You're probably aware of the oversized "walk-through" UPS delivery vans, closely modelled on their US version.
They seem to be phasing them out.
How are these disposed of?
r
Edited by Pugugly on 20/10/2008 at 18:24
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Vanhella?
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>Vanhella?
I understood that they were a rock band...
A quick Google reveals that these machines are built to a UPS spec., and do not show any manufacturer's badges at all.
This points to extreme corporate image guidelines, so I suspect that these odd vehicles are shredded, driven down a disused mine shaft, or fired into outer space at the end of their lives to avoid besmirching the precious name of their former owner.
My business involves moving large telecomms equipment around, and one of these, tweaked to run on veggie oil, would possibly be useful. They seem like the van equivalent of the aircraft that Airbus use to move wing sections around Europe.
Take a look in the cab if you ever get a chance - the heater matrix is utterly exposed, and looks like a mini-radiator. No "It'll take a day to get it out, mate" stuff here.
Ho-hum. So I'll have to content myself with an ex-Royal Mail LDV Convoy, then.
r
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Most of the old-type UPS vans were purpose built in the USA and most were fitted with VM diesels.
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im sure the one that comes to me is mercedes underneath,hewn out of solid steel when mercedes trucks were the best in the world and before they invented computer linked electronics
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Anorak mode on...
They are Mercedes based. The only clue is a M-B logo in the centre of each wheel hub.
Anorak mode off....
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My business involves moving large telecomms equipment around and one of these tweaked to run on veggie oil would possibly be useful. They seem like the van equivalent of the aircraft that Airbus use to move wing sections around Europe.
Ah now what you wanted was one of the old Marsden Vanplan Intergrals.... imagine a complete box on wheels the the drivers cab constructed inside the that box..
Lovely things not...
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They seem like the van equivalent of the aircraft that Airbus use to move wing sections around Europe.
That would be the Guppy and Super Guppy. There's a Super Guppy at Bruntingthorpe airfield if you ever fancy a look. There's one left in service with NASA.
LDV vans are utter rubbish. I should know - I made the mistake of accepting an Engineering position there just a few years before they went under.
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The big change for UPS has been two things firstly the amount of suppliers who can offer a suitible chassis is very small (I think of the Peg it's only Iveco) the second thing is where as 20 years ago UPS put a basic truck on the road with a 20 year life knowing it could meet it.
Now the biggest problem is legislation which means UPS could buy a £40K truck now to find it is only worth £5k in 5 years time. Therefore faced with heft costs it is easier to lease standard vans and the lead time is so much shorter!!
UPS has vans running with Mercedes, Volkswagen and Iveco Chassis. The Bodywork is done in Germany by Grumman Fruehauf under an agreement from Grumman Olson in the US.
The reason they don't come up for sale is that they are worth a fair bit for scrap i.e individual chassis and Alloy bodywork. One could argue that you would also want to scrap them to stop lowcost start up parcel carrier's that what I used to do in the car transporter business.. scrap the things - to keep rates up.
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I did say old-type.
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Thanks, all!
So, drifiting a bit, something long, tall, and cheap would either be LDV400/Convoy, Iveco, or...?
I hire in some super-duper rocketship Sprinters, Transits, etc, but need something basic I can shove veggie oil in, and fix myself. I run a Citroen XM Estate, so no fear of dirty fingernails. (Although, Thankfully , it's been pretty reliable so far...)
r
Edited by Webmaster on 16/10/2007 at 01:59
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Rothwell van auctions at leeds often have ugly vans like ex PO glassonite ldv lutons with walk through,you really want to buy direct from somewhere like here
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BMW used to sweep up all their used vehicles so you couldn't get a cheap one. When me dad told me that I couldn't believe back in the 70s, it was so unfair and so un-British.
I don't know when the Germans turned from being so clever at marketing, into the collective idiots they are today.
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I don't know when the Germans turned from being so clever at marketing, into the collective idiots they are today.
Seem to be doing alright for themselves
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You might be interested in an Iveco ex mobile library which I saw recently.
It was too small for my needs but is an excellent truck. Only 50,000 miles from new, 2.8 litre diesel engine, walk through body and hydraulic tail lift (for wheelchairs) at the back.
It was used in a film with Burt Reynolds and I know that the company are very keen to sell, open to offers.
Contact I have is cleone@trademarkfilms.co.uk
or check it out on Gumtree, Ford Iveco, Ex mobile library posted 2nd Sept
Good luck.
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They become secret agents for the CIA ;-)
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I think some of the UPS home-made 'pigvans' had Mercedes-Benz mechanicals - think I read it in Transport magazine some time ago. Probably used various engines on them over the years.
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The UPS package car (or van) is also a major symbol of the US business world. The classic UPS package car is built on a General Motors or Ford chassis, has a manual transmission, manual steering, and no radio or air conditioning. The older ones are easily recognizable due to their round headlights and turn signals set onto a sculpted hood. These are either Grumman Olson P-600 or P-800 step vans. (A recent redesign changed the look, replacing the round turn signals with ovoid LED ones). Newer package cars in North America have either a Freightliner or Navistar International chassis; automatic transmissions and power steering are slowly appearing in package cars. UPS also operates Dodge Sprinter box vans in rural areas as well as Dodge Grand Caravan minivans.
When package cars reach the end of their useful service life (typically 20-25 years or more), they are almost always dismantled for spare parts; the only exception being when they are repainted white for internal use
From Wikipedia !
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The UPS package car (or van) is ...
None of that really applies to the UK vans, only the US versions.
Most of the UK fleet is based on Sprinter underpinnings with the trademark UPS style body bolted on. There are a few regular 7.5t and 3.5t vans (mostly run by UPS SCS), but none of the US style traditional vehicles.
The only thing that really makes them special is the walk through door from the cab to the body, which I've read on company literature is a patent that UPS hold.
Otherwise they're just vans in brown.
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Reminds me that BRS Parcels had vans built to their own design on BMC mechanicals - they were semi-forward control with a plastic snout covering the engine and were known as 'Noddy vans'. Were there some Bedford Noddy vans too? I seem to remember one.
I could only find a pic of a model Noddy van - link:
farm3.static.flickr.com/2334/2522978202_e09d28dc24...0
Edited by Sofa Spud on 20/10/2008 at 18:46
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Nobody did home-made better than Midland Red (BMMO), who for several decades built most of their own buses - including chassis and engines.
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A couple of real ones here Spud.
tinyurl.com/6saqsj
Austin VA with bodywork by Star Bodies apparently. Quite a few 'old timers' on that website by the look of it.
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They are usually driven into a field before being set alight IMO.
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Funny enough for some strange reason, since this thread started, these big UPS vans are all that i notice around...
Was behind a M reg van tonight on the way home tonight and it was minted... Was'nt a mark on it anywhere that i could see so perhaps the 20yr lifespan theory is very plausible..
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UPS have one of the best images; they're instantly recognisable and have a very good corproate image.
As a result of this there is the possibility that they might not be willing to let their old vans out onto the open market for disposal (The AA didn't at one point, but that was mainly a public safety motivation; it's only since the Gas company bought them that they have)
I'm not sure that an ex-Laundry van wouldn't do everything that the UPS van would as well; I think that the most basic diesel engine is the way forwards, so a Leyland Duff could be the way forwards. (Intial, Royal Snail and Parcel Farce all used variations on them)
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I think some of the older UPS vans in the States (the correct name is Package Truck, BTW) were designed so that the body could be used again on a different chassis. I suspect that modern technology doesn't make this feasible on today's vehicles.
I used to work for UPS some years ago, the old Haulfast bulk distribution side rather than the parcels; the garage staff hated working on the Package Trucks because they were a pain. Apparently the RHD conversions caused a lot of hassles.
Edited by Harleyman on 22/10/2008 at 21:48
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Just saw a 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with custom UPS walk-through body.
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We get the square brown UPS delivery vans here in France too - driver in the brown uniform etc - God alone knows how they get these custom vans through the French vehicle registration nightmare.
To make work for their "civil" servants they probably decided to inspect every one.
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