Classic UPS Equipment

mattwtrs

Retired Senior Member
These are the classic pics that I wanted to see. I see I forgot how to spell Diamond Reo too from the other thread.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
I was looking for a UPS Ford Cabover like the one I started out driving, but couldn't find it. I have always wondered what the correct term was for this particular model. We called them "City Vans", they had a 24' box, air brakes, and were used on warehouse routes.
 

Big Babooba

Well-Known Member
I was looking for a UPS Ford Cabover like the one I started out driving, but couldn't find it. I have always wondered what the correct term was for this particular model. We called them "City Vans", they had a 24' box, air brakes, and were used on warehouse routes.
We used to have 2 Ford C600 vans, vintage 1963 and 1966. Both came up from New York City where they had been used in UPS's furniture operation. They were built lower to the road and were easily loaded when backed up to a belt ( about a 10 inch step up)We called them furniture vans because that is what they were. We also had a bunch of friend model Macks as well as a 1965 Diamont T and a 1967 Diamond Reo. Both the Diamonds rode like Cadillacs compared to the Macks. The Macks used to have a plate around the horn button that said "Custom Built for United Parcel Service" Does Mack still do this? I haven't driven a tractor in years and I don't recall if they continued this in the MH series.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
Thanks Bigbaboo,
C600 sounds about right. UPS has always removed the outside manufacturer and model names off of its road equipment. A lot of times only the horn button would have the manufacturer's name on it. These were terrible things to drive. The shifter had a giant throw on it between shifts. Theses had old big block gas engines in them. We got a bad batch of rebuilt gas engines and I blew up several of them over a short period of time. I got on a first name basis with the wrecker driver, he would tow me to the first bulk stop so I could deliver it before I switched out trucks. The air brakes were something else. I broke an air line one time and almost rolled over trying to stop it. I also did a 270 degree spin in a mall intersection one morning when they locked up in the rain one day. You could lift up the rubber floor mat and see the road through the rust holes in the floorboard of old 40003 and 40007. The Internationals and Volvos we got when we had UPS Leasing were much better.
 

Big Babooba

Well-Known Member
Thanks Bigbaboo,
C600 sounds about right. UPS has always removed the outside manufacturer and model names off of its road equipment. A lot of times only the horn button would have the manufacturer's name on it. These were terrible things to drive. The shifter had a giant throw on it between shifts. Theses had old big block gas engines in them. We got a bad batch of rebuilt gas engines and I blew up several of them over a short period of time. I got on a first name basis with the wrecker driver, he would tow me to the first bulk stop so I could deliver it before I switched out trucks. The air brakes were something else. I broke an air line one time and almost rolled over trying to stop it. I also did a 270 degree spin in a mall intersection one morning when they locked up in the rain one day. You could lift up the rubber floor mat and see the road through the rust holes in the floorboard of old 40003 and 40007. The Internationals were much better.
How did it feel to be sitting on top of the engine when it blew up?:scared:
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
How did it feel to be sitting on top of the engine when it blew up?:scared:

I felt nothing at all, it would just lock up and I would pull over to the side of the interstate on the way to my area. Back then, there were no cell phones, and half the Center would stop and offer to go down to the next exit and call the Shop. Now, drivers just drive by their broke down fellow workers, maybe give them a wave. 'sigh', another way our jobs have changed.
 

dragracer66

Well-Known Member
Those pictures were good stuff!!! I miss working on some of that stuff. When I first started out as a mechanic here at parcel in 90 they stuck me out on the road to other buildings in the district to bring red tags and pmi's to the shop because our building got more through load's and not many destination loads. The truck I used to drive was a friend model mack with manuel steering and no air the number was 25634 and when they got rid of it, it had 1.6 million miles on it but it ran and drove fine. I never got to drive a MH until about 94-95. I remember the drivers fighting over the MH's!!! It's funny they don't keep trailers as long as they used to I remember working on 61-68 miller drop frame trailers, the fluted side "circus trailers" and the dollies that had the different painted noses. I think the yellow nose was for double forties and the red for double pups or vise versa I forget. We had 2 diamond reo's that were painted yellow and were for plowing the street to the building a for the yard. It was good to see that stuff again!!!!
 

Babagounj

Strength through joy
Mobile Air Counter
Heck thats the car Watertown uses for the shuttle to their Customer Counter. It still has a mobile generator installed with a full tank of fuel. That thing is so old that many younger drivers can't keep it running, they have no idea it has a manual choke.
 
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