America's Most Iconic Delivery System - Grumman LLV

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[@the_fat_electrician]

*buh* fairchild republic makes the A10 learn how to google! *buh* 2 second google search results: “In 1987, the A-10 OEM Team and all A-10 assets were acquired by Grumman Corporation from Fairchild Republic Company”

[@Gotthatsauce27]

🐟

[@kabrotherrepeat]

🦆💥

[@wisemankugelmemicus1701]

I was gonna mention how you said B21 instead of B2

[@cadenfoley4489]

where YF-23?

[@Sgt_Long_Dong]

Please please oh please do a video on Leo major plump wireman (since when does editing a comment get rid of a heart 🦘🦘)

[@theironworks6797]

As a "retired" rural carrier, I can say this is one of the vehicles of all time. You could drive this thing into a crowd, and the crowd would get impatient.

[@the_fat_electrician]

HAHA

[@Zedeezia]

​@@the_fat_electrician my friend who still drives these things could tell you hella llv stories. *Keep uploading BA'ness on yt*

[@ronjones-6977]

@@the_fat_electrician As a carrier since '86, the LLV was a godsend. The old POS Jeep was small, weak, and would roll over if you looked at it wrong. The biggest downside was the cheap-ass lock on the back door and that it's basically a Chevy S-10. Shout out to Arden Branch, Sacramento, CA, and my old customers at Timberlake Condos.

[@fawnwalker7855]

As they dwindled in number, many of us letter carriers would ask for the LLV's. Not because they were comfortable or drove well, but the mail just fit better than later models. Except in winter of course 😂

[@rockysquirrel4776]

My Dad was a rural carrier when I was a kid. He started out with an old post office panel van he got at auction, but the OPEC gas crunch made him switch to a little Datsun B210 and then a 310, before retirement in the 80s.

[@voidwalk2932]

My dad is a former U.S. army ranger. He is now a mailman. He put it best when he said "Son don't mess with mail men. Because it might just be a soldier who doesn't want to lose a pension."

[@tobingallawa3322]

I knew a LOT of guys who did 10 in the USN then worked for the post office

[@theodoresmith8310]

Also, the phrase "going postal" didn't magically appear out of nowhere.

[@gruntlife0341]

Grandpa was a retired senior chief. Did 20 in the navy then moved to Michigan and did another 20 for the post office.

[@chefwest77]

I mean the baddest mother fucker of wwII was a mailman after the war...aka jake McNasty McNiece

[@brtscafsma77]

​@theodoresmith8310 between 1970 and 1999 postal workers killed 40 people. 1986 was a particularly bad year, and was also uncoincidently contained the first known usage of the colloquial phrase "going postal"

[@logan4005]

My Dad is a mailman (close to retirement thank god). I played this for him and he just sat here laughing and saying “yep!” 😂 And at the end when you thank mailmen, he yelled out “You’re welcome! Hooah!” and flexed his muscles and started laughing more. He’s been a carrier for about 40 years now and he’s really been through it with that job. They really don’t get paid enough.

[@KOKO-uu7yd]

Totally agree. My aunt was a mail carrier for years. It destroyed her body, and playing their stupid games before they allowed her to retire with anything like what she'd earned destroyed it further. Mad respect to your pops!

[@kevinkern2221]

That story proves to me you have one hell of a dad. Tell him thank you for making my day :D Also have you shown him the video about the mailmen that held down their postal building during the war. That is another good one.

[@TheAnnoyingBoss]

Sucks how we cant buy them new because all that thing needs is a turbo diesel

[@tuvoca825]

If you want to work for the USPS... be the janitor. Great benefits (that's how congress gets theirs) and you get less chewed up physically. The janitor is the coveted position. Delivery man... if you don't die, your body will be used twice as hard as anyone else at that age. Getting rid of the automatic sorting machines by the postmaster who said he hated the USPS before he was appointed by that bull in a China shop.... that was just mean to get rid of those.

[@The_Banter]

Legend

[@donovanb9020]

Fun fact: the USPS still operates a route in the Grand Canyon that is delivered via donkey/mules.

[@karls4777]

Still delivered by jeeps in rural Idaho.

[@mikemck4796]

That’s thing about a monopoly. You have to be complete. It’s not all upside.

[@christopherchambers2424]

@@karls4777 I'm curious, are they using new jeeps? or older jeeps like the cherokee xj?

[@Kantara01]

That's exactly why the USPS is necessary. Because, by law, they must deliver to every registered address regardless of conditions. If it's not actively deadly to do so (or it's a Sunday or a government holiday), your mail will get delivered because it is required by law There's even a place where it's delivered by ferry boat, all the people who live on the river have docks with mailboxes on them. Some place like Amazon or UPS would look at the people in the Grand Canyon and go "nah, it's not profitable to deliver to you, so we won't... Either get a PO Box or move somewhere else". Which is why Amazon actually has contracts with the USPS for the Postal Service to deliver their packages to locations that aren't profitable for Amazon to deliver to

[@karls4777]

@christopherchambers2424 wrangler jk most right hand drive

[@arvo_septus]

I'm a postal carrier, and I think you're giving the truck a little more shit then it deserves. The LLV was only designed to run for 20 or so years, and its been 40. What we drive now are 75% duct tape and wishes. So these things are 20 years past their expiration and are still running every damn day non stop. I just think it deserves some credit for that.

[@SharpForceTrauma]

He did say they were tough, it's certainly the most durable military project I've ever seen

[@Pknuckles1804]

You've never seen the list of items replaced at a 100k PMI service have you?

[@soonerfrac4611]

I remember my 7th grade AP history & government class & discussing the postal inspectors and their authority. Because of the supremacy clause a postal inspector with lights and sirens going at a 4 way stop would have the right of way if the other vehicles were a local PD, the state HiPo, or even an ambulance running code.

[@kainhall]

im a mechanic... i work on these (they even wanted ME!!! to still work on them, after i changed shops and moved 50 miles away) . the pontiac 2.5 "iron duke" just sucks.... NVH is really bad... low power... sucks gas.... wears out fast the tranny sucks.... the rear end sucks..... the frame sucks (S-10)...... . the body is fine.... but requires AIRCRAFT GRADE FLUSH RIVET MACHINE to work on..... which NO SHOP has . . idk..... i love and hate working on them simple... usually but then you get old 262 in the shop.... ya put in 4 ICMs and it STILL blows them up (wire is fine, ECU is fine, harness is fine.... just bad parts)

[@scythewielder8955]

As a fellow carrier I'm pretty sure we could MAKE a new vehicle with duct tape. And wishes send a bit optimistic haha

[@JohnTheRecoilJunkie]

I am here for unhinged Chubby Electron Man.

[@goodolmemory]

We come for the history lessons, we stay for the unhinged rants we all agree with.

[@huntsmanfrank1279]

me too

[@jayr2634]

Typically same But I am here for God's derpiest Blazer.

[@Pyratemime]

The Rotund Current Fellow

[@jeffjohnson1966]

Why else would I pause my Doctor Who mid binge for?

[@matthewlintner8948]

The shop I used to work at had a contract with the USPS to service and tow LLVs when they broke down. I worked on a minimum of 4 a week, every week. They break down all the time, and unless it was a motor/transmission, we could usually get them back out the door in under an hour. So easy to work on.

[@thisjustaintright.....2562]

How bout them fuel pumps 😂

[@sircharlesvonpimpsmack7667]

They are a dream for the tow truck too. So light that you could almost get them up the deck without the winch and the T slots are between the tires which is a real nice spot to reach for, nice and simple.

[@angel_cheon-sa]

I feel like congress should be required to watch 100% of these videos.

[@Blasted2Oblivion]

Given the required mininum amount of work days they have, they certainly have the time.

[@TheAnnoyingBoss]

Congress will findna way to do something tyrannical somehow

[@Hullj]

On auto replay with their eyeballs taped open

[@manjisaipoe517]

A side note, the LLV is also the cheapest vehicle to maintain out of everything they have ever created!😊

[@InstrucTube]

I mean, only if you aren't counting gas as maintenance.

[@thekikendallsautoandrandom1271]

@@InstrucTube I mean, its got milage than the f14 lol....

[@p00lboy]

​@InstrucTube no gas is an outside element necessity for operation not maintenance... please think before you type next time

[@jordanwelch1187]

@manjisaipoe517 on God?

[@Daniel-dc4xm]

Oughta be. Its based on a chevy S-10 chassis and they made probably millions of them. 😬

[@glenmel78]

If you wonder how serious the mail police could actually be back in the day, they recieved the Tommy gun before the Marines.

[@badgerwildgaming6908]

Everyone gets sht before the marines.

[@kyriss12]

@@badgerwildgaming6908 that's because those crayon eaters keep breaking shit.

[@casey360360]

They're still pretty damn hardcore

[@nunyalastname-ej8vl]

​@@badgerwildgaming6908 sounds like you are one. LoL

[@maxdownforcemedia]

dear god if that doesnt say something about the mail police idk what does

[@freakygardener8033]

I once had a retired postal delivery jeep (dj-5c). It was NOT the BEST vehicle I have ever had, but definitely one of the FUNNEST!!! I used to confuse the people at the drive thru window when I would go through in reverse! Having right hand steering, that was easier than reaching across, to make my transaction. My friend used to LOVE sitting on the left, with a newspaper in front of him when I was driving down the highway, hoping to freak out the other drivers! 😂

[@w_6880]

I’m law enforcement and have worked side-by-side with the US Postal Inspectors serving warrants after people were caught on camera stealing packages and mail from a USPS semi trailer. They lived in my area and the USPI’s needed additional units. We served the warrant, knocked down the bay door and found 2,000+ pieces of mail and packages. They were some badass guys and gals! Rolled up with a Bearkat, rifles and ballistic shields. Stuff was tight and fun to do! Fun fact, Texas is deregulated and we can typically choose between 3-10 different power companies. They usually all purchase from the same provider, but you have different options. At least the illusion of choice.

[@michaelmiller6050]

Haha I added the same thing about power companies. I used to sell reliant service door to door.

[@michaelmiller6050]

And I think they should deregulate the delivery company too.

[@Zomby_Woof]

​@@michaelmiller6050 Why? What industries have been improved by deregulation?

[@michaelmiller6050]

@@Zomby_Woof hard to say with all the regulation. I know that’s not the answer you’re looking for. But just so we’re on the same page, the delivery company for electric market in Texas I’m referring to is the company that maintains the wires to get the electric to your home. If you live in Texas and look at your electric bill (assuming you don’t live in a coop), you’ll see the delivery charge in many cases is just as much as the energy charge. Different regions in Texas have different delivery companies (but you still can’t choose which one). If it wasn’t a monopoly, we could drive down prices, making your energy bill cheaper.

[@Zomby_Woof]

@@michaelmiller6050 or Texas could join the national grid, and be able to provide residents more reliable power without outages, or the kind of surge rates that would make Uber blush. Or if Tx wants to remain separate, build out your grid with weatherized wind turbines. The terrain is right for it in much of Tx. Sell the excess to industry as cheap, low priority power that gets shunted to residential as required. But more generally...I'm sure there have been industries that were better off after deregulation, but I can

[@Darkn104]

USPS Supervisor here. The last LLV was made in 1987! Every vehicle you see is now almost 40 years old.

[@Steve-iw8yz]

Pretty sure ur wrong the first run with the 2.5 ended in 8? There was another run with the 2.2 that one ended early 90s

[@Enderborn272]

Long life is an understatement. Christ.

[@angelmendoza1762]

Usps mechanic here. First one was in 1987. Last one in 1994

[@chrisjohnson3260]

Basically a 1994 S-10 with a death trap strapped to the frame

[@cgriffin5380]

The first one was made in 1987. The last one was made in 1994 with a couple of private ones in 1995 I believe. I was there when they dropped the 1987 ones off and I am still driving one of those year LLVs today. The first digit of the truck number is the year that it was produced btw.

[@michaelscott6022]

Knowing the Postal Service has their own armed security forces, the phrase "going postal" makes a _lot_ more sense.

[@Personofjid]

This was my exact thought as well. 😂

[@luminousdonkee]

They walk in inclosed cat walks above the workstations in the sorting center. Looking out through mirrored windows lol no matter what time of the year it is there are time deadlines to keep it short. That's what makes people go postal!

[@christopherrogers303]

The real reason is even crazier! Per Wikipedia, 'the expression derives from a series of incidents from 1986 onward in which United States Postal Service (USPS) workers shot and killed managers, fellow workers, police officers and members of the general public in acts of mass murder. Between 1970 and 1997, more than 40 people were killed by then-current or former employees in at least 20 incidents of workplace rage. Between 1986 and 2011, workplace shootings happened roughly twice per year, with an average of 1.18 people killed per year.'

[@Ellis157]

🤣😂@@Personofjid

[@silver-berry]

I'm pretty sure it's from Nov of '91

[@trollusa3206]

As a cop I worked a case with their inspector. He was one of the smartest LE I ever worked with

[@strongislandkidd2576]

Shared this story with my father who was a long time contractor for Gruman. At the end of sharing, he’s goes you think that’s good I designed those P.o.s shitboxes you see driving around!! For the record he had the full design done within 2 weeks and sent off for production* Extremely fast turn around for a project such as this. Thanks for this iconic Shit box Pops!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Great video as always brotha!-Strong💪

[@mrs.rittenhouse]

No kidding, thank your dad for me. I drove one for decades and it was so perfect for what I needed it to do. I joke about them like every other carrier, but they really are iconic.

[@coyoboyo]

I just talked with my local mail carrier about this and it is officially now and forever called The Mailcat around here. May we all do our part to fix this heinous name crime.

[@juanmanuelpenaloza9264]

I would've called it the Tabbycat but mostly because, unlike the big cats of prey, this thing is meant to deliver bills and eviction notices much like Mittens, the local feral cat, delivers birds and rats to your doorstep.

[@stephaniemiller1516]

Lol I'm a city carrier and I am adopting the mailcat

[@pabloreynolds6409]

As a retired Post Office mechanic (we actually have our own motorpools packed with coffee and hate fueled crazies for these things) your video is 100% accurate except taking these things on the highway is like re-entering the atmosphere....on fire...straight into a hurricane, and hoping the one your driving knows where to go because you have no say in the matter. 😅

[@benbossuyt]

I was an independent mechanic in a rural area. It was an absolute nightmare to call in and verify that it was okay to change the oil. I had an engine stalling problem that was caused by the bulkhead connection deteriorating. It was at the shop for 2 weeks before I called them and told them I drilled holes in the firewall and ziptied it together. I was expecting an ass chewing, but the guy was actually relieved he didn’t have to take the entire electrical system off a different, broken truck.

[@jscho8674]

I feel terrible for giggling over re-entering the atmosphere on fire in a hurricane. I could barely breathe. One of my besties is a mail carrier and I can't wait to hear her reaction to this video and comments like yours! 😊

[@WRXXXual]

Best. Description. Ever! 😂

[@garybonz]

I'm starting to get the impression that those things weren't the highest quality . . .

[@k5rjtxj]

As someone who drove one of these pieces of shit I fully agree

[@okxden]

can we all just take a moment to appreciate the humor and just overall genuine love that is nic and his wife. we should aspire to be like nic and his wife

[@andrewguilmain3619]

The LLVs are death boxes. I was a rural carrier. To drive in the snow they required us to get out tanks filled up before hand. To add weight at some point the drilled in cinder blocks above the wheel wells. In the summer what ever the temp was outside add 10 degrees and that was what it was inside.

[@TheAnnoyingBoss]

I wouldve quit

[@HighDesertComics]

All this really tells me is that all of our mail carriers deserve call signs and to have their names stenciled above the doors of the Mialcats.

[@Apollyon67]

I second that motion!

[@Dan_Danger_Brown]

If more of them were worth a damn I'd agree, but I am so constantly disappointed by USPS that I want to keep calltags sacred and not waste them on Parcel Delivery Dropouts.

[@JosephDawson1986]

​@@Dan_Danger_Brown sadly that seems to be a new thing. I am pointing fingers at internet commerce. I remember in the 1990s and upto 2005 not only having the same mail carrier for a while, instead of what seems a new carrier every day. I used to bring our carrier, Mr. McGarrick, water in the summer and offer hot coffee for his thermos or hot coco in winter.

[@jesstyler3749]

@JosephDawson1986 as a current mail carrier I can promise you that your carrier appreciated you. I remember the first year of the heat waves. I kept finding bottles of water that had been frozen the night before. I would like to see someone do a video on the different policies for delivery companies in regards to dogs. From what I've heard the USPS seems to be the one most concerned about their employees. Because of this customers get confused as to why others will go to their doors and we won't.

[@suzuki230]

With some nice artwork on the side. 😂

[@mwhyte1979]

As a forner letter carrier, this made my day. There's nothing like turning the defrost on and to be able to get that about half inch clear strip that you might be able to see something with. Never knew Grumman made these. I'll take great pride now in telling folks I'm a former "Mailcat" pilot. :)

[@astrangeparrot]

My first car, still have it, still runs like an absolute unit, was/is a 1985 S-10. I got blursed with the 4x4 carburated v-6 model, otherwise identical mechanically. Can confirm, scary past 55 mph, but as indestructible as the Toyota Hilux from that one episode of Top Gear where they dunked it in the ocean, hit it with a wrecking ball, and sat it atop a hi rise that was being demo'd. Been driving it, mostly to the landfill, but occasionally some light off-roading, for 20 of it's 40 years on Earth, grandad pulled boats all over the South with it for the 20 before that, and has never burned a drop of oil because it was equipped from the factory with the self lubricating chassis feature GM was so proud of.

[@MrFinesse316]

As a current postal worker ... With my own channel giving info on the usps... You gave sum great info that even i didnt know. Great job!!

[@JunkyardDigs]

I imagine the LLV at highway speeds is quite reminiscent of the space shuttle Columbia on re-entry 😅

[@galenamall2061]

Na its S10 blazer frame with either a 2.5 or 2.2 cylinder

[@thatcarguy2778]

Oh they definitely are...

[@nunyabidness674]

It dances, it floats, it likes to change lanes at random on its own... Oh yeah, every single piece of gravel feels like it's going to shatter your spine because the suspension closely resembles granite... And then you try to exit...

[@LordDarkBraxton]

as a previous rural carrier this shit don't do highways you take this fuckin thing on a highway and you go from feeling ok to feeling your life is in fuckin danger within seconds knowing damn well if you get hit by anything at highway speeds you will become fuckin confetti.

[@philtheninja7208]

hi there junkyard digs

[@peemot007]

I will forever call my LLV the Mailcat from this day forward! Appreciate the love brother. Would have never expected to see an LLV video from The Fat Electrician 😂

[@james13666]

Mailcat how about TomCat, delivering mail tomorrow. Mail = male cat = tom cat

[@vvicked0471]

​@@james13666Tomcat is taken already. F14 Tomcat.

[@shannonhancock988]

SAME!!

[@CapnTytePantz]

Does the Mailcat Mk2 come with the GAUSS and LRMs upgrade package? I dare the dog to ignore my Batchall!

[@p_serdiuk]

@CapnTytePantz no it's just a DropShip that's used for communication when the telephone company says that you've been naughty even though you paid your bills

[@robertf6523]

My first car: pontiac fiero. And that engine certainly deserves the name iron duke. When I got that Fiero the engine needed work.. people who supposedly knew engines swore it was screwed. So 16 year old me goes to disassembling it, take the head to the machine shop, and all that was found was a tiny crack between the valves on one cylinder. Machine shop's like that's going nowhere slap it back together and send it. All it really needed was a head gasket lol.

[@Rocketsong]

We live on a rural-ish route. Several years ago we had outgoing mail stolen, including several outgoing checks. Little gal with a big gun on her hip shows up and vows to hunt them down like an old west sheriff. (payoff - she did indeed hunt them down, they found a house about 2 miles away with over 50,000 pcs of stolen mail)

[@wbond6692]

Fun fact about The United States Postal Inspectors: They have the best conviction rate of any federal law enforcement in the country. 98%! These are *not* mail carriers who know how to wear a suit. These guys are the ones who ensure that nobody will use the USPS to commit a crime or endanger the country. They *will* get you. (Even the FBI answer to these guys) And thanks to the diligence and professionalism of the Inspectors, there is no question that you will do hard, federal time.

[@user-mh1js5ud6f]

Back when I would purchase drugs online USPS is the preferred way because they actually have to have a warrant to open the package

[@randydewing7429]

They tend to have the physical evidence signed and sealed.

[@swj719]

And that 2% is due to either jury nullification or some super obscure legal loophole. Postal inspectors are what the FBI wish to Christ there were.

[@GrEmLiN76X]

In the video he missed the fact that there’s two mail related law enforcement agencies. Postal Police and the Postal Inspection Service. Postal Police protect the facilities and the inspectors the sanctity of the mail. They also do not need a warrant. And yes they have the highest conviction rate. They will have you dead to rights before you ever know they’re watching you. Once you see them, it’s too late. They got what they needed and they’re just coming to take the person into custody.

[@wbond6692]

@@GrEmLiN76X Personally, I would love to know how many times some schmuck would look at the Postal Inspector in front of him, think it was a joke, and demand to see a warrant from "The Mail Man" with a cocky look on their schmucky face. Only to have said Inspector respond with "It's in the mail." 🤪

[@blakemaas7287]

Not a mail carrier, but i am a mechanic at a chevy dealer and our local post office brings their LLVs to us. I've had the displeasure of working on these as well as driving them. Ive driven things that seem like they arent safe, but ive never been more afraid of driving a vehicle than when im behind the wheel of an LLV. Its like riding around in an oversized, underpowered go kart that is held together with bubblegum and a prayer.

[@dandeflavis7004]

I use to work on a bunch of these too and can confirm everything you said is true. We also did the chains in the snow.

[@beauglenn3596]

😂😂😂😂

[@randomuserame]

Sounds like a government vehicle to me!

[@patgonzalez6886]

😂😂💯

[@cathysullivan6591]

As someone who who drives one everyday, theres no bubblegum involved.

[@unknowngamer37415]

6:12 I'm just picturing a team in full mailman shorts and t-shirt with a bulletproof vest swarming up the side of one of the male vans like a SWAT team.😂😂 Even better than the postal service happening to make their own money while someone else approves their price list they actually have any profits taken and put back into the rest of the government so they can't even build up surplus for lean years or major retrofits without issues.

[@PlaneReality]

Where I am in rural Virginia they deliver in personal vehicles. Yup that right... their own ride! They give the carrier a stipend and per mile amount... from which they pay for the vehicle (suitable for the job)... its repairs and upkeep... and insurance. This saves the Post office a ton of money while ensuring that the drivers are in a vehicle that is much safer and more comfortable and all around better... while writing it all off on their taxes as a business expense. Boom! Problem solved! ML and Blessings all!

[@scottcoley1906]

There was a mail carrier that still drove the old Willis jeep. Guy was at least 60 and wore a Vietnam Veteran hat and pretty sure he had a 1911 in the old green field jacket he wore year round, even in the hottest Alabama summers. No matter the weather, this guy delivered. Everyone else hiding from possible tornadoes with no one on the road but police, us (public works department) , and him delivering mail. 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@Glenn138horror]

"Gimme the fucking mail and let me do my goddamn job. I got a route. People are getting their letters. I don't give a fuck about no fucking tornado! I was in 'Nam. The trees don't talk on Sycamore lane. I'm doing my job and you ain't fucking stopping me."-THE Mail Man

[@jamesrjohanniii774]

Proving yet again. If you want something done. Call an old veteran who just don't GAF.

[@jamesroach7305]

This sounds like a script of a very good movie

[@delta85584]

Can confirm, reaching 70mph in an FLA is both an exciting and horrifying experience. You got one hand on the wheel, one hand on the radio mount (to keep it from flying at you), foot to the floor till its cramping, and ears bleeding from the sound of the roaring engine, rattling like you're the space shuttle and through it all you pray no deer or sharp turn comes up, knowing full well that ACH aint protecting shit

[@AinokeatoProductions]

It's worse when the steering is garbage and center is never center twice. God that shit is exciting and terrifying.

[@Davja146]

I accidentally got mine to 75+ last week...

[@delta85584]

@@AinokeatoProductions Oof, those A1 and A2 models were the worst, no AC, not even a turbo so you're hoofing it just to catch a soft top. A3 can at least keep up and gives you SOME creature comfort

[@andyhansel5753]

So you’re an Ork in 40k

[@nadjasunflower1387]

@@AinokeatoProductions lol...that's a RAC issue. (needs replaced)

[@jackwood8307]

Retired mail carrier here. Granted that the LLV had a lot of faults but compared to the jeeps and box vans we use to drive this was like getting in to a Cadillac after driving a pinto. I was the first carrier to have one in my city and I really liked it. You have to consider that these vehicles were abused like hell. Stop and go all day and never getting over 5-10 mph. Brutal environment for any vehicle.

[@mcmillan1963]

In my area, the postal service has been slowly phasing in a ,RHD Mercedes Metris delivery van over past year. Instead of the HUGE Mercedes emblem in the grille, It has the postal service Eagle logo. I bet these German Turds won't be around in 40 years.

[@dillonh321]

They are just a stop gap measure while they replace some of the older and destroyed LLVs. The new NGDV mail truck that they are rolling out right now has a contract through 2028. If they don’t extend the production contact then I bet that in 10 years we will see USPS ask for more bids just to replace all of these Mercedes Metris and Ram Promaster vans they recently purchased.

[@DanielClary-lv9ud]

Fun fact- The Grumman wildcat had the capability of carying Tiny tim rockets which where the largest ungided missile to ever grace the belly of an aircraft at 11 ft long and 1300 lbs

[@DanielClary-lv9ud]

It would be super cool if u could make a vid on this weapon its truly a joke how silly and badass it is

[@nikolaideianov5092]

Why not Tiny tim mail carreing rocket lol

[@panther-nk2hn]

Think the Hellcat was able to do that too

[@michaelusswisconsin6002]

The Hellcat did that too

[@Googleistheantichrist]

If only my postal truck had those

[@troopertrampstamp]

I've been dealing with a chronic illness, and your videos are one of the few things that give me joy on a daily basis. Thank you for everything you do Nick. Keep being the absolute best

[@m2hmghb]

Feel better!

[@dsl32]

I hope you get well soon

[@jensenacklese3049]

Praying for healing ✌️ from Oklahoma with love.

[@celuiquipeut6527]

I am chronically ill too. For lifee. Keep it up! Praying for you.

[@teschchr122]

I hope you’re doing well! So sorry you’re having issues.

[@ironnoodle7992]

I was in the USAF stationed at England AFB with the 23rd TAC Flying Tigers, 23rd Supply Squadron with A10s flying over head. After separating from the AF, I worked for a company, that no longer exists, that manufactured the handles and hinges for the LLV. With only 10 people in the plant and being the companies sales engineer with many slow days, I have assemble thousands of those handles while sitting at my desk. They're the same handles you will find on most US utility vehicles manufactured in the 70s, 80s and 90s.

[@JW-bi5kx]

Hey F.E, any company can ship anything that they want,the only thing that they can't do legally is put whatever it is they ship or deliver they can't put in your mailbox, that is why if Amazon or any other company will leave your stuff outside of your door. If you have something you bought from Amazon or ups in your mailbox it's because the USPS was the one that actually delivered it to you and we deliver a shit load of Amazon and others, and that is called "the last mile". I know this for a fact because I've been a USPS employee for 20yrs. Your rt about the POSTAL Inspectors are not a Police organization that you should f with cuz they know wtf they're doing! I agree with you about the new designs of postal vehicles that they are proposing they look like something from a damn cartoon! LOL Thank you for filling people in on this matter

[@Rhodor-O6]

I love that your wife has become a recurring character XD Also, I will never look at a mail van the same way...

[@mrsphatelectrician3671]

❤❤😘😘

[@joelbrown3479]

Great thong 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Great team work Guyz

[@SBQDawn]

Hell yeah ! She is (needs to be probably) just as funny as TFE and clearly they love and respect each other. Love it when they tease each other makes me all Happy Happy Joy Joy for the day and with chronic pain I need all the chuckles I can get. Love and hugs TFE Huge the Wife for me!

[@ArmyMailmanJesus]

As a USPS carrier and a still-serving veteran, this video is spot-on about how similar the LLV is to any light-medium military vehicle. And yes, the red-tape to get anything done is ridiculous.

[@galenamall2061]

they have 2 repair cycles a year i used 2 work on them

[@jaredbrittain7337]

Thank you Sir!...for your service, and continued toleration of the 🤬🤬🤬 that employ you.

[@Valhalla1987]

As a letter carrier, I really appreciate not just this video, but all of your content. You've been in my ear through many a hard day.

[@tysonstone1960]

I used to work on these. We did maintenance and also replaced motors and trans missions on them. The great thing about replacing the engine was the body is literally held on by screws so you could just take off the front grill in 5 minutes and have plenty of room to rip the motor out of them. As for maintenance, the worst wear and tear on any vehicle is sharp acceleration and hard braking. Which is all this thing does for 8 hours a day. Literally accelerates for 5 seconds then slam on the brakes at the next mailbox. And they are constantly hitting curbs and dropping off the asphalt to get to the mailboxes. The brakes, tires, and front end steering parts were always worn out from this. To save money the tires were all retreads that we could never get to balance right, so that's why getting over 60 mph felt like you were going to die. They did switch to a ford explore based one for a few years but it was terrible and i dont think they made those for very long before abandoning them because they were so bad

[@galaar6698]

This dude educates more people more efficiently than the public school system.

[@KurtisKlunder]

That's...not a high standard.

[@nobodynoone2500]

Too bad half what he says is wrong or missing critical context.

[@keonyang3332]

And thats the problem ​@@KurtisKlunder

[@galaar6698]

@@nobodynoone2500 Still a higher standard than Public Education.

[@AlphaGametauri]

@@nobodynoone2500 Except.... it isn't?

[@alejandrocuevas5271]

My grandpa spent 4 years in the Air Force. Went straight to the post office after and just retired after 55 years. He’s the hardest working man I know. ❤

[@UR_Mind]

This may have been mentioned in the comments, but these trucks have a fan in them. Like a desk fan. They weren't designed with them by grummen. USPS tried to distribute the vehicles to local post offices without the fan. Arizona (the state) told USPS that they wont put mail carriers in an aluminum oven without some way of cooling them off. Grumman begrudgingly installed a desk fan in the trucks then sent them out.

[@ricks5756]

Fun fact: the LLC used a Chevy S10 frame, engine, and transmission. The only thing really different was the body kit and suspension. Edit: Ford also had a contract to manufacture 'Jeeps' for the military.

[@Wolfy1012]

So last month I did a CCW class and among the usual former/current military and LEOs there was this guy well on the road to being a Homeland Security Investor. He said, "The craziest MFs I will NEVER want to fuck with are the Postal Inspectors. They roll up to the fed shooting range in their LLVs just PACKED with guns and proceed to drill the tightest groups I've seen since I left the Corps. Never mess with a mailman." Wise words to live by.

[@SupersuMC]

Don't mess with a mailman. They know where you live.

[@Milkman3572000]

MAILCAT! I like that. USPS employee here. 1 thing the USPS does REALLY well... We get our money's worth out of vehicles. We put tons of miles on every vehicle we own. I've seen the LLVs rebuilt. Here in Iowa the frames rust away. No problem, we get a new frame. The Aluminum bodies do not rust. The Mechanics will and do completely rebuild these things. A few years back we bought some Chrysler Mini vans, they rusted apart so fast. When I see a LLV I think of a boat, Grumman also make boats.

[@zeroofthebeat4658]

This man went in on mail truck lore. I respect the hell out of this.

[@channingtaintum]

My best friend is a “special investigator” for the USPS inspector general. They do not fuck around, and they are very highly trained. I’ve received several Snapchat pics from his POV where he’s flying in the back of a Blackhawk as the designated marksman during a sting operation.

[@idiotsandwich4912]

Hi, I am a rural carrier. I love the LLVs they’re so iconic. They’re so roomy too. Problem is basically everything you just said haha. It’s a rolling metal box with basically zero safety. No heat, no air… it’s hot.. and bitter cold..You get dusty lukewarm air 😂 and if you get into an accident VS a bigger vehicle (semi) you’re toast. But man can it deliver some freaking mail.. and it will drive until the wheels fall off and more. They don’t let us go on the highway really. Our scanners block out the highway. Going above 55 mph causes the LLV to rattle so hard it sounds like a huge earthquake and tornado at the same time. You can’t even hear the traffic around you. That’s really bad as the blind spot is HUGE. it’s like driving a semi truck. That’s how big the blind spot is. They trained us on an obstacle course for a full day in order to drive the LLVs and do an pretty extensive driving test. You have to be able to maneuver the LLV like it’s an extension of your own body, which I can do now. They turn like a dream. You can turn so sharply it’s amazing! Man was it a long day learning to drive the LLV the safe and effective way. Bonus info: the post office does not allow you to back up unless you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO. Like I said before the blind spot is huge behind the LLV and there are multiple other blind spots all around the vehicle that you must always be aware of! Lately I’ve been driving another mail vehicle that the post office has adopted. It’s a Mercedes Metris. These are pretty fancy compared to the LLV. AC, heat, radio, backup cams.. but they suck butt in the snow. You’ll get stuck on literally nothing!!! It’s so silly. The LLV is way better in the snow (but not that good). Problem with the metris is they’re supposed to have premium fuel but USPS doesn’t wanna pay for that so that make us put regular which is slowly killing the engine 😅 they also don’t really “train” you to drive the metris. They sat me in it, said “here is the metris.. don’t open the door when moving it will throw itself into park and destroy the transmission.. anyways…” and then we moved on lmao. Long live the LLV. I wanna buy one when they retire and camp in it or something.

[@mrs.rittenhouse]

So true. Retired city carrier. They sent me out in a minivan a couple of times before I decided I had enough seniority to refuse. For all the LLV's flaws it's still the most perfectly purposeful mail truck. I'm kinda glad I retired before my LLV did.

[@104thDIVTimberwolf]

They'll never retire them. They were designed so that, when you wear out the chassis, you can just drop the body onto a new one.

[@jamiehayes4820]

Just finished llv training 2 weeks ago!!!!!yeah!!!

[@UR_Mind]

So true about the metris. I drive for a towing company that contracts with the post office. They won't let us tow the metris with dollies (the little wheels we use to get the other set of tires off the ground) because it costs to much. Mercedes requires all metris to be towed with dollies if we don't have a flatbed. Sure, they're RWD, but it screws up the break sensor and requires a visit to VMF to fix properly.

[@RhettCecil]

Our oldest son is in college to become a history teacher and swears he's putting your video's into his lesson plans! Keep up the great work, we appreciate it and you.

[@WhiteIkiryo-yt2it]

"He is our last hope." " No,.there is another. "

[@Brownkid422]

Did you post this comment before, or after, the anal beads comment? Just curious 😅

[@carlsteffens]

I used to be a contract driver for US postal for getting their mail out from the distribution center to the post offices of several rural communities, and all the carriers were driving personal vehicles

[@HDTech22]

I am a technician. I have worked on several mail trucks. They are the most terrifying and thrilling experiences I’ve ever had. I have definitely three wheeled one of those. Also they’re chevy s10 with a giant box on it.

[@vincentlafayette1428]

I recently had my "Mailcat" traded in for a ram promaster. It makes me realize how awsome the llv was. It was perfect for delivering mail, as long as you are properly dressed for whatever the weather is outside.

[@stanleyshostak2737]

That’s a fact Jack!

[@jacobsteger4662]

I work in a place that get a bunch of promasters in and we fix and resell them and boy are they the biggest pieces of cheap crap on the road I am sorry you have to drive one all day

[@ovni2295]

Also! FedEx and UPS both begged the government to let the USPS keep doing its thing as a monopoly, because they both rely on it for a lot of last mile package delivery and letting them focus on packages lets them stay agile and competitive in a way that having to carry the mail wouldn't. They did a cost-benefits analysis and it's literally better for the package carriers to work with the USPS rather than against it. Also, not for nothing, the USPS is the most efficient mail service in the world and was once described as a miracle.

[@vangoghaway626]

So they don't even need the monopoly then? If there's noone competing, then the usps can adapt their rates without worrying about other companies jumping in. Noone wants their business it seems? ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

[@KingAlanI]

And FedEx does some backend processing for Express Mail

[@Sleepy7666]

​@@vangoghaway626if they allow privatization it's bad for BOTH package carriers AND the USPS.

[@doujinflip]

@@vangoghaway626Nobody wants uneconomical _rural_ business. Part of the conditions for the Postal Service monopoly is serving everywhere in the country regardless of population density, which is why private couriers charge so damn much for direct deliveries outside of the big cites. The government uses the USPS to keep the country communicating and thus unified; for the longest time it was the one federal institution most Americans dealt with regularly regardless of location.

[@Zytri92]

USPS and NASA are the two most efficient government agencies with the best ‘ROI’ for taxpayer dollars and it’s not even close when you look at the data.

[@ThatSnarkyHunter]

A recent news article made me revisit this video. Some crazy mail carrier from Ohio managed to get an LLV up to 105 on the freeway while racing a Mustang. I have never been so impressed yet so concerned

[@eric4953]

Driving my same LLV for 20+ years, I will give it the respect it deserves. These "long life vehicles" were supposed to have a lifespan of 24 years...mine is now 35. Sure there's no heat, no a/c, no defrost, incredibly loud and drives like a jiffypop on wheels, but no other vehicle in the world could do what the LLV does. I say, strip them down, new engine + transmission, new wiring, new rubber and use them for another 35 years.

[@TheAnnoyingBoss]

We can make better ones built to last 100 years but clearly they dont want to put in the budget for the quick swap bulleproof windsheilds and the extra thick frame and now you need a cdl to deliver mail. They just made a metal tin can on wheels its a filingncabinet built like crap. Swear tesla gotta have the same designers

[@WTFluck]

Hey guys! Sorry I missed/forgot to update the text graphic for the F6F Hellcat, so here's some of the fun facts here: -Carrier Based Fighter Aircaft -Introduced 1943 -Credited with destroying 5,223 enemy aircraft, the most of any naval aircraft -Created to counter the Japanese Zero -Over 66,000 combat sorties. Hope y'all enjoyed the vid!

[@voraciousblackstn]

Even if some may not know who you are, we love what you do Fluck!

[@peterbenson2185]

@@voraciousblackstn The Hero in the shadows.

[@OmegaTou]

Thank you, Fluck. Editors are the unsung heroes of KZbin. 👍

[@ximthedespot4673]

Ever since I say the Hellcat episode of Dogfights, that has been my favorite piston-driven aircraft.

[@ShawnF6FHellcat]

@@ximthedespot4673 Dogfights and Battle 360 for me

[@erniemiller1953]

For Y2K, I worked as a contractor for the Postal Inspection Service. I wrote a program that allowed the agents to share information about someone they were investigating. For example, one inspector in DC might be investigating a person in LA who is doing mail fraud, and another in LA might be investigating the same person for CP in the mail; one has the address and the other has his phone number, etc. With my program, they were able to share what info they had with each other, and combine investigations and prosecutions. We got some really bad guys this way. Another program I wrote tracked mail sent to foreign locations that never arrived. You'd be surprised, but the location with the most reported missing mail pieces was not some African backwater, but was actually Vatican City...Rome. That's right, the POPE'S HOME had more thieves than ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH!

[@jacobmudd8024]

Not that surprising. Everything they get at the vatican is basically ill gotten.

[@evilrooster9960]

Gee, wonder why lol

[@northamericanintercontinen3207]

Dude this is awesome you rock

[@greganderson6371]

@@nuclearTANKthere’s more

[@CaughtSlackin_]

Calling bs

[@williamreed1512]

To answer your question I was a Combat medic that worked at Grumman building the LLV we had two gasoline,and natural gas powered,I drove the natural gas. Yes they rattle and they were just a Chevy S10 frame with a little 4 cylinder engine. Yes they were weak on horse power,and rattle,but were fuel efficient and vary solid. But yes you fell unsafe because they didn't have sounds dampering like most vehicles do and neither did my hum V ambulance. Overall about same driving experience of both except the hum V ambulance was more top heavy.

[@ekvictory007]

Been there. Did 90 in an LMTV once. Big hill and heavy rain. If it was not strapped down it was walking around on the floor like a washing machine from the 90s. Only difference is if you hit anything not only will your knees explode but whatever you hit will cease to exist.

[@jefferyscholl]

This is too hilarious because I was just visiting the states last week and saw one of these and commented to my wife that it might be the most hardcore vehicle ever made, that is one beautiful vehicle, and she really did have the same opinion lol

[@vibechecker3168]

The US postal service: delivering packages while dressed as 19th century explorers

[@challenger5748]

Your story arch of the postal service is ironically like becoming employed at the USPS...Starts off full of hope and then ends in mind numbing defeat. haha. I really appreciate that you appreciate us, man. It's not what it seems all the time but I still really enjoy it in some sick, self-depricating way.

[@MrPenriquez]

I just stumbled upon your channel today and was talking to a postal service guy 2 days ago saying how amazing it is that they’ve been using the same vehicles for decades. He asked, “Have you seen the new ones coming?” I said, “No.” He said, “They have the most ridiculous windshield. It looks like a giant forehead.” Anyway, it’s interesting how I was talking about this vehicle a couple days ago and stumble upon you talking about it when I wasn’t even searching for it.

[@SarahUndomiel]

My dad's mail truck spontaneously combusted a few years ago. Apparently this is a thing they just randomly do?! He made the news for saving all the mail and was most upset about the fact that he wasn't able to save his coffee mug 😅

[@joewilson5631]

*camera cuts off* ".... and fuck that shitty thing, I'm glad it burned"

[@Macbeagle]

I only worked for USPS for 3 months and managed to have two of these trucks die on me.

[@chadmiller2085]

True dad moment 😂

[@Morgaine]

I used to be in Contracting with the DLA - the problem is that the award goes to the contractor that meets the "minimum necessary requirements" at the lowest price. If a far superior design costs a penny more, it loses. The goal is to be fair, but it results in standard rather than excellent equipment.

[@Mathignihilcehk]

@@Morgaineand sometimes, the government will require parts not exceed the minimum requirement, even if it costs more. So we pay extra to get worse product. I remember an issue where a product had an improved feature that the government’s users liked. Unfortunately, it wasn’t on the drawing, so we had to spend time and money to make sure it was never included again.

[@Mast3rson]

Ex-carrier. In training, they tell you that these things shake violently if you’re going over 45. Aaaaand they also train you to get them going on the highway. My old LLV’s horn was just a live wire inside the steering column. To use it, I just had to bump the wire into the metal housing of the steering wheel. If I ever actually did though, all the lights would dim, and the fan would shut off. Also, no AC or heat. Gotta love USPS.

[@killzinshadows3767]

I had a similar setup in my welders truck😂

[@mrs.rittenhouse]

The horn on mine did the same thing. Kept tagging it for service and every time after 3 weeks the horn would go off whenever you made a right-hand turn. Finally I just pulled the cap off and used the wire.

[@scottkolar7374]

Thankfully I only had to drive these POS's a few times. I had a choice and could drive my own vehicle and I bought a 1980 International Scout that was factory right hand drive from the second rural carrier owner.

[@runninboomer]

As an ex-mailman my biggest problem with my LLV was the no AC with the heat that was constantly blowing in the SC summers.

[@Burke_Motorsports]

I once owed a 1966 VW Swiss Postal RHD Walk-thru Sliding Door Highroof. My mail guy loved it.

[@muskyman1018]

As a rural mail carrier who’s made some laps in the LLV you pretty much nailed the experience of taking it on the highway. And at 6’2” I can’t get far enough away from the pedals to keep from getting leg cramps. No ac, may as well not have a heater. Handles like a newborn fawn on an icy pond. And when it snows it is stuck before it gets out of the parking lot!

[@tiagodecastro2929]

When I was a kid, my mom used to buy bottled water (mind you, we weren't exactly wealthy people, to put it lightly) and refrigerate it, then make me and my siblings hand out the bottles to the mailmen when they drove by on hotter summer days. I always felt a little bad for them, but I never met a mailman who lacked in smiles and abounded in complaints. Very kind people. So, thank you

[@chiefslinginbeef3641]

Lol I've pulled my mailman out of the ditch on my road nearly ten times in the rare snowy times in rural TN. 😊

[@mikemallory8892]

My grandfather was in the third Army under Patton as a mechanic, after the war he got a job working as mechanic with the post office! I still have his rollaway toolbox, patent date 1881.

[@thenortonanti]

As a rural carrier, I like driving the LLV. Is it an oven in MS heat? Yes. Is it loud? Yes. But does it drive through col de sacs without a problem, carry everything I need it to? Yep. It’s very effective for the job it needs to do. It’s a vehicle that looks bad on paper but when you use it for the job intended, its layout and features are very apparent. Fun fact: It is illegal for us to refuse to do our job or walk out. We can go to jail if we strike. If called in, we must come in. Refusing to come in can result of them using a vacation day

[@Doug_R1]

To me the single most iconic thing about the LLV aside from its looks, is its sound. You can almost guarantee that most americans born within the last fifty years or so, for most of their conscious life. They hear THAT exhaust note. And they immediately know what it is. My folks live in the sticks and our house is a couple hundred yards from the road, bumpy gravel driveway and such. And she's always made a point of talking to our mail drivers and given them drinks, snacks, and stuff from our garden. Hats off to the people at the USPS.

[@KRDecade2009]

At my grandmothers I was trained to run to get the mail every day for almost 15 years. I could be in the backyard shooting the shit or “watering” with the “built in hose” on the neighbors flowers that had sprouted under our fence and the moment I hear that truck pull up I’m already at the door just waiting for them to move on. Nowadays I find myself looking out the window for the mail truck because I never hear it at the house I’m at.

[@johnathanjarrett63]

Having spent 15 years in the ARMY, I am no longer surprised at just how screwed up the Government actually is.

[@Mister_Rat_]

How is anything of this screwed up? monopolized mail services are pretty standard practise

[@danielcurtis1434]

@@Mister_Rat_ I think the point may be that UPS/fedex does more for cheaper with less red tape?

[@rslover65]

​@@danielcurtis1434, um they don't?

[@danielcurtis1434]

@@rslover65 Um where I live they definitely do!!! Package with tracking a decade before USPS AB’s even then it was 2 days faster for $2 less. Now it’s still a good savings. Not sure what ended to say you provided no context?

[@fracturedrealitygaming1326]

MailCat is absolute gold man, they need to make another one and hire to you to name it

[@GregAtlas]

"AKA the mail truck" AKA B.O.B. (Bucket of Bolts) as named by my mom who had to drive one on her rural route. Had no air conditioning, can't handle rural roads in bad weather with horrible suspension and 2 wheel drive, had horrible gas mileage, and barely any heat in the winter. The parts for it are readily available for it and cheap, but they were all made pre-1980 in one big batch so even the spare parts have to deal with aging 30+ years in a warehouse somewhere. She hated that thing with a passion, especially since she was forced to give up her custom made right hand drive jeep with all the bells and whistles for it when B.O.B. was assigned to her. It only lasted a year before our office was able to transfer it out and she was able to use her private vehicle again.

[@christopherpascale3758]

Funny story. We are getting new mail trucks. Wanna know who got the contract... Oshkosh Corp. They own Oshkosh Defense and Pierce Manufacturing (fire trucks). Also, the PRC (postal regulatory commission) has to set the price of stamps and other products/services. We are under the government, but not part of them. Look up the Postal strike of 1970. Really cool stuff. My grandfather was part of the strike on Long Island.

[@Klegane762]

As a former carrier who delivered in the southeast, I can tell you that the heater works well. Even when you don't want it to in the middle of the summer.

[@ronjones-6977]

And who doesn't love a fan blowing hot air off of the windshield DIRECTLY into your face on a nice 105-degree day... while you hump mail on foot 6-12 miles a day, six days a week. Good times! (86-19 Sacramento)

[@anthonynorwood8441]

It doesn't work well when it is -20 outside in the winter I can tell you that from experience

[@nate4036]

Our poor mailman has two fans blowing on him and he’s still soaking wet in July-August

[@Departmentofnaturalresources]

Oh I know that kind of heater it’s basically just a bit of the water on its way to the radiator having a fan blowing on it into the cab works good when the engine is warm but when it’s cold enough to give a polar bear shrinkage it’s doing nothing because that water in the engine is as warm as a cold beer on a hot day and weirdly enough on that hot day that’s when the heater is hot enough you could cook a meal with it and there’s no way to turn it off because 10 years ago some lead paint chip eating moron somehow broke the fan speed control so it’s either blowing or it’s really blowing or it’s auditioning to become a helicopter

[@ronjones-6977]

@@Departmentofnaturalresources It's basically like trying to keep cool with a blow dryer.

[@ChipmunkRapidsMadMan1869]

Never underestimate the postman going postal. Poland had a contingent of postmen who delivered some serious mail to the Germans who set up on a rather rambunctious Holliday in Warsaw.

[@ronjones-6977]

I carried from '86-'19. Whenever someone asked if I was "afraid someone would go Postal," I'd just reply "Nope, I'm the best shot in the office." Once the Nam vets were gone, it pretty much mellowed out. Thank you, PTSD, for an....interesting career.

[@jhnshep]

The fat electrician covered them in a video not so long ago.

[@ChipmunkRapidsMadMan1869]

@@jhnshep Yup.

[@mysteryshrimp]

As it turned out, executing a bunch of military trained combatants who happened to work for the post office was a war crime, even the first time.

[@ZombieSazza]

Super grateful that in Scotland we have Royal Mail and they tend to use Ford Transit vans, Ford is reliable, parts easy to get, and it doesn’t feel like a deathtrap to drive, so that’s a nice bonus!

[@wmffmw1854]

Grumman got the contract because they know how to navigate the Bureaucracy and interpret specifications. Grumman is known as the iron works for a reason. They focused on function over form. My father worked for Grumman Aerospace for 39 years. I only worked there about one year before running afoul of internal politics. It was a learning experience. The good part I doubled my income when I got rehired by the company I had worked for prior to Grumman.

[@TedBear89]

As a Rural Carrier in Ohio, this video is fucking spot on! These trucks are so old and going on double their expected lifespan. Were originally planned to be used for 20 years, most vehicles being made in the late 80’s. Love your videos and this one I’m definitely sharing to my coworkers! Keep up the awesome content!!! ❤

[@joevk6274]

I grew up and still live in rural Ohio. The local post office didn't have an LLV until long after I grew up. Until they got one, all of the carriers used personal vehicles, usually cheap, older sedans. Buick LeSabre, Toyota Camry, etc., with a few using SUVs like Jeep XJs in the winter. Now, they only have one LLV, that is used by one person, who's route is in the immediate vicinity of the office. Outside of that area, the personal vehicles are still used.

[@bobw7018]

The NEWEST and last ones, are 1994, if that's saying anything at all......

[@54raceman]

@@joevk6274yeah we don’t have them in my part of rural ohio either

[@tjk7233]

The LLV is by far Northrop Grumman’s crowning achievement. Not only has it been in service longer than it’s predecessor mail Jeep, it’s been in service longer than some of Northrop Grumman’s aircraft.

[@j.k.8773]

Morgan olson, who bought Grumman, still makes a shitton of parts for LLV, I should know I run the punch, making them parts.

[@allangibson8494]

And some of them have covered more distance than the Grumman lunar module…

[@kaknu]

I can just imagine Leroy Grumman giving an afterlife tour of the Grumman Museum. "So now that you've seen the fighter jets, stealth bomber, lunar lander and missle systems, let me show you our crowning achievement: the LLV, or as I affectionately call it, the Dishwasher Milkwagon."

[@benwilkerson3762]

Mail carrier for 24 years. My assigned LLV was built in 1988 when I was in 7th grade. No idea how many times it’s rolled over a hundred thousand miles, cause it only registers 99,999 then it zeroes out. Im nearing its second hundred thousand in the last 12 years since I’ve had it. 9 miles per gallon is a pipe dream. I fill the 14 gallon tank every three days with approximately 65 miles between fill ups. Just yesterday I had the postmaster laughing at my ingenuity as a finished my route using a bungee strap I picked up from the roadside to hold the seat back in the vehicle. Apparently the rattling, jarring, and vibrating had taken its toll completely snapping the seat frame. As much hatred as I have for the iconic LLVs I fear that the ridiculous monstrosity they’ve chosen to replace them will be an even bigger failure.

[@allangibson8494]

@@benwilkerson3762 Any vehicle that lasts 45 years and is still running isn’t a failure, it’s just old and tired. After 45 years on the job you would probably feel like retiring too…

[@ScareCrow90]

Well this explains why the two large local USPS offices near me have moved almost entirely to renting U-Hauls and contracting with private contractors driving personal vehicles for mail delivery.

[@usarmyboy83]

current mail man here, and me staying dry in my urn with wheels is the most important thing. I hate having wet socks, and the one thing the Army Guard thought me is to make sure you have dry socks lol.

[@darkreaper1369]

6 years as a rural carrier before dipping out and starting my electrician apprenticeship. The LLV is a rolling soda can held together with rivets and bubble gum. Military grade is spot on, as stated by a friend and former coworker who was in the Army.

[@Eric-mc5to]

As a mailman that also drove a humvee, it’s basically the same. I’ve be shot at and the single scariest experience in my life was in a LLV. I was delivering in a city I’ve never been in, my phone overheated because it’s a 140 degree hotbox in the summer, and the scanner would only tell me to take the interstate back to the office. I have a picture I took of the speedometer on a straight stretch, it says ~78 but I highly doubt it goes that fast. Speedometer jumping up and down like 15 mph, the shaking of the steering wheel, all the sounds, felt like i was back in the Humvee. I took a slightly curving part of the road at like 60 and I was certain I was about to die 😂 USPS also has about the same amount of stupid shit that makes no sense like the Army did.

[@ronjones-6977]

The scariest time I ever had driving an LLV was shuttling all the cans collected during the Food Drive from our local branch back to the main office. 1000 pound limit? Yeah, right. Once I got it to 45 mph, I realized the brakes were only a "suggestion."

[@kylecouch8129]

I worked on ups conveyor belts for a few years on call, during those breakdowns I heard things I wouldn’t have considered otherwise. The divorce rate due to the extreme work hours etc man them drivers make a good buck not giving a

[@nathang4915]

I'm a rural carrier and I personally love the LLV's, despite them having no a/c and being very old. They have great turning radius, drive well off-road, have a lot of carrying space, and can drive at decent speeds, so long as your not on a highway. Also, I appreciate them even more now compared to the newer mail cars (called Metris's) which are way to small, cramped, uncomfortable, and completely suck off-road.

[@davidjudd5742]

As a postal service worker, I loved this video. I call my LLV the tuna can. I work in Georgia, and these things have no AC they get insanely hot and stink. They are fun to drive and are incredibly tough though.

[@CasaHouse2205]

I've always respected mail carriers but as you said, it kind of goes up a few levels when you learn all the bullcrap they have to deal with, both in their day-to-day and in trying to improve their service in the longer term. Thank you for the content as always man. I hope your day is uneventful and unstressful!

[@ronjones-6977]

You have no idea how right you are. The USPS is the KING of "diversity promotions." They didn't just read the Peter Principle, they leaned into it HARD. When someone decided to move into "management," we called it "drinking the Kool-aid." The second they put on a tie, they forgot where they came from. I've really only "hated" a few people in my life. They were ALL postal management.

[@theblondesiouxsiesioux]

Oh god. I worked for the postal service for 5 years, and it's rotten to the core. Not just the system that runs it but the average workers there are dogshit people. And don't give me any excuses for their actions, I know everything they have to put up with, it's not bad, I've definatley had way worse jobs than USPS. Worst part about working at the P.O is your co-workers hands down.

[@nocholasdudeson2828]

Fun story about the postal inspectors. I was living in Utah at one point and my girlfriend at the time was a massive stoner. At one point her mom who lives in california tried to send us HALF A FUCKING POUND of flower in the mail. Long story short my appartment got raided by the US postal inspectors and the local sherif, and my girlfriends mom had to fight off a felony.

[@mattfazio997]

Postal Inspectors were like 'F**k off DEA, this came through OUR jurisdiction'.

[@thorb5191]

The USPS is also struggling because they have to deliver to everyone no matter how far away they are for the same price. It costs the same to mail a letter from one town to the next but also costs the same amout to send it across the country.

[@DNinja87]

I shit myself in laughter with that Maverick Face Over. LMFAO

[@SpiralAveragee]

As a current mailman this video had me cracking up at the office. I've tried to explain a lot of these issues to my coworkers and now I can just reference your video! Thank you for putting this out.

[@daRealB-Rex]

Imagine there's a parallel universe where the LLV is what's charging into battle while Northrop Grumman's planes are what's delivering your groceries

[@Whiskey11Gaming]

Mail delivery by Tomcat? Fuck yes!!!!!

[@panther-nk2hn]

@@Whiskey11Gaming Or a B2 mass airdropping packages XD

[@EchelonBlue]

imagine groceries delivered via canister munition. ---- sonic boom --- ---- swish THUMP --- HONEY! THE GROCERIES ARE HERE! "Where?" "IN THE HOLE IN THE BACK YARD!" "oh, I see it. Got it!"

[@lordpumpkinhead265]

@@EchelonBlue That would be absolutely badass. Bonus points if I get to keep the canister.

[@Razmoudah]

@@EchelonBlue We'd all have bigger yards, or dedicated 'receiving' ports for them. I still don't see a downside to this.

[@Frank-mq7sw]

Rural mail carrier and retired Cav Scout, love this video so much thank you Nic!! Its a beast of a little truck, and will go places you'd never think a 2 wheel drive vehicle should go. I won't tell any stories that merge my former career with my current one, but the LLV will surprise. It's also terrifying at any speed above 45mph, and I would honestly prefer a HMMWV lol. Thanks for the belly laughs!!