So it seems that AM General was chosen by the USPS to design

>>15891128
My country is backwoods USfuckingA and our mail "trucks" are right hand drive Subaru or Jeep Cherokee

>>15891148
got any pics?

Maybe the new trucks can have a small battery bank, with a electric motor driving the wheels and a gas motor to generate electricity. I think that would be the most efficient setup for the stop and go driving they do.

Third world shithole here, mostly just scooters or tricycle

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I dont know whats wrong with me, I am just happy to see this little van around

>>15891148
backwoodser reporting in. Can confirm Keep Cherokee.

>Government Motors getting a government contract
>Millions of tax money for developing a fucking mail truck

Just buy a Chevy Bolt and gut the back half of the interior ffs

>>15891276
thats just silly. The USPS wants a unique delivery vehicle that will last at least 20 years. the chevy wont last past 10

Who else here gets sad when they see one of the Grumman type trucks in a wreck?

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>>15891128

Are they legal for civilian use?

I would love to turn this into a mini RV.

>>15891352
they might actually be legal just because of their age you could probably register it as a classic car. the age alone makes the lack of any kind of safety or fuel economy irrelevant. The question is if the right hand drive would be street legal for a civilian. dream big though, anon.

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So ive seen some of these

What the fuck are these? They look like the LLV but... more modern

Reminder that the USPS is a government monopoly on letter mail

>>15891420
right hand drive is indeed legal for street use

>>15891345
the LLV is just sucha weird vehicle. maybe its just because it's been around since I was a kid, but i'll be sad to see them go. Even the name is just respectable. "Grumman Long Life Vehicle" Just rolls off the tongue. And to see them still chugging almost a decade well past their intended lifespan just makes me happy.

The USPS has a youtube channel, did you know?

and they made a video specifically dedicated to the truck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN_V7HmcuUA

gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Will they get retired and sold off

>>15891431
excuse me? No one's stopping you from using UPS, DHL, or FedEx.

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Most mail trucks only go 25 miles a day.

They should have just gone with the Nissan e-NV200. They can even just import JDM versions which are already right hand drive.

The little vans have enough range to drive two to three complete routes, with some left over, before charging. So you only need half the number of chargers as you have in vans, at each post office.

The USPS will save in the long term with the cheap energy and low maintenance.


They typical post truck duty cycle also keeps the batteries from being taxed and wearing out too fast. As the battery will never get empty and never be fast charged. Plus all that low speed starting and stopping.

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>>15891458
>having to see this every day

>>15891345
>>15891449
They're just a S-10 chassis from the 80s with that crap iron duke engine in it.

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>>15891465
I can already tell you what the AM General post truck will be based on.

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>>15891458
not nearly big enough.

keep in mind the USPS has to compete with these

>>15891452
with the internet and the advent of online shopping, the shit we sent through the mail has changed. it's less bills and postcards, and more boxes of shit we bought online. And the LLV wasn't designed for that kind of cargo. It was designed for an age where letter mail was still king.

this is the example specifications that the USPS has proposed to their potential contractors. interesting that it doesnt mention a height- but by looks, it looks more like the kind of truck their competitors use on a daily basis.

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>>15891485
At the very least you can bet it will have round headlights. It's practically their trademark by this point. I dont think theyve ever made a vehicle that didnt have round headlights. I mean, this, was their vehicle prototype for the Humvee's replacement

> zero emission options
Eempossabule

>>15891534
most mail trucks don't go that far normally.

their constant starting and stopping favors EVs over guzzoline.

>>15891426
I think it's the same with a different body, the wheelbase looks the same and its using the same base model s-10 wheels.

>>15891541
Even electric cars cause emissions.

>>15891551
depending on location. If you were in Quebec, you would have no emissions at all.

though even if you are in coal and natural gas area. your CO2 per mile is going to be far less than a guzzoline car.

>>15891561
Nah. Every thing made causes emissions. "0 emissions" is symbolism. No one wished to complete the sentence because it shatters the imagery.
On a hilarious note we found out this weekend that clean air is causing global warming. So are babies.

>>15891590
dont forget cow farts

>>15891426
Fucking ricers and their bodykits

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Mostly french small vans

>>15891485
I hate these ugly fucking things

>>15891485
I live right next to the test track in South Bend I will try and upload some video of them beating the shit out of one of those.

>>15891128
AM general is also building the Mercedes Benz R-Class exports to China

>>15891216
So you're saying they should make an i3 mail truck variant

>>15891128
a generator charged hybrid would be a cool way to go

good enough for freight trains

>>15893180
Well they don't need such large battery range. Maybe only 5-30 miles battery only, and a gas engine running at a constant/efficient speed+load to keep the batteries topped off.

>>15891426
i work at the usps plant and we just started getting these. they got these cause they got tired of the mailman getting hit from behind and having their legs torn off

>>15893182
maybe something like a chevy volt cargo van

>>15891431
>>15891458
>>15891541
>>15893219
Though it probably isn't a bad idea, I doubt they'd go with battery-only EVs because that configuration isn't really proven over the desired service life of these vehicles.

Any bid would have to include 20 years' worth of battery replacements, which would likely increase the cost significantly.

>>15891128
As a mail main who has to drive these every day, I can't fucking wait for these things to go.

The rear is small. Not enough room to even stand in the back of the llv. With parcel delivery increasing and letter volume down (thanks emails), there really needs to be more room. On Sundays we only deliver packages and i cant tell you how many times I've had to go back to the post office to fill up the truck a 2nd time because all the packages won't fit in the back.

These things have No power. Not that it's really needed, however having to use full throttle just to accelate is rather annoying. Try going up hill with the truck full of packages. It doesn't work.

These things are made of aluminum. They crumple up and get totaled in the smallest accident. The only safety feature on the llv is a seat belt.

Shit, didn't mean to include >>15891431 in >>15893412

But in response to >>15891431, the trade-off for that "monopoly" is that USPS is required to provide letter service to every BFE town and backwater shithole in America. Private enterprise would likely not serve these locations because doing so would not be profitable.

>>15893421
>aluminum
Now I want one of these oven more. Mid-mounted LS-powered death sled when?

>>15893476
even though they are small trucks made of aluminum they still weigh 2700 lbs. Also these things are Frankensteined to all hell. Post offices put minimal amounts of money into these things. They are all on their last leg

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>When the USPS retired all their Jeep mailtrucks they just dumped them to rot instead of selling them back to the public

>they're gonna do the same with the LLV

>>15893232
whats different about them?

>>15893544
thats sad.

I guess if you want one youd have to go to the local post office and buy one directly if they are willing to sell it

>>15893544

IT'S NOT FAIR

>>15893476
>>15893505
wll theres also that. I dont think many of the ones still active actually still use the iron duke. theyve got some shitty aluminum frankenstein special engine

>>15893544

>75 HP
>0-60 takes 4 years

what kind of autist would miss 1980s American """"""""performance""""""""

>>15893650
Yeah I am sure mailtrucks were made to go 0-60 as fast as possible you fucking bench racer.

>>15893505

>they still weigh 2700 lbs

So less than a BRZ? They got that going for them, which is nice. Racing a few of them in a ghetto rally always seemed like it would be fun.

>>15893650
>not wanting to swap anything under the sun into them

2JZ powered mail truck
LSX powered mail truck
Quadruple-dorito powered mail truck
I'm sure other people can think of more.

>>15893544
It is just a S-10 chassis from the 80s that was shortened.

>>15891148
Can confirm both. One of the Subaru's lives in the area. I'll snap a pic if it's there when I go by.

>>15894103
yeah so?

its charming to look at. if someone wants to buy a used mailtruck thats their prerogative

>>15893657
The point is they are hardly highway worthy and then theres the possibility that you get people impersonating mail men to steal mail.

The mail trucks are VERY purpose built. I just dont see the public having any need for them. Sure there would be a few people that bought them but other than a novelty I just dont see how they have much use.


The logic behind this is probably the same logic behind UPS never selling any of their custom trucks.

>>15894288
>other than a novelty I just dont see how they have much use.
thats exactly why anon. having some sort of customized vehicle built from what was a Grumman LLV is an extreme novelty.

>The logic behind this is probably the same logic behind UPS never selling any of their custom trucks.

yet the military and law enforcement seems to have no issue doing do. I do wonder why that is. utilitarianism maybe? the army and police like to recoup whatever cost they can from them and there is always someone willing to buy a used hummer or crown vic, but probably far less that actually wants a Grumman LLV or UPS truck

MORE IMPORTANT to /o/;
When the fuck are the LLVs gonna hit auctioneer lots? What can we do to them? If they go for under a grand I'll snap one up in an instant because fuck why not.

>>15893412
USPS is insanely profitable. The only thing that gives them financial problems is the ridiculous pension requirement put on them by Congress. They have to put money away to fund the pensions of mailmen that are not even born yet.

Instead of funding a pension that doesn't start for another 75 years. They could scale that back to say 30 years, and put forth the cash to keep the trucks in batteries.

Put Carwings in all of them for tracking and car information gathering. Nissan would then have a huge fleet of EVs to gather data off of for the next 20-30 years. They would have data from post trucks from every climate possible. The value of this data would be immense.

>>15894332
well you can bolt in anything that will fit in a 80s S-10.

though the easy lulz would be to convert it into an electric dragster.

>>15894332
They'll be hitting the crusher instead of auctioneer lots.

>>15894332
never. the post office is probably gonna scrap them whenever they stop using them

>>15894409
Same as the better of the old police Panthers, I guess. They'll probably phase them out on attrition basis.

>>15891485
God this is fucking repulsive.

>>15891426
Don't know who makes the bodies but they run on a V6 Ranger chassis.

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In my area of town at least, they use these
Two guys will pull up somewhere, get out and fill their bags or cart trolley thing, and then do a few roads at a time
They'll then go back and collect more and once they've completed an area, they'll drive around to houses that have big parcels needed delivered

>>15893544
Fucking hell
I want one so bad

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>>15893054
>>15894521
Apparently they're purpose built-built to be wheelchair accessible
Doesn't distract from the fact that they look terrible
In my town something like 25% of the people are over 65 which is one of the highest rates in the country. A lot of the Taxis are these. They're basically panel vans with seats in the back and windows. Then a specialist company will fit a wheelchair ramp or sometimes a lift to them

Live in city and my mail man uses a USPS dodge caravan. They walk the mail though. Getting mail from the van and walking the street

I know around the holidays its not unusual to see a mailman in a U-Haul. Seems like the post office rents them for those times of the year

>>15893598
u take out the mail from the passenger side now. instead of the back of the truck.

>>15891485
holy shit Capital Metro uses these and I feel lile I am gonna vomit every time I see one.

>>15891426
these were built by ford.

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>>15893650
0-60 wont happen
See this video
Keep in mind this is completely empty
Now imagine a full load heavy ass mail and parcels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dtktm5J2uY
>>15894288
>hardly highway worthy
Its against the rules to go on the highway as its not safe above 50mph
not even joking

>>15896021
>>15891426
This is called a FFV
Flex fuel vehicle they have about 7x the horsepower of the normal LLV
They are built on ford exploder chassis

>>15896069
>7x the horsepower of the normal LLV
there were times during the winter id just drift that damn thing when it was empty. shit was super fun.


they also have:
>AC
>ACTUAL HEAT (thank fuck)
>that comfy seat (compared to llv)
>an actual seat belt, like the ones in cars

I hate the post office but I enjoyed my time as a mailman

>>15896061
Dear god, I feel even worse for the mail drivers now.
I mean, I felt shitty since they always had truckloads of packages from APO/FPOs for me every day. But this somehow makes it worse.
Every package Certified/Registered and with a Return Recipt, compounded by the fact that I would turn those packages right around the next day.

>>15896080
one thing people dont know is all mail vans and trucks have limited slip differentials

I think it would be awesome to have a spec racing class using LLVs once they are retired.
You wont see them on the road street legal ever

>>15896093
>one thing people dont know is all mail vans and trucks have limited slip differentials
They actually sprung for that? Knowing the fed you'd think that they would just plop a spool in it or hire some massive conglomerate to receive them, weld the diffs and then ship them out.

I hope they are zero emissions. Think about how much that would save.

>>15896109
a drop in the pond

>>15896102

>>15896102
this was the compensation for not having 4wd
Old jeeps were 4x4s and could handle snowy dirt roads
They had to at least be 2wd with an LSD so they did that
>>15896109
zero emmissions local maybe
It justs moves the emissions from a tail pipe to a coal smoke stack

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>>15896102
Idk about the llv because they have lawn mower tier power, but the ffvs could slide sideways if the roads are wet and you punch it.

>>15896109

kill yourself

>>15896119
Is your ignition key attached to the chain on your pants?

This is asking for death

>>15896138
eh, i never drove these fast enough for there to be an issue, that key also had my arrow key and whatever key i needed on my route...jesus, i actually miss this job.

fuck

>>15896152
why did you lose the job?

>>15893544
would you really want average citizens driving around in right hand drive, underpowered shitty mail jeeps with minimal attention to safety gear/ standards?

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>>15896160
I quitted, it was back in 2015 when we had a horrible winter here in new england. i was doing good in the summer, but they kept moving me to cover and help. i asked for a hold down,and they put me on the most difficult section. :(

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>>15896192

>>15891148
The mailman at my parent's house drives a restored Jeep DJ.

>>15896178
>would you really want average citizens driving around in right hand drive, underpowered shitty mail jeeps with minimal attention to safety gear/ standards?
Because some crazy fuck would keep the original livery replace the stock shitter with a boosted K20 or 13B for shits and tits just so we can finally get our hands on twingo plushies and WAT stickers faster than ever.

>>15891276
>AM General
>"Government Motors"

poor anon, talk radio has fried his brain

>>15893412
>I doubt they'd go with battery-only EVs because that configuration isn't really proven over the desired service life of these vehicles.

Battery-powered vehicles are an old concept and have consistently proven to be very reliable.

>>15896198
hey! its them.
https://youtu.be/yk7umwBLRG0

>>15893171
Dude, Buchanan here. Nice knowing there's some Michiana /o/ near me.

>>15891148
my town's delivery vehicle is a nigger-rigged RHD fucking minivan

>>15891128
>>15893421
I can't wait to be able to buy these at auctions with only 6 million miles on the odometer.

>>15896374
We have Transit Connects in the city, but in the rural areas it's mostly Joe Blow in whatever vehicle they own that does the mail delivery. Not sure how those rural mail contracts work, but it's definitely not postie trucks. I've seen cars, vans, SUVs, trucks, once saw a VW bus. They just throw a flashing yellow light on top and that's the mail person.

A lot of places use a post office, and don't get mail to the door. Most really rural places have PO boxes, the rural areas that aren't too far from towns will get the delivery cars, and only in towns and cities do we find the Transits.

>Canada: not sure why, but it works

>>15891128
My dad was some kind of head in the postal motorpool and was really excited when these things came in because apparently the jeeps were built like fucking garbage

>>15896116
Postal jeeps were only 2wd.

>>15891128
I was formally a mail carrier in south Texas, some of us drove old Windstars, didn't turn out well for some.

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>>15891162
Not him but we have the same for the more rural routes in addition to the LLVs.

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>>15900519

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>>15900519
Why did they go through all the effort to "convert" that one when RHD versions of that exact car exist in the US specifically for mail carriers?

>>15900833
>convert" that one when RHD
probably just imported

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>>15900842
That green one isn't imported, it's LHD with a second steering wheel mounted with a belt like in pic related. The JDM ones also were badged as Grand Wagons, not Outbacks.

The postal wagons were also built in the Indiana plant alongside the LHD cars, not imported.

>>15900872
what
the
fuck

>>15891426
FFV, Ford engineered postal truck, surprisingly quick compared to LLV

>>15900876
probably a mail truck

>>15891352
My dads friend quite a few years ago bought one from some surplus place and drove it. Don't know how legal it is though