Hi guys,

The US Army uses several types of civilian suv,s like the Ford 150.
What color is the inside of such a vehicle ?
Is it standard green , white or what.
Does anyone know ?

TIA !

Ge

The only current, civilian vehicles the US Military (all branches) use are for non-tactical, mostly on-base use and for running around town. They are usually just as they come off the factory floor and the same as any civilian version of the vehicle that can be bought by anyone at a dealership.

In the late '70s and '80s, there were militarized civilian trucks used, both Dodge (1st batch) and Chevy (2nd batch - more prevalent). These were called CUCVs (Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle). They were interim vehicles used until enough HMMWVs could be fielded to replace them. They were used in more tactical roles, but not intended for service on the front-lines in combat.

Dodge
1977 M880 CUCV pickup


1976 M886 CUCV Ambulance


Chevy
1986 M1008 CUCV pickup


1986 M1009 CUCV Blazer


1986 M1010 CUCV "Crackerbox" Ambulance


1985 M1028 CUCV Shelter Carrier


1986 M1031 CUCV Maintenance Truck


Both the M1008 and M1009 are available in 1/35 in resin by MiniMan Factory.

The CUCV was considered a tactical “utility” vehicle. The interior color of the CUCV body was green— the same paint used as a base coat on the exterior of the vehicle. Some later models were painted in CARC paint on the exterior. The dash was green, seats were black, although the seats could also be found in a dark brown depending on the vehicle. Headliners and accessories were usually a green or a brown color, gear shift knobs and steering wheels were black. Most had black floor mats. I spent a lot of time inside CUCVs while stationed in Korea in the mid 80s, and at one point was an assigned driver when our KATUSAs were prohibited from driving. I once had to perform a fan belt change in the middle of a Seoul street during rush hour traffic, an experience I’ll never forget.
VR, Russ

Hi Gino,

Thanks for your fast reply.
What inside-color would these militarized civilian trucks would have been ?

Ge



Russ beat me just to it !!

The CUCVs were painted the same forest green on the inside as the outside. The door panels, seats, dash boards and other "soft" surfaces were a medium red/brown color.

M1008 CUCV pickup


M1009 CUCV Blazer

Thank you both guys !
Question answered !

Keep safe

Ge

I wish someone would make a plastic M1028 and M1008. I'd LOVE to make a dio of my team's equipment back when I was a budding young E4(P)ermanent!

Were the interiors factory-painted for military use, or were they stripped out and/or masked and painted by personnel?

The vehicles were factory built under a US Government contract. All the interior colors were applied at the factory. They originally came in overall forest green, and later came in NATO Camo. Some were also painted MERDC at the unit level.

Many were hastily repainted sand externally for Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990 as well.


There were still a few knocking around for OIF as well. We had a M1008 following along behind my Radar battery with a Logistics Assistance Rep (LAR - DA civilian) for the radars driving it during the invasion in '03.

Just as an aside, a not so “funny story”, we had a Signal Battalion in ROK that received 10 brand new M1028 CUCVs from the factory in CARC green, to be used as RTT shelter vehicles. The Battalion Commander didn’t like the finish of the paint, so he ordered the paint to be waxed with “olive oil” and buffed to a high shine, which he felt was more appropriate for inspections. Unfortunately, this compromised the CARC paint. This, along with some interesting ideas about what troops could have in their personal space in the barracks led to his being relieved of command within three months of taking over the unit. All ten CUCVs had to be sent back to the depot to be paint stripped and repainted in CARC. Not all CUCVs had CARC though, only certain vehicles designated for tactical use— such as shelter vehicles had it. The 1009 I drove for a while was not CARC painted and had field applied MERDC camouflage as Gino pointed out. I believe initially, they all came in basic NATO green, and camouflage was applied later.
VR, Russ

My unit ripped all the floor mats out because they would hold water and promote rust. When I bought one, the first thing I did was rip out the floormates. The next thing I did was repair the floor.

There used to be an upholstery spray paint at the auto store that came very close to matching the brown interior color.

Wish there was a 1009 in plastic, I drove an LTC for a year in one of those, always fun watching the sergeant major sliding around on the heavily armor all’d back seats cussing me out, whenever we had him on board

When Stormin' Norman was commander of I Corp his jeep was supposedly polished with brake fluid to give it a bit of gloss. When I got to Ft. Lewis in 89 we went to the Ft Lewis museum which had his jeep on display. And it was shiny. Destroyed the purpose of the CARC but it sure was purty.

They still had K-cars when I was in. They came in dark blue, dark green and black. The interior colors were the same as body colors and the trim and upholstery was black or brown.

We had 3 K-cars when I was in high school. Two were used as parts to keep the best one, a station wagon, running. They rusted and fell apart just sitting in the driveway. The last chore I did before reporting for basic training was to help tow those things to the wrecking yard. I was so relieved to get rid of them only to see them in vast numbers while marching to our basic training barracks at the Ft. Dix from the reception center.

In Berlin we had K-cars and Merkur Scorpios. They were fielding the humvee in W. Germany but in Berlin we still had jeeps. I will say the Scorpio was the nicest military vehicle I ever been in. Comfortable, stylish, a bit of performance but most important working heating and air conditioning.

When I left active duty, I joined the Maryland NG. I was assigned my own M1009 CUCV Blazer. I loved that thing - easy to drive and comfortable. When we convoyed, I was either lead or tailgunner. So much fun to drive.