America's Most Iconic Delivery System - Grumman LLV

[@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]

🐟

[@Guillotine_7]

🦆💥

[@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 🦘🦘)

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@mxdwnfrcemdia]

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

[@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)

[@aceman1126]

Hot damn that's a lot of loot

[@benjaminoechsli1941]

Oh, they might have went on thieving but they made one fatal slip Angering the mailwoman with the big iron on her hip Big iron on her hiiiiiiiip

[@kyrataylor2035]

​@@benjaminoechsli1941Outstanding Marty Robbins reference. I loved his Gunfighter Ballads album.

[@alanwilkin8869]

@@benjaminoechsli1941 posties wae gunz God bless America 😂

[@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

[@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"

[@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

[@MicahEvans-nu6rh]

I was a mail carrier for 16 years. The mailcat saved my life. A tornado ripped through my delivery route and I had to hunker down in my mail truck. That thing shook like crazy but never overturned and kept me safe!

[@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. 😂

[@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

[@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?

[@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.

[@MicahEvans-nu6rh]

​@@KOKO-uu7ydyou are exactly right. Mind games in the office and all kinds of difficulty on the route. I've had mail stolen out of my truck, had bullet holes shot through it during a drive by, dealt with the heat, the cold and rain. Angry customers and lots of dogs. I couldn't wait to leave the office just to get away from postal management and their b.s.

[@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. :)

[@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

[@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. 😬

[@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.

[@Truex007]

That engine is fantastic, it was just shoved into a place it was never designed to go, and then "taken care of" by people who don't know cars or engines.

[@tbleeker7987]

I loved my Fiero. It was silver. Also my first car. The engine didn't fit, and for those that don't know 8cyl was an option. I didn't have that but I did have the engine catch fire. I pulled over put it out with Mt dew. It drove fine for years after that. I wish I still had it. As far as trailor trash, absolutely, I'll say it proudly. When I was a kid we moved 3 times in the same small trailor park. I'd say that qualifies me. 😮😊

[@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)

[@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.

[@TheSapphireSprit]

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

[@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

[@comettamer]

Facts.

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@danielsteward5090]

My uncle john was a postal carrier for over 35+ years that i know of. He retired at age 65 and unfortunately he passed away a year later. He was the coolest guy who ever lived and had some crazy stories to prove it. Rest in Peace, uncle John. You deserve it.

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@Cool-Tina]

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

[@brucebrantley5692]

I love the HMMV for its ability to go through almost any terrain. The only time I ever got one stuck was when I parked it in heavy snow to do training and in the mean time the heat of the tires melted the snow and sank it to the frame. Even then, it was easy to dig out. Did you know that every HMMV has a self wrenching mechanism built into the every rim. All you need it a tire iron, a rope, and something close enough to tie onto. You could use a chain or a strap, but once you tie onto something, place the tire iron into the hole outside of the rim and latch onto it, you could pull yourself out of anything that your binding could handle.

[@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!

[@Jm0417-s]

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

[@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.

[@PippyLong-i3t]

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." 🤪

[@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 😅

[@alecholmes4500]

My mom used to drive one of these things when I was a kid! I never knew it was made by my favorite plane company. I just loved the days she could take me to work with her and I could help her case and sort mail, and I could hang out in the back of the Mailcat and check out the scenery in reverse over the looooooong rural route. And the LLV is tough! It even survives being hit by deer. (And you read that right. Hit by deer, not hitting deer, mom was parked when a frolicking deer smashed into the side and bounced off. Both deer and vehicle were fine, although deer was a bit dazed.) It's the ONE American vehicle with the driver's side on the British side because that's the side all the mailboxes are on. And outdated it may be, but seeing one of these absolute units still brings a smile to my face. Fond memories and a general love of the Post Office. Thank you for the history! Even if I am watching your videos out of order because WHAT THE HELL IS INTERNET CONTINUITY-

[@CaptainRhodor]

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!

[@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!

[@jakesteger89]

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

[@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.

[@blackebl]

That ending resonates so much. I swear i have a rant like that everytime I look up or hear about more government involvement or blatant disregard for the people and ya know truth... yeah... I won't but I feel you.

[@michaelhouseknecht1962]

I worked at Grumman LLV from '85-'89 and helped build many thousands of these trucks. My father was on the team that built and tested the prototypes. I live within eyesight of the facility. It's awesome to see the LLV still drawing attention. The truck plant has never been anything but that. Always non-military, wheeled vehicles. Bread trucks, aluminum truck trailers, kneeling buses etc. They still make trucks but with different owners #Navyvet #Quackbang.out! p.s. Grumman-Olswn was the original truck plants. Sturgis, MI and Montgomery, PA respectively. The Northrop merger didn't occur until after the LLV trucks were rolling off the assembly line.

[@anthonymcnatt3799]

Drop a racing 4 cylinder and some turbos in it.😂

[@kari8187]

I just bought an 89 to use as an ice cream truck! 10k$ a deal!

[@user-ms3lw3gi4f]

Grew-up two towns by you and worked security there for a short time.

[@jericho1-4]

Pretty sure Grumman has a history making commercial mid size delivery trucks going back to the late sixties if I'm not mistaken. They also made fire fighting apparatus aka fire engines (various engines, ladder trucks etc) for a time as well.

[@michaelhouseknecht1962]

@@jericho1-4 Absolutely correct! Trucks were from Sturgis, MI and Montgomery, PA. Firetrucks were Roanoke, VA.

[@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.

[@JeremyCulbreath]

My grandmother was a postmaster for about 20 years. She had some stories about the postal inspectors. They are hardcore. Not just fines, they levied charges that sent people to prison for decades over seemingly small infractions. You don't screw with US mail.

[@zanenevada7327]

You dont mess with the mail man

[@Spacey_key]

Postal death squads lol

[@792slayer]

Exactly. Screwing with the mail is the US government's job.

[@PB-tr5ze]

Lol my Sunday school teacher was a postal inspector. I remember one weekend he was absent, the next class he explained he had been away because he was participating in a bust. He started telling us about it, paused mid sentence when he realized he shouldn't be talking to a bunch of kids about busting up a child P ring...

[@cindysimon4328]

I am a retired (!!!) mail carrier. One thing he didn't mention is that the front tires are close together, the back tires are farther apart. So when you try to go thru the sniw, you have to make 2 teacks insread of just one! Depending on the type of snow we had in Michigan, sometimes the Mailcat just wanted to go around in circles in the snow! And he was right, the heater was very poor. I wore most of my wardrobe every day all winter.

[@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

[@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.

[@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. ❤

[@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.

[@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.

[@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. 😊

[@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.

[@nancycunningham4225]

Thanks!

[@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…

[@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.

[@sibzpremiumnutt5490]

I love this man's videos bro, I'm not even American but the comedy always hits home. I'm not so proudly South African and when my man's said "the government would rather see the whole country burn to the ground than give up control" reminded me of my own situation. It's facts. Any government anywhere would rather let their country burn to the ground before ever doing anything that actually benefits their people.

[@TitusFFM]

Greetings from Germany guess what we are fucked up beyond believe here too. And the country where I was born Poland is short of political anarchy and God I really hope not but barely few steps from a civil war. Of course because of the government...... It really does not matter where you from we the little people are always fucked.

[@duke3346]

Amen to that my bro. Same shit, different stank in Oz.

[@jameslockard6956]

14:00 After the end of the Korean War. Grumman manufactured boxy Small 8×50 mobile homes for the military. There were some stored at the CB base Gulfport Ms. In the 80s I met a man who bought one. It was riveted with air craft rivets and even though the manufacturer tag was dated 1954. Grumman Air Craft Corp. It had no leaks. The walls exterior were aircraft aluminum insulated the windows were thick glass and the entry door sealed Air tight. The original interior wood paneling was toast as well as the ceiling. He renovated it in 2 months. Superior to an Airstream!😊

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@arethaadamson3409]

THANK YOU MUCH .. I have been a mail carrier 20 years now and here in Kerrville Texas deliver All of Amazon and still using LLV S that are 30 40 years old and exactly what you said no AC no heater can not get up and go half of shit does not work check engine lights always coming on .. OMG I could go on and on but like you said amazing enough they still or trucking .. now some people have matrix now they are vans which we all need. Thank you for feeling for us . People have no idea❤

[@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! 😂

[@aaronwright9409]

Im an active rural carrier, and this video absolutely made my day. I love all your videos, but this one hits so close to home.

[@JasonEcst]

I'd like to see a video taking a deeper dive into the history of the USPS Postal Inspectors. When my elderly father was defrauded years ago, the first fraud investigator to look into it was a retired Postal Inspector who still consulted on fraud cases. He took the info I provided and within a few weeks my dad was meeting with fraud investigators from the Postal Inspectors and the FBI. They recorded calls, obtained financial records, etc.. They were very serious about shutting down the operation because it involved elder fraud, mail fraud, various financial crimes, cyber crimes, and possibly racketeering. Its roots go back to 1772, making it by far our oldest branch of law enforcement.

[@a73capri]

Whatever you do, don't look into who makes the mail sorting machines... I was part of the team that upgraded them back in the 90's, Northrop Grumman backed my paycheck... You have some awesome videos. Keep up the good work.

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@FrankConforti]

I’ve watched this video several times, read a lot of the comments and I gotta say… The “MailCat” is one of the most cost effective vehicles in the government/USPS motor pool. I love the fact that USPS put together a very comprehensive set of requirements that I don’t think Detroit could meet even today. It is the epitomy of form follows function. Its 40 year+ age definitely proves that out. No bells or whistles. No need to make it “pretty”, just do the job, get repairs, consumables and keep going. Although the OshKosh replacement has been criticized for its look I don’t think that should be part of the criteria. If that was so then the Phantom II would never have made it past the prototype. Kudos to Grumman for building this beast. Good ROI for the taxpayers. Now shoot me down. 😂 [[edited for grammar]]

[@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

[@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.

[@technewb8241]

The USPS paid to have air conditioning removed from every FFV, the replacement for the LLV. The FFV was also available in AWD, and sent them to desert states instead of places where AWD is needed

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

Desert states? I take it you've never been out west during monsoon season.

[@jacobhughes8821]

None of our vehicles (LLV/FFV) have air conditioning. A good portion do not have functioning heat. They have no ventilation in the summer. And No insulation for winter. It's not good.

[@rodneysmith537]

Some rural roads in Az nearly look like roads more like washes, waddies. .

[@Razmoudah]

You haven't encountered desert sand. I've seen what happens to vehicles that lost track of the road out there.

[@FishFind3000]

@@jed-henrywitkowski6470ever been up north during entire season of WINTER!!!

[@mozee06]

A garage I worked at once upon a time had a service contract with the local post office. I got to shuttle these things back and forth, change the oil, tires, etc. Definitely a unique driving experience.

[@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

[@shaundenehy4681]

As a mail carrier I appreciate this video, and they barely have a long life, being a marine vet I've never seen vehicles in worse conditions.

[@stephaniemiller1516]

Army vet and city carrier. I second that

[@skurdibbles7913]

jesus im picturing a vehicle that nothing actually works in and probably is missing half the floor or half the roof.

[@shaundenehy4681]

@@skurdibbles7913 If you look at the dashboard and don't see like 3 warning lights on, and it doesn't rock the vehicle just getting in, there might be something wrong with it. Also that's rubber bummers on them, not solid ones.

[@ComotoseOnAnime]

@@skurdibbles7913 It's an aluminum body vehicle, it can't really rust away like a steel body vehicle but it will absolutely make the most god awful noises when you get into and out of them and they are not remotely waterproof at this point. I've received mail and packages by hand from mail carriers rain or shine and hearing them hop into one of those big bastards sounds like a rusty screen door in a windstorm, never mind the sound the body makes when it's going over bumps, the shocks might as well be non-existent in most of them.

[@superegghead13]

I live across from my local post office and they have a rotation for their llv’s 3 trucks leave a weeks and 3 get dropped off every week

[@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?

[@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!!

[@fracturedrealitygaming1326]

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

[@danielfrank2985]

He did it again. He managed to make a video about the US Postal Service and make it interesting and entertaining…this man needs to teach a class on charisma

[@comeauxjc]

4 years USMC. Then 38 years as a USPS Letter Carrier. You nailed it! But you forgot to highlight the fires that breakout from under the “dash”!😮 Love your videos!

[@CarlGorn]

I seem to remember an old 20/20 report showing the Willie's Jeep version was also retired due to safety concerns. As I recall, the canopy they put on the jeeps made the things too top-heavy, making them prone to rolling in turns above 35mph. Not the best thing when you're delivering mail in the countryside and need to swerve to avoid a skunk.

[@EvilDragonGod]

As a current mail carrier with over a decade of experience, I appreciate the coverage of the LLV. I am a fan of your content and your humor. The LLV is absolutely terrifying when forced to go above 45 mph and it handles VERY poorly in snow. Rear wheel drive and all the weight is in the front. You are right about bureaucracy being a big part of the Post Office and there being too much. Take time off? Fill out a form. Sick? Fill the form. Injured? Fill out the form BEFORE going to the hospital. Want to have a lunch? Form. The worst part is that the forms do get lost and you sometimes do have to write everything in triplicate just to make sure the forms are seen. Some fun information on the LLV, they stopped making parts in 2016 when the Post Office wanted new vehicles and so now they are cannibalizing wrecked LLVs. If your truck stops working, sucks to be you. The LLV was also made in the 80's and every mail carrier hates that version. It doesn't allow you to walk into the back of the truck and the "features" that were for comfort and to help the carrier are actual hinderances. I am lucky that I drive a LLV that is older than I am and has "working" heat. One final thought: Look up FFVs for a good laugh. lol

[@DeadGothicRed]

Thank you for your service...I mean that.

[@asteamedpanda]

The other thing that makes the LLV suck in the snow is it has different widths for the front and rear axles. The front tires are closer together than the rears so each tire has to plow through the snow.

[@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

[@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.

[@thedeutschfjord]

av geek here and the llv has always been the best grumman vehicle top grace this earth

[@PostalDog94]

I'm glad my truck has become B-Roll for your video 🎉 Ironically I drive that LLV on the highway daily, it was over 6 hours of highway driving up and down the mountain for that shoot alone! If you ever want to experience driving one, you're more than welcome to give mine a drive. I've been told by other former military humvee drivers before that they used the same handbrake lever. Something there to be said about lowest bidder 😂

[@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.

[@tricky2055]

Fun fact: In Magnolia Springs, Alabama (near the coast), the US Mail is still delivered by boat to people’s homes. I believe that’s the only town in the country where that is done. Or at least one of the few.

[@katherinecollins9636]

They do this in Maine as well.

[@katherinecollins9636]

They do this in Maine as well.

[@timmason2212]

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin does this as well... on the lake, that is.

[@ianhall6614]

Various communities on the American River in California use a mail boat because it kind of turns into a swampy delta before hitting the bay.

[@martincolvill5453]

They also use a mailboat on the Snake River south of Asotin, WA. This goes up (or down) Hells Canyon.

[@jameshalfhill9919]

I drove a mail truck for 2years and this is a total yep! Try driving that thing in Florida in the summer it’s a freaking blast furnace!

[@nickdoyle86]

You should definitely do a video on the postal inspectors, there are some wild stories and they have a lot of power, not guys to mess with. They can also issue a mail ban if you upset them, meaning for x time you have to physically go to the post office and cannot get mail delivered to your house.

[@54raceman]

Hell most of my area has been on one for the last decade apparently then more often than not you have to go track down your stuff at post office or someone’s house

[@EVLfreak666]

You are WAY better at educating us than any teacher in the public school system.

[@mr.smithsgovermentclass4556]

Hey! I resemble that remark!

[@originalketchup7498]

dumb comment is dumb

[@PUREHOZER]

@@mr.smithsgovermentclass4556 some are good don't get me wrong, however there are way to many teachers that are either dryer than the Sahara desert or seem to hate their job and make the students pay for it. This was my experience at least.

[@TFP360]

​@mr.smithsgovermentclass4556 I know right?

[@BalthusHomewood]

I truly appreciate your passion for our mail service. I grew up in very rural circumstances (we had a party-line phone, if that helps paint the picture) Mail was one of the few ways we had contact with people beyond a phone call or an hour drive. I can't imagine a private company giving enough of a damn about my neck of the woods to run service there for me or my relatives. I'm extremely grateful for our mail carriers and I hope the Post Office sticks around and actually gets the tools they need to do their duties.

[@TheMailMan75]

Yep USPIS is no joke, ty for this video. I'm a USPS supervisor, dude I laughed so hard at this video. You covered so many issues and history of the USPS and made it so enjoyable! I was a city carrier for 16 years before... driving an llv is both fun and scary at the same time... you hit a bump... oh shit... did my door fall off? Nope all good I guess....btw, tax payers do not fund ANYTHING for the usps... postage pays for everything, federal government yes, but self sufficient

[@eyangreenough]

As a current mailman, the LLV has my standard vehicle. I love this video and how barebones and resilient the rig is despite the constant abuse day-to-day and it keep trucking

[@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.

[@georgedavidknapp1522]

A couple of fun facts from an Army and Postal veteran. The LLV is so light weight that they had to install concrete parking curbs over the rear axle for traction. Also, the U.S. Post Office Department was the first government agency to purchase Thompson submachine guns. And, in addition to Postal Inspectors there are also uniformed Postal Police. Love your stuff, bro

[@tcoker6616]

I agree, I worked for a company that used “surplus” mail trucks as primary transportation, it SCARED the heck out of me on the highway.

[@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?

[@E3742O]

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."

[@WolfEggsWithSpikes]

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

[@acerpg]

My dad was Army and then became a Postal Carrier in the 1980s. He was one of the last of the Jeep drivers and one of the first LLV drivers. When he told me that it was made by Northrop Grumman, I was duly impressed, I know my planes. My dad said he hated that the wheelbase on the front was narrower than the wheelbase on the rear, which meant he had to chain up all four tires in the winter to deliver. The winters were brutal due to the heater NEVER working in the LLV. The summers were hell being in an un-insulated tin can. And those fans they mounted inside the cab never worked anyway, they just added a breeze to already stale hot air. And, going around with the door open? There was no point in closing the door, so that did nothing to help with temperature control. For a while, my dad even served as fleet mechanic and had first-hand experience with those engines. It was just lucky that the Chevy engines were one of his favorite engines to work on. In short, he appreciated the vehicle's toughness, as highlighted in your report, but he hated the vehicle on the whole.

[@williamallen7836]

I live in Central NY. We get blast with tons of lake snow every winter. They don't put chains on the LLV's around here. Somehow they never get stuck, and only rarely end up in the ditch.

[@EricHenning]

Great video! FYI, in many states, you absolutely can choose your own power company. Here in Maryland, you can even choose how your electricity is generated: wind, solar, wave generators or, more conventional nuclear and natural gas. As of 2022, the last two supplied 75% of Maryland’s in-state electricity, evenly divided between the two.

[@stevestevens336]

I am a mail carrier in Central Florida. The post office I work at is considered a rural office, not a city office, so we were never given LLVs. We were responsible for providing our own vehicles, and were paid a meager allowance for gas and maintenance which was never anywhere near enough. For long time carriers, who had been earning higher pay than new employees, this wasn't a huge issue, many would be able to order right hand drive jeeps. They were expensive, but fairly reliable and durable. Then Amazon came onto the scene, and the entire human race seemed to forget what it meant to go to a physical store to buy anything, and jeeps just weren't big enough anymore. I was just starting at the post office, so I wasn't what they call a "regular" or full time carrier, I was what is known as an RCA or rural carrier associate, which basically means a slave. You would be assigned a route to deliver usually covering a regular carriers day off, then when you were finished, they would many times make you take another route or a half of a route, or a truckload of priority express packages to deliver as well. My first vehicle I used to deliver was a ford winstar minivan. Due to the short console, I was able to sit in the passenger seat, steer with my left hand, reach over and work the pedals with my left leg, and use my right hand to maintain a deathgrip on the oh shit handle above the door in case you hit a pothole and lost control of the vehicle. No matter what vehicle you used, you had to be able to drive it from the passenger seat because, well, that's where the mailboxes are. So, I used that vehicle for about 2 years until it was basically nothing more than a rolling deathtrap, and over the next 6 years, I went through 4 other vans/suvs with my final one being a Honda CRV that me and a welder buddy of mine made a set of pedals I could work from the passenger seat, making it at least a little safer. Those ugly vehicles you showed that had been chosen to replace the LLV were never made. About 3 years ago, we finally got vehicles, and talk about the government not being able to do anything right, what we got will explain a lot. I went into work one day and saw a line of flatbed tow trucks dropping brand new Mercedes Benz tetris vans off in the parking lot. That's right they went with probably the most expensive van made by any auto maker. The most expensive to buy, the most expensive to repair, and the most expensive to maintain. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, they drive decent, have heat, air conditioning and even a functioning radio, back up cameras they entire set up. But they don't maintain them at all, and will be breaking down in astronomical numbers within the next few years. I have had to drive LLVs, and they were horrendous. 0-60 in about 7 minutes, no heat, no air, just a metal fan mounted on the metal dash the pulled the heat from the dash and windshield and blew it in your face. So I'm thrilled that we finally got new vehicles, but I fear they won't be lasting nearly as long as the old rattletraps known as the LLV.

[@DeadGothicRed]

Thank you for your service....and I mean that.

[@MarshalStomm]

The OshKosh NGDVs are rolling out this year. Saw a pic a few days ago of unmarked ones being loaded onto a flatbed semi. The Metris was a horrid stopgap and every carrier I know only likes the creature comforts of them, but prefer the LLVs for working out of because they were actually designed to deliver mail.

[@scyban12]

I'm a rural carrier in Washington State and I bounce between a Metris and LLV quite a bit. I like the metris for the radio and AC but you can't even get windshield wipers in a reasonable amount of time and the visibility out the left sucks even more than the LLV in my opinion. I do like the LLVs sliding door and higher stance. It makes it easier to get in and out when you have parcels that don't fit in the mailbox.

[@woozledog]

Sounds like Your admin ok'd that stupid Mercedes order.. Not saying our government does anything right, but that's your bosses job and he dropped the ball man

[@GUNNFORRESTER]

Citrus county? That's the only rural county I know that didn't have LLVs, I've seen them in Sumter and Hernando

[@rosevillerod]

OMG, I hit 1:03 and laughed out loud! The first Gruman vehicle I ever drove was a step van. We called it Popeye because it was missing a headlight. It also didn’t have a functional clutch so we stopped at stop lights (we rolled stop SIGNS) and hit the starter in second gear. Oh the memories!

[@landonking8367]

You should totally make a GRUMMAN MAIL CAT sticker and sell it. Hell, I would buy two, keep one and give the other to my mail carrier.

[@leecarlson9713]

I would definitely give one each to my regular carrier, and the substitute carrier. I live in a retirement community, and we have over 500 mailboxes. We even get packages on Sundays!

[@leecarlson9713]

We do have new mail trucks here in Brownsville, TX. But they don’t look like the Oshkosh vehicle.

[@Flashbulb71]

I would buy some for my whole office lol Please make this happen. Patches too.