & his crew of people smart & cool people

Omg I had that same truck back in 1989 . I luved that truck. The bed tie downs were the best. It climbed hills like a goat.

I had a 77 baby blue Chevy Luv. It was my senior year of High school (78) Lots of memories. I put a am/fm 8 track player in it. I also put wide tires and wheels on the back and a short glass pack muffler. Fun!

I say you made that little truck much better an for sure much happier...

My first truck was an 84 s10 and the Chevy luv has always been my dream first project. I'm super excited to live vicariously with this video, thank you!

It's not always about pulling the rabbit out of the hat, in this case it's evicting the rats out of the engine! Merlin the magician preforming his magic as usual! Giving Love to his Luv is why we all are amazed with his wizardly ways see his skills of being a master macanic! Catch you on the next.✌️ 😊

I like the wheels and stance. Nice look.

Those little Isuzu's were great little motors. They were installed in a lot of vehicles. Correct me if I am wrong but 1.7 liters and they made one that was 2.0. Had several Luv's and great running little trucks. I had a crawler I was building years , decades, ago and I had an aftermarket step side bed that I put on it. Don't you wish you had all those old cars back again? That bed was one I wish I had kept.

Love the old Japanese trucks, wish I had a 4wd now.

Lookin good Merlin!

Yup had 1 it was yellow good little truck duel points 😊

Yes I'm a min trucker. And I still have mine. I really need to get mine back on the road. It's a 79 Toyota

I bought a used 1972 LUV in San Diego 2wd drove it all over the Anza Borego desert! Drove it hard never a problem. Great memories!

Nice 😅 I love it. My buddy used to have a Dotson truck and it went everywhere !!!

Once again a pulled a few rabbits out of your magic hat. Merlin the original OG of fabrication for the home run. Thanks for taking us subscriber's along for the ride. Love the channel. Keep up the great work. ✌️👍🤙🤙😁😎🍀🍀🍀🍀🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🪄🪄🪄🪄.

I ❤ minitrucking. More Luv please!

i had a 78 luv in the day you did well!

Great to see a classic back on the road

Love it. I had a '75 Datsun 620. Bitchin wheels you got there!

Mrs Johnson you are an angel! I have trouble with the amount of stuff I have big dreams for 🛠️🔧🛠️🔧🛠️🔧. Because of my better half 😊. Thank you 🙏 for allowing Mr M.J. To do his thing 😘 !! Dam always comment. Before the end 😢. Beautiful build brother

I think it's a cool little truck now

Sweet little truck. Goes to show that the older trucks run just as good as the new ones as long as you keep up the maintenance on them. Of course no humidity and road salt helps.

I as had a chevrolet luv 4x4 yellow. Love that truck .

It’s far better than it was I was never a mini truck guy but it’s nice to see you working on stuff tips and tricks

Merlin, do not destroy that rear bumper. It's super rare. Someone in the LUV truck community will buy it. Even better if you have it straightened and rechromed first. Heck, I already have one, but I'll take if you want to sell it.

Great job Merlin I really wish they made them again that's why the call them luv cause we love them

Fantastic work your doing

Man, that brings back memories. I worked for the Food & Ag Dept. from 1979 through the 1980’s driving that same year Chevy Luv pickup. It was 4WD, Light Blue, White spoke rims, and had a white eagle on the door. I LUV’ed that truck!

Those Isuzu motors almost indestructable, good to swap out the carb. Thanks for sharing your jouney back to your distant past Merlin.

I’ve got a 1980 4x4 LUV Mikado. It’s hard to come by parts, but it’s a fun toy to drive around and I love the decals painted on the hood and bedside. It screams 80’s nostalgia.

My very first truck was a 1977 Chevy LUV 1.8 in-line 4. Replaced the garbage carburetor with a Weber carb.Rebuilt the Engine witch had 200,000 miles . Crane cam heavy duty valve springs shaved head. Hooker headers, center force clutch, points out of the 289 ford. Stock points would float at 8200 the ford point would go to 8800. 215 HP on AV gas at 6800. Thanks for sharing the Little Utility Vehicle.

Sick truck. I want it. Cool grocery getter.

Thanks for that flash back down memory lane. I had an 80 luv for my first truck, fresh off the farm. Drove it all through high school.

My brother and I had a white 72 that looked just like yours. 😊😊😊

Looks very sharp too!!

That thing is awesome! I love single cab short bed trucks, I have a Tacoma and a Datsun 👍

you never fail to amaze me with your knowledge and talent. From Cummings diesel to air cooled VW, jet skis to airplanes to Model A and T, you are a master of them all. I really enjoy this one, just making it run well and look great. Just shows you don't always have to LS swap every project.

Merlin, you are a magician, you make things look so interesting and at the same time fun! Keep truckin!

I still can’t believe that bolts on that actually turn after setting so long. Like I said we here in central Illinois are just not able to wrap our heads around that. You still also amaze me on how you work with hand tools and what you know from your life experiances

Merlin, back in the day I had a 77 luv, black, loved it, then later in life started my mobile pressure washing business and had to sell it and I really regretted it but it is what it is, great video.

My first LUV was a white 2wd great little truck but wanted a 4wd so got a black 4wd, one of the most capable 4x4’s I’ve ever owned! Thanks for bringing this one back to life!

Ahhhh the 80’s…Mini trucks and Beetles. That was the scene here on the east coast. I had both and was constantly tinkering on something….great times.!