Cars in Yards: 1972 Chevrolet LUV pickup truck gets chopped by tree, bring a chainsaw

A tree grows through a first generation Chevy LUV pickup truck.

Chevy LUV pickup goes green the hard way. How often does a 40-year-old pickup truck get overlooked when its parked in the middle of a front yard. A first glance fail! I missed it! And it had a tree growing through the cab! Chevy's little trucks get no respect.
   The shot above was taken as I drove away from an impromptu junkyardlife visit to an unsuspecting homeowner. Ron Kidd and I were roaming the back roads looking for projects, parts and information when we spotted a home with at least twenty white vans surrounding the perimeter.
  "This guy might know where I can find some wheels for my ’55," Ron said. My partner in grime, Ron, who is in the middle of his frame-off 1955 Chevy project, is digging for Tri-Five treasure everywhere we go now.
  After a brief conversation with the owner we learned that he must be a Ford guy.
  "No luck here."
  We backed out of the uneven, dirt and gravel driveway and the Chevy LUV, parked smack dab in the middle of the yard with a tree growing through it, came into focus.
  "How did we miss that?"

Highway miles
  I was afraid to go back and ask the homeowner about the little, Isuzu-sourced Chevy built somewhere between 1972-1977. We had already pulled him out onto the porch on a cold, snow-flurry-filled winter Saturday. We had punished him enough. But what happened to this truck? Did the tree bust the top out? Was it a home-built convertible conversion? How many miles are on it? So many questions?

Save this LUV?
  Leave a comment on what you think happened and whether you would try to save this LUV?
  Want to check out more cars with trees growing through them? See a 1955 Chevy with a tree growing through it. Or some 1930s classics with trees growing through them.

– Jody Potter, junkyardlife.com

Know of a car or a junkyard I need to visit or want to send me photos and info about a barn find, car or junkyard?  

Send emails to junkyardbull@gmail.com.



Chevrolet LUV Pickup Truck First Generation production numbers
(1972-1980)

1972 — 21,098
1973 — 39,422
1974 — 30,328
1975 — *
1976 — 46,670
1977 — 67,539 (change to 2 headlights)
1978 — 71,145
1979 — 100,192 (4WD option available)
1980 — 88,447

Chevrolet LUV Pickup Truck Second Generation production numbers (1981-1982)

1981 — 61,724
1982 — 22,304

*N/A
Source: luvtruck.com