I have caught a number of interesting vehicles in my many trips to Jerry’s or Home Depot, but this one was a bit of a surprise, parked in the loading dock of the latter establishment. And it is obviously the daily driver work van for this contractor. Now that’s a skinny and compact work van compared to usual fare.
I did a full CC on these little vans a while back, but my specimen was a hulk on a trailer. No, this is not the same one reincarnated. Here’s how many of them looked in the service of the USPS. The postman gives one a good idea of just how compact they were, given that they rode on the little Jeep of the times, with a mere 81″ of wheelbase.
But this one is the extended body version, the MaxiFleetVan.
Officially known as the FJ-3A, it packed a 19″ extension at the rear. Which makes it much more suitable for the use our featured van is in.
I didn’t get a shot of the cargo area, but this one of the driver’s compartment confirms what I suspected as soon as I saw it, that’s it’s had its drive train upgraded. Not surprising, given its original 75hp “Hurricane” F-head 134 CID four. We can only speculate what’s under the hood but if I had to guess, it’s something pragmatic like the Iron Duke-THM drive train out of an old S-10 or something along those lines. Quite suitable. And if so, it would be sporting the same drive train as the Grumman LLVs still delivering the mail today.
It makes for quite a contrast with a modern dually pickup, although this angle doesn’t do justice to just how narrow (and short) this vanlet really is.
Very unusual little van. It appears to have been sold new as a LHD version, so it may not have seen high mileage. Interesting right side upper body panel looks like it has 2 turn handles that allow the upper panel to open up like a food truck awning, and it looks as if there are stereo speakers on both sides of the body. Perhaps this van may get used as a “fun weekends” truck. And I sure hope it’s got a more powerful motor, as it’s got a beefy 2″ tow ball below the back bumper.
It can certainly go places your garden variety Sprinter won’t fit. It’s phoneboothian! You guys have the best cars in the northwest.
Just don’t take a corner too fast.
The owner has a facebook page. Looks like he tows a 5k lbs dump trailer with the little rig also some shots of it towing a ditch witch.
Towing 5k lbs with that little rig would mean the owner has a death wish, as far as I am concerned.
He’s presumably going pretty slow, whether he likes it or not.
I wonder if he gets the same glaring looks from the mega truck drivers as I do in my little Nissan D21? For some reason small vehicles actively irritate many of those who pilot the real monsters.
Kind of diverting from the subject, but I was surprised to see the local(?) USPS is now using Mercedes-Benz Metris cargo vans. I realize they are probably the cheapest Mercedes, but are they cheaper than a Ram Promaster City or Ford Transit Connect?
They presumably get a huge discount, and I dunno about the Metris, but people will pay silly money for a well used, rusty Sprinter.
USPS took lot of effort to disguise the fact that Metris is Mercedes-Benz by covering the three-point star with stylised USPS logo.
Oops! They forgot to cover the emblem on each hubcap. I still think that the Seattle Seahawks should be upset about their emblem being “borrowed”.
Pretty cool to see one in use ! .
I remember these in daily use by the U.S.P.S. .
In the early 1970’s when most gas stations still had repair bays, some local guy bought a few of these surplus and painted then bright orange with “PLUG BUGGY” on the sides and supplied spark plugs cheaper than anyone else .
-Nate
The Kate Moss of Jeeps…Wow, that is great to see still being used, it’s wonderful! I like all the old Jeep forward control jobs, but the skinnyness here adds a whole new dimension. Literally.
I have no recollection of these as postal vans; I’m pretty sure we only had DJ’s where I lived and before that they just walked with their 3 wheeled carts. I’ve seen some good CC’s at Home Depot but this is pretty special. And I’ve only seen one of these vans, liveried up as a tourist promotion somewhere, Carson City perhaps.
Hi Paul,
Are you going to do an article on the Hyundai Santa Cruz released today? I’m interested to hear your take on it.
James
The “comparison” photos of two interestingly contrasting cars parked next to each other is one of my favorite common features of this site, but that shot of the skinny Jeep van next to the dually Silverado takes it to a new level…
So if that big metal thing that looks exactly like a mailbox is “not for deposit of mail”, what is it for?
It’s a postal relay box. Back in the days when the mailman walked or used a Cushman they wouldn’t be able to carry everything on their route. They would work part of their route, pick up more mail from the relay box, and then continue. Beat going back to the PO to pick up the rest.
Hi
This is my company truck
WWEBB CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
https://www.facebook.com/wwebbconstructioncompany/
541 206 0509
[email protected]