Hey Mechanics, explain to me the truck numbers, please.

helenofcalifornia

Well-Known Member
Any mechanics out there that could once and for all explain the truck numbers to me? I know the 5's, 8's, and 10's, but all the new truck numbers are confusing me. I work at a smaller center so we get bigger center's sloppy seconds. Like, Sprinter, what the hell is a Sprinter? Is it one of those white vans that Fedex drives? You know, the home delivery trucks with that dog on it? And is the P1400 really bigger than a 1200? What is the size difference? And I have heard on this site that it is easier to get a 1400 or 1200 than a new 1000 in a center. Why? Do they still make new 1000's?
 
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westsideworma

Guest
Any mechanics out there that could once and for all explain the truck numbers to me? I know the 5's, 8's, and 10's, but all the new truck numbers are confusing me. I work at a smaller center so we get bigger center's sloppy seconds. Like, Sprinter, what the hell is a Sprinter? Is it one of those white vans that Fedex drives? You know, the home delivery trucks with that dog on it? And is the P1400 really bigger than a 1200? What is the size difference? And I have heard on this site that it is easier to get a 1400 or 1200 than a new 1000 in a center. Why? Do they still make new 1000's?


My understanding from what our mechanics have said was that the 140123 (or whatever numbers after the 14) designation were the new P1000's. The 1200s have numbers like 131345 (doesn't make sense to me either as I've seen some older 1000s with those type of numbers too). A 1200 is the current flagship in package car size I believe as we have like 5 of them...they're huge, you know one when you see it haha.

The Sprinters are a Dailmer-Benz creation. They are a 5 cylinder diesel (correct me if I'm wrong please). They look like a tall minivan in most forms but UPS managed to customize some of theirs to have the sprinter front end (and engine) but have the typical UPS package car look to the back end of it (there was a pic on these forums somewhere, they guy who supposedly hit the trash can in the pic :lol:).

Thats pretty much all I know about them lol.
 

EAM_Master

Part-Time'er for Life!
The Sprinters are a Dailmer-Benz creation. They are a 5 cylinder diesel (correct me if I'm wrong please). They look like a tall minivan in most forms but UPS managed to customize some of theirs to have the sprinter front end (and engine) but have the typical UPS package car look to the back end of it (there was a pic on these forums somewhere, they guy who supposedly hit the trash can in the pic :lol:).

Thats pretty much all I know about them lol.

You are correct sir....
 

dragracer66

Well-Known Member
Any mechanics out there that could once and for all explain the truck numbers to me? I know the 5's, 8's, and 10's, but all the new truck numbers are confusing me. I work at a smaller center so we get bigger center's sloppy seconds. Like, Sprinter, what the hell is a Sprinter? Is it one of those white vans that Fedex drives? You know, the home delivery trucks with that dog on it? And is the P1400 really bigger than a 1200? What is the size difference? And I have heard on this site that it is easier to get a 1400 or 1200 than a new 1000 in a center. Why? Do they still make new 1000's?
Westside is right on target the biggest truck we have is a 1200 no matter if the number is 140000 or 130000. Yes they still make a P-1000 the one's we got weren't diesel they were the big block chevy motor. The sprinter I believe is a P-47 unless it has a box back end instead of the regular van back. The P-12 has 200 more cubic feet than the P-10. Hope this help's you out Helen...
 

raceanoncr

Well-Known Member
Westside is right on target the biggest truck we have is a 1200 no matter if the number is 140000 or 130000. Yes they still make a P-1000 the one's we got weren't diesel they were the big block chevy motor. The sprinter I believe is a P-47 unless it has a box back end instead of the regular van back. The P-12 has 200 more cubic feet than the P-10. Hope this help's you out Helen...


Geez, drag, the biggest motor we had when I quit driving PC's was the 292 in-line. What happened? Big block? I might still be in PC if that 's the case!!!!!! Make some stops then, huh?
 
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westsideworma

Guest
Geez, drag, the biggest motor we had when I quit driving PC's was the 292 in-line. What happened? Big block? I might still be in PC if that 's the case!!!!!! Make some stops then, huh?

I think its the 8.1 liter V8? That right drag? :confused:1
 

Pip

Well-Known Member
We got blessed for new cars in this past year, picked up 11 new ones. Small center with only 80 PC's all together.

We just got 2 of the new P-1200 package cars in, in Dec06, that has the 8.1L (496 cu. inches) chevy big block in. The thing is awesome far as power and sucks far as fuel economy.

the P-1000's we got in have either a Ford 5.4L v8 gas, or the Mercedes 904 diesels in.

Personally, was suprise to see gas engines roll in this past year in the new package cars. But after asking my supervisor it made sense. 07' is a year where the new emissions for diesels get stricter. Price is supposed to be a couple thousand higher for the new technology in the diesels. Will be curious to see if we get any more of the gas in next year.

Far as the numbers on the bigger cars, From what i have seen this past year the numbers starting on with 14xxxx is either a P-1000 or a P-1200. we have both in the 14xxxx number series. I am not really sure that their is science involved with the numbering anymore, to be honest. The P-700's are all starting with the 6xxxxx. where is the logic there? Supervisor couldn't even give me a good answer on that one, when I asked.

Seems the 500's and the 800's are long being phased out. The predominate sized cars are the p-700, p-1000 and the p-1200. The oddball/specialty sized cars are the p-31, which we got 2 new ones this past year. (4X4 fords truck body) starting with 3xxxxx in the numbers. The p-47 is the Freightliner Sprinter, has the Mercedes drivetrain, and uses the Dodge OBDII ecm when connecting up to a diagnostic scanner. Go figure!!!, when trying to figure out the rational in that. I am still scratching my head on that one.

I think the next couple years will be interesting. I think you will start to see even more of the 1200's and 1000's roll in, with less 700's. Fuel prices will play a big part in that decision making. Less cars with bigger volume handling capabilities will be the norm.

Word I have been hearing is that a bigger volume car is on the horizon. 1500 or 1600 cubic foot will be a 2 person operation year round. Not just during peak.
 

dragracer66

Well-Known Member
Geez, drag, the biggest motor we had when I quit driving PC's was the 292 in-line. What happened? Big block? I might still be in PC if that 's the case!!!!!! Make some stops then, huh?
I took it out to get part's a couple of week's ago and the thing is awesome!!!. I power braked it for a couple of second's then let go of the brake and laid down a nice patch of rubber!!!! Almost made me feel like I was in my car!!!! "Not really" but, it was something I have never felt in a truck before!! I think I'll put my delay box in it and take it to the track do ya think I'd get caught?
 

EAM_Master

Part-Time'er for Life!
I'm amazed that UPS would actually buy something with a big-block motor in it, especially with as bad of mileage as those motors get. I couldn't believe it when I was at the Morgan-Olson plant checking out a new P-57 and it had a GM 4.8 motor in it. I was thinking it was gonna have something like the 5 cylinder from the Colorado, or the 6 from the Trailblazer. I've actually seen a couple of package cars there with what appeared to be a Duramax diesel. Now that's something I'd like to drive :thumbup1:

On a side note....since most of the older diesels are International chassis with a T-444e (Power Stroke) I always wondered if I could get away with putting a programmer on it for a few extra ponies....:lol:.....Just to make sure I don't have any late NDA
 
Sprinters are called P-47's Dodge Caravans are called P-20's Econoline strip chassis is called P-32 New P700's start with either 667 0r 668 and have single rear wheels with Mercedes MBE-904 engines. All new P1000 start with either a 13 or a 14 number but some P1200's start with 13. In Orlando we have a few GM Big Block 1200's. All our drivers LOVE them, plenty of power. The Mercedes engines are under powered but have good fuel economy.
 

wornoutupser

Well-Known Member
I wish that you would wear out a few of those big blocks so that my center could have one! We get your leftovers here.

I wonder how those feel rolling down I 4 with that kind of power!
 

Big Babooba

Well-Known Member
I think its the 8.1 liter V8? That right drag? :confused:1
A mechanic told me that GM had a surplus of the Big Block engines and gave UPS a real good deal on the package cars equipped with them. Trouble is, they get around 4mpg. We also have a couple of the first series P 1000s with the old 5 digit truck number.
 

Big Babooba

Well-Known Member
. The p-47 is the Freightliner Sprinter, has the Mercedes drivetrain, and uses the Dodge OBDII ecm when connecting up to a diagnostic scanner. Go figure!!!, when trying to figure out the rational in that. I am still scratching my head on that one.


Freightliner, Sterling and Western star are owned by Daimler Benz, Chrysler used to be. That is why there is a Dodge OBDII port in a Freightliner Sprinter. We have both Freightliner & Dodge Sprinters in our building.
 
I owned a '02 Sprinter 2500 as a personal ride and it was TERRRIBLE in the snow. In fact, I sold it because of this.

That said, no matter how it was loaded, it got 22MPG. The 5 Cylinder MB motor has been around in various forms since 1957! This thing ran all day, smooth as glass and would cruise at 75-80! Still 22MPG! It turns on a dime, is

It's tried and true in Europe for about ten years now and cranked right up on the coldest NE winter mornings. Took way too long to build cabin heat, though.

I will buy another when they build the AWD version.

my $0.02
 
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dirty moose

Well-Known Member
speaking of new cars, i herd a rumor that by 08 we should have gotten rid of all the old non powering stearing cars.

anyone else here this?
 

helenofcalifornia

Well-Known Member
Too late for all the shoulder injuries. I still can't figure out why UPS would still order trucks in the 80's and 90's with no power steering to save $1000 when they knew the worker's comp claims from driving those things over the years. Most non-UPS people have never driven a car without power steering.
 

Cementups

Box Monkey
I did not hit the trash can. It was down when I got there.
Srinter with a box on it...

K790a065.jpg
 

DS

Fenderbender
We have quite a few p14000's and I dont know how you could call them a p12000.They are HUGE...my guess,23 feet from cab to back door.They look like you could go bowling in them.
 
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