What was the oldest UPS vehicle you have ever driven?

[Big Babooba]

We had a 1957 Ford P800 where the package compartment extended over the cab. It was a beast. Our building also had a couple of 1959 Chevy P400s that had push button starters. They didn't have good mirrors, just tiny square ones mounted on a short arm.

[IDoLessWorkThanMost]

The one I'm still driving: 1970 converted P1000 "mobile counter" something or other. Looks like an ice cream truck.

[raceanoncr]

Center had one left...a 1968 Somethin. We called it "Big Bertha". Very unhandy. Had smooth stainless floor and wire shelves. The floor was really neat when it got wet. Like ice.

Oldest tractor was 1971 Mack "F" model. 21010. Had bunches of em til we got newer ones. Same thing, just newer.

[mattwtrs]

The only tractor that was usually fueled & washed was a 1966 Diamond T, #25733 no turbo=no power(more$), negative ground(didn't need a special am-fm radio), smoother ride than F model Macks, more leg room, no dog house(flat area between seats, good sleeper), good brakes, decent steering(no free play, didn't pull to right or left),good heater. Dispatch & on road sups were happy that I would take it and get off property in a timely fashion.

[dannyboy]

no power(more$), ........... Dispatch & on road sups were happy that I would take it and get off property in a timely fashion.

You get there later, but at least you left on time, so you made them happy. Their numbers looked good, even though the actual service time was not good. But then again, as long as the numbers look good, to hell with service

I dont know what years they were, but they looked like bread trucks, some were from the late 40's from what I was told. And one of the 800's with the over cab package area made for several headaches.

It was not until I filed to get in a newer car because of my knees that I was not given something 20 years or older to drive. Those low riders made all the difference in the world, but just too late.

d

[rod]

For peak season in 1972 I had the honor (?) of driving a 1946 or 47 Dodge P400. It looked like something out of an old Bugs Bunny cartoon.Kind of a tear drop design. Imagine a 1940's style camping trailer with an engine and that would be close. It had more toggle switches than Ace Hardware of which only about 3 were wired to anything. Once you got used to the 1/4 turn of free play in the steering department it wasn't a bad veihical to drive. It had a shelf up front in the drivers compartment that you could line up 15 or 20 stops plus keep your card box and delivery supplies real close to you. It was actually one of the most convienent to deliiver out of package cars I ever drove. The drivers seat flipped forward (no seat belts) so you could exit either door with ease. The 1960's P-400's were designed along the same line but they were more boxy looking and had a higher first step. The only draw back I can remember about the old Dodge was it had real poor lights on it (must of been a 6-volt system). I had to pull the throttle out at each stop to make enough juice so that the dome light would put off enough light to work with. It had a micro-brake on it - how many remember those? When you got to a delivery stop you stepped on the brake and lifted the micro-brake lever and that would hold the brakes on HARD. We had fun with them because before you left the building in the morning if you buddy wasn't watching you could reach over and set his micr-brake. He would take off and the 1st time he hit the brake it would lock the brakes up and put his nose into the window. Damm we had fun with those.

[Dutch Dawg]

Oh those were the days ....... Weren't the P400s the ones with the "forehead banging" door opening back to the cargo area?

[disneyworld]

From the sounds of the other posts, I guess I had it pretty good in my 1973 P600 with no power steering and narrow shelves that dumped everything to the floor on every turn.

[cheryl]

Okay... I know I know... I was only 7 and it probably didn't really have a working engine... at the time it seemed to me that everyone actually thought that I was driving it.

[moreluck]

Oh Cheryl, that brings back memories !! We always went to those open houses and have pictures of our kids (toddlers) in those old package cars. Lots of fun for the kids and lots of food so I didn't have to feed them.....frisbees & balloons too.

[dannyboy]

Cute photo. Driving without a licence?

We used old number 512 on loan from Hotlanta for a parade, and a few years before that at Kingsport funfest and balloon race. It was a great time, and many of the kids of drivers and part timers took part, even some management children were part of the fun.

Jerry, who was totally suprised by the deal, as we had him and his daughter ride in #512, along with some others as well on a trailer pulled behind a brand new P1000. We had plaques on the front and side of the p1000 that commended Jerry for 25 years without an accident or injury, which at UPS is a big deal. That was about 2 months before he retired, and the parade route took us right through his delivery area. It was pretty cool. Jerry was really emotional by the whole thing, like I said, he just thought he was taking the day off to help out with the parade, instead he was the man of the hour.

We also had a feeder loan vehicle that was really cool, thanks to the feeders in Knoxville. It went ahead of the p1000 weaving back and fourth. Our "float" was really a hit with the public, but was an even bigger hit with the kids.

All I can say is that we rolled the 512 out, with me twisting the wheel. I guess men back then were real men, and quite a bit smaller. It was a lot harder to turn, and a much heavier vehicle than you would think. And the woodwork was spectactular.

THe faces have been altered.

d

[outamyway]

The one that was crushed a few weeks ago.

It will be missed. It was the best p500 we had.

[traveler]

Originally Posted by rod

For peak season in 1972 I had the honor (?) of driving a 1946 or 47 Dodge P400. It looked like something out of an old Bugs Bunny cartoon.Kind of a tear drop design. Imagine a 1940's style camping trailer with an engine and that would be close. It had more toggle switches than Ace Hardware of which only about 3 were wired to anything. Once you got used to the 1/4 turn of free play in the steering department it wasn't a bad veihical to drive. It had a shelf up front in the drivers compartment that you could line up 15 or 20 stops plus keep your card box and delivery supplies real close to you. It was actually one of the most convienent to deliiver out of package cars I ever drove. The drivers seat flipped forward (no seat belts) so you could exit either door with ease. The 1960's P-400's were designed along the same line but they were more boxy looking and had a higher first step. The only draw back I can remember about the old Dodge was it had real poor lights on it (must of been a 6-volt system). I had to pull the throttle out at each stop to make enough juice so that the dome light would put off enough light to work with. It had a micro-brake on it - how many remember those? When you got to a delivery stop you stepped on the brake and lifted the micro-brake lever and that would hold the brakes on HARD. We had fun with them because before you left the building in the morning if you buddy wasn't watching you could reach over and set his micr-brake. He would take off and the 1st time he hit the brake it would lock the brakes up and put his nose into the window. Damm we had fun with those.

In 1966 I drove a similar 1946 Dodge. All of the above applied except the one I drove had an automatic transmission. It was a bit sloppy having gone over 100,000 miles already but it sure was nice in the city.

Speaking of the micro-brake, I remember flipping it up as I approached a stop and just barely touching the brakes. The package car would come to a stop and hold just as you got to the stop once you got the hang of it. Probably a stupid thing to do but it sure did save time when you were overloaded with stops. Seldom used the parking brake, probably not too smart either looking back on it.

Now to the oldest package car (of sorts)... I drove a 1939 Ward Cage Car (six cager) from time to time to cover pickups where the regular driver blew out his capacity. The cage cars were originally used for "retail" pick-ups (anyone remember retail accounts?) at Department Stores where the store would load cages (boxes with wheels about 2' deep by 5' long and 5' high). Twelve of these fit like a glove in the "12 cager" and pretty much locked in place. I once had to pickup cages at Bambergers in Newark. There you had to drive the truck onto the elevator and ride down to the loading dock in the 5th basement where you had to maneuver to an open space at the loading dock. I doubt if the new GPS would work at all down there???

[currahee]

We had a 1974 600 that was the worst . The steering wheel and the seat dint line up were off center. The pedals were like a foot apart from each other. The shifter was like 3 feet away And boy did you feel every bump.

[Jones]

We have this one old truck (not sure what year) that actually has no power steering, and an extra pedal on the floor that you push in so you can change gears with this metal rod that sticks up in the middle of the cab. It's the damndest thing you ever saw. No one knows how to drive it. We call it The Widowmaker.

[dcdriver]

Originally Posted by currahee

We had a 1974 600 that was the worst . The steering wheel and the seat dint line up were off center. The pedals were like a foot apart from each other. The shifter was like 3 feet away And boy did you feel every bump.

We had the old 600 from the late 1960 years back and you are right the steering, seat and gear shift did not line up. the seat was to left of steerinng and the gear shift was 3 feet away to the right what a mess. but this thread does bring back memories.

[sendagain]

We had a 57 in my center when I started in 78. I recall it had a big engine cover right next to the driver that you could sit on to keep warm when it was cold out.

[moreluck]

Didn't they call them "doghouses" ?

[brownmonster]

Early 70's p600 with a manual choke on the dash. I started in 1988 and when they took me out for the first time I couldn't believe what a piece of crap rattle trap it was. Looked like the dash was gonna fall off. I said to myself, this is the tightest ship in the shipping business? Trucks are like Cadillacs now.

[Cementups]

Boy am I young. Probablly the oldest I drove was an 86 P800 and P500

[dirty moose]