More Than He Expected: VJ and his CUCV Chevy K30

• July 15, 2013
• / Story By
  Nitto Admin

Last week we introduced you to Artur and his Sidekick, one of the few readers selected to join in on the annual Petersen’s 4Wheel & Off-Road Ultimate Adventure. A week-long off-road excursion, Ultimate Adventure is a 1,000-mile journey across a portion of the US (the location changes each year). During the journey the group of 20-30 rigs stays off-road as much as possible, but they also have to cover some highway miles while traveling from place to place – so it requires a road-legal rig that can withstand a variety of elements and last the entire week. VJ Perrin has been off-roading since before he could legally drive, 31 years of wheeling to be exact – “Some things you’re just born with,” he says. First hearing about Ultimate Adventure from a friend who’s gone, VJ thought it would be fun to meet people from various parts of the country who have the same hobby. Although VJ has a number of other off-road vehicles, and is the go-to guy builder in his group at home, the vehicle he chose to enter for Ultimate Adventure is a 1985 Chevy K30 1-ton truck he picked up at a military auction a few months prior. Bidding on the “ugliest” truck of the bunch, VJ was only after its axles and didn’t expect the truck to be operable. Picking it up at just $1400, VJ was surprised when he was told it ran fine. Returning home and putting in a new battery, it ran “like new”. Once VJ found out he was accepted to take part in Ultimate Adventure, he and his friends worked religiously on it every weekend, prepping the Chevy CUCV  for the trip (CUCV is military-speak forCommercial Utility Cargo Vehicle). Utilizing mainly leftover parts from other builds, VJ did a host of things to get it Ultimate Adventure-ready:

• Roll cage with harnesses
• Replace rear bumper with a custom one
• Warn Zeon winch with custom front tube-mount
• Line lock E-brake
• Upgrade to a 60-gallon fuel tank
• Convert to 12V
• Mount, mount, and mount everything

It looks like VJ had a fantastic time on Ultimate Adventure – and this 1985 Chevy Pickup got him through the journey! Vehicle Specs 1985 Chevy K30 CUCV Pickup 6.2L Diesel TH400 Transmission Dana 60 Front Axle 14-Bolt Rear Axle Detroit Locker Differential 4.56:1 Gear Ratio Front Suspension: 6-inch Superlift leaf springs Rear Suspension: 6-inch Pro Comp leaf springs Nitto 40” Trail Grappler Tires Warn 12,0000 lb winch with custom tube-mount Carc paint (military issue chemical agent retardant coating, “nothing sticks to it”)