What was the oldest UPS vehicle you have ever driven?

old brown shoe

old brown shoe

30 year driver
Think we had one of those 1946 Dodge's that Rod and Traveler are talking about. Felt like you were sitting in the back seat when you drove it because it had such a long nose on it. We called it the armadillo and some drivers would fight over who got to drive it. Some loved it others would not be seen dead driving it. Kinda like driving a classic 57 Chevy hardtop.
 
under the radar

under the radar

A Trained Professional
My first package car (1978) was a 1957 Ford P400 we called "The Batmobile". I'm not sure why (maybe some fellow old-timer can tell me) but I was told it was called a "Cincinatti Car". When I was qualifying, with my Center Manager in the car, the wiring around the windshield burst into flames. I learned the proper way to use the fire extinguisher. I must have qualified since I'm still at it (with an acute sense of where the fire extinguisher is) in my 1995 P12.
 
ikoi62

ikoi62

Well-Known Member
dcdriver said:
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.:happy2:
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i remember driving one of those, im [SIZE=-1]6ft 4in and with the seat to the left of the wheel, i had to drive with the door open just to let the clutch out.
we also still have a late 60's early 70's 24ft truck that has a push button starter[/SIZE] in it, you turn the key then pull the choke then push the button and it would start. its fun to watch the real young guys try to start it.
 
rod

rod

Retired 22 years
old brown shoe said:
Think we had one of those 1946 Dodge's that Rod and Traveler are talking about. Felt like you were sitting in the back seat when you drove it because it had such a long nose on it. We called it the armadillo and some drivers would fight over who got to drive it. Some loved it others would not be seen dead driving it. Kinda like driving a classic 57 Chevy hardtop.
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That's the one! Armadillo fits it to a T:happy2:
 
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mattwtrs

Retired Senior Member
IWorkAsDirected said:
I drive an old p400 when I first started in 1987 it had a manual choke and a wooden bulkhead door.
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I did not shed any tears when the P4's & P6's with the wooden bulkheads and fold up wooden shelves were sent to the bone yard. The splinters under the finger nails were nasty!
 
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mattwtrs

Retired Senior Member
Does anyone remember the P300 & P350s from the 1960's. The cab area was almost as big the cargo area and they had manual choke & micro brakes. Big dash area and low step. No seat belts unless you complained then they put them in! No dual brake system which was ugly if you blew a brake line or cylinder.
 
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fairday

Active Member
I Started Out In A Old 1966 P-400. It Was Great. It Was Peppy And You Could Load Half Your Day On The Dashboard And Engine Cover. However It Was A Adventure In The Rain Because Only One Wheel Would Brake So You Could Slide Forever. A Grown Up Go- Kart Was All It Was...
 
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oldupsman

Guest
I started out in an old P600. Old wooden bulkhead door,choke on the dash, and micro-brake. One of the top seniority drivers wanted a bigger car so the center manager gave him mine and I got a old 1960's P400. Old wooden bulkhead door,choke on the dash. Used to put a piece of cardboard behind the front grill to try to get the engine warm enough in the winter to get heat. And then you used to stuff newspaper in the holes in the floor around the pedals. Still spent a lot of days seeing my breath in the cab all day.
When I got the 400, I complained I didn't have enough room to work. The center manager gave me a wonderful piece of advice I took to heart and carried with me my entire 32 year driving career. "Son, you can only get so many packages in a 400." I made it a point to always try to have the smallest car possible in the center. Hey boss, like to help you out but I got no room. But those old 400's were great. You could set up 20 stops on the dash and that little car with that little wheel base could go anywhere. And in the snow with a full set of chains it was like driving a jeep. I had the last one in a 250 car center until the mid 80's. Coming back to the building one night the engine just let go. Had a over 200,000 miles on it.Poor little guy just had enough.
 
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Slack Adjuster

Guest
I've laughed at all this for a few days: Oldest PC was a P400(circa 1966,#67074);used to get spanked for leaving the radiator cap access flap open( with the car # on it) when i returned to the building. Thought I was getting a promotion when I went to feeder and for the next 5 years I drove a '66 friend Model flat-top with no air and air start and a uni-shift trans.! Not many understand when, on a Monday morning in the winter,you had to ask for a can of starting fluid and a BJ to get it fired up!
 
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oldupsman

Guest
I lasted a little longer Danny. Retired last June with my 32 years. And as I've said before, I'm so happy I can't stand it.
 
Big Babooba

Big Babooba

Well-Known Member
Slack Adjuster said:
Not many understand when, on a Monday morning in the winter,you had to ask for a can of starting fluid and a BJ to get it fired up!
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That brings back memories. The intake stack was always on the passenger side as well. Spray and run -lots of fun. Of course it couldn't be easier. When the darn thing started, it sounded like it was going to blow!:happy-very:
 
scratch

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
The oldest thing I ever drove was a P400 back in 1975. I worked Irregulars on the Midnight Sort and they had an old Dodge, I think, and it was painted yellow. It was great driving it around the Atlanta Hub yard with the busted out windshield in the middle of winter. When I went full-time, I did run a route in a P600. I don't miss those one bit. I drive a P5 doing EAMs on my first trip now, I actually enjoy them. They are starting to scrap them now, and not replacing them with anything that size. They really fly with 5-6 stops on them!:wink2:
 
Big Babooba

Big Babooba

Well-Known Member
scratch said:
The oldest thing I ever drove was a P400 back in 1975. I worked Irregulars on the Midnight Sort and they had an old Dodge, I think, and it was painted yellow. It was great driving it around the Atlanta Hub yard with the busted out windshield in the middle of winter. When I went full-time, I did run a route in a P600. I don't miss those one bit. I drive a P5 doing EAMs on my first trip now, I actually enjoy them. They are starting to scrap them now, and not replacing them with anything that size. They really fly with 5-6 stops on them!:wink2:
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Winter in Atlanta must be pure hell. Gotta go now, we just got another 12 inches of snow to take care of.:happy-very:
 
Q

queenupser

queenupser
Oldest package car I drove was a 1964 P400 with wooden door. One of my co-workers locked his keys in the back and took a chain saw and cut out a 3 foot hole in it. Mechanic cussed like a sailor when he had to replace the door.:happy-very::happy-very:
 
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AlaskaMike

Active Member
Mine was a 1970's P400 with the wooden bulkhead door. Will never forget the joy of being stuck in a perfectly plowed parking lot in winter. The one rear wheel that drove the thing spinning like crazy. Got pulled over for speeding one time and when the cop asked me if I knew how fast I was going, I just showed him how hitting the gas pedal caused the speedometer to spin like it was possessed. Didn't write me a ticket at least.
 
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