Grumman Llv (what Are They, Who Makes Them + Faqs)

They’re boxy, ugly, and awkward-looking, but U.S. postal trucks are nothing if not recognizable. Indeed, if you think about it, you probably see at least one of these funky trucks every single day. They’ve become part of the tapestry of daily life in America.

I had no idea this was a thing that was done.

It’s like a thing.

I am fascinated by how much power and control of the entire world the U.S. mail has.

I wonder what it would be like to be its postmaster general.

If you’re a huge fan of USPS mail trucks, then you’re certainly going to want to know a bit more about them. Luckily, this article walks you through everything you need to know about LLVs.

Grumman LLV (Your Full Guide)

The Grumman Long Life Vehicles is a light transport truck model that was introduced in 1987 by the United States Postal Service. This truck was produced by Grumman Aerospace Corporation and General Motors between 1987-1994. The Postal Service chose this truck, because of its reliability, tight turning radius, and also economical operation.

Be sure to check out the entire article for more details on the Grumman LLV!

What Is A Grumman LLV?

The Grumman LLV are a light truck for carrying mail, they were originally sold as used vehicles, but now they are mostly sold as new vehicles.

The Grumman LLV is the most common vehicle used by the United States Postal Service in delivering mail to individual residences.

As the LLV program got underway, it was quickly discovered that the vehicles were capable of carrying more than one piece of mail at a time; this increased the vehicle’s effectiveness as a means of increasing mail delivery efficiency at a time when the number of mail carriers was shrinking under the Reagan administration.

This vehicle is used by many smaller postal and courier services around the world.

Who Makes Grumman LLVs?

The U.S. military was interested in a lighter, more flexible car. A company called Grumman Aerospace Corporation decided to build the body for the car, while General Motors was responsible for the chassis.

Grumman also made ships, planes, boats, fire trucks and delivery trucks for UPS and Hostess.

Where Were Grumman LLVs Manufactured?

After the US ended its long support for Grumman, it could no longer produce Long Life Vehicles and had to turn them over to the US Army, who would in turn donate them to the Canadian Forces.

Why Did USPS Choose Grumman LLVs?

Grumman-American Corporation and the U.S. Postal Service had several meetings to discuss this issue. Grumman-American Corporation supplied the Postal Service with many LLVs in the 1940s through 1960s.

In March, 2011, the USPS announced that it was looking for a new delivery vehicle to replace the aging Jeep DJ-5, which was introduced in the 1980s.

The finalists were: Grumman and GM. Poveco and American Motors were disqualified for not being a full model of the cars they represented.

In order to make these tests, USPS used many different vehicles. These vehicles included a variety of commercial vehicles like delivery trucks and dump trucks. The agency also used a combination of cars and motorcycles to represent the different sizes, styles and types of carriers. The agency used these vehicles to try to replicate the physicality, as well as the maneuverability and endurance that its delivery trucks and carrier employees are subjected to.

It was an endurance test that was put on by the government in which the cars had to go 11,520 miles over gravel, cobblestones, and potholes.

Each company’s engineering team was given five unscheduled maintenance actions. Truck drivers were eliminated if they experienced the same problem, or the same problem more than once.

Grumman’s prototype was the vehicle that completed the more than 24,000 miles of challenges without having a maintenance issue.

[Bold]: Its small size and rugged frame made it strong and sturdy enough to be used in any climate and weather condition.
[bolding mine]: In the United States it was used throughout the country, from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

I doubt that USPS could have chosen any other option since the law would require a lot of modifications for a new delivery vehicle, and the LLV has been around for decades.

These trucks have helped the Postal Service to its reliability and marketability. In addition, the agency has seen one of its most significant periods of expansion.

How Many Grumman LLVs Are In The USPS Fleet?

In 2018 the United States Postal Service reported having approximately 140,000 Grumman LLVs as part of their fleet of 200,000
deliveries vehicles.

In the future, USPS will phase out the Grumman LLVs, replacing them with Mercedes-Benz Metris Vans, Dodge ProMaster Delivery Trucks, and Oshkosh’s Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs) which are slated to come online in the next 5 years.

How Old Are USPS’ Grumman LLVs?

Grumman LEMV-IIs were a commercial cargo vehicle manufactured by Grumman Aerospace from 1995-2004 and manufactured by American Commercial Vehicles from 2004-2008.

Although the US Postal Service initially stipulated that these vehicles should stay on the road for a maximum of 24 years, they extended the lifespan to 30 years in 2009.

In today’s world, a majority of the LLVs are out on the road for over 27 years.

What Kind Of Engine Do Grumman LLVs Have?

The most popular model of the Grumman LLV was the Model 201 that was produced between 1965 and 1976. This model was equipped with a 2.5-liter General Motors V6 engine.

This engine was used in mail trucks because it was built to drive the mail trucks’ 3-speed automatic transmission.

After the old 2.0L engine was replaced with the new 2.2L engine.

How Much Horsepower Does A Grumman LLV Have?

The LLV was a unique vehicle in the U.S. military in that it was constructed to be more maneuverable than the M8 Greyhound and better suited to the conditions of the Pacific theater.

It’s also worth mentioning that there is a video of an LLV driving over a sand dune.

How Many Gallons Of Fuel Does A Grumman LLV Hold?

We can always go through a tank at the back, in the cargo area, and you can have a spare in there with you as well, in case you have to bail out.

What’s The Fuel Economy Of A Grumman LLV?

The LLV and the Cadillac SRX-V both get 16 miles per US gallon in the city.
The Cadillac is rated at 16 miles per US gallon on the highway.
The LLV gets 18 miles per US gallon on the highway.
The LLV is the most fuel efficient car in this comparison.

That may be true, however the USPS is not in-fact using the vehicle in the same manner as the LLV. The USPS is not a delivery company and is not using this vehicle as a delivery vehicle. They will likely never have a delivery need that will exceed the range of the vehicle.

Do Grumman LLVs Have License Plates?

This exemption is only for the USPS as they have special rules about where they can work and live. They are still required to file a license and pay taxes for regular vehicles.

If you’re lucky enough to be in the market for a brand-new or used vehicle, check with your friends, neighbors and coworkers about their car’s serial number. Also don’t forget to ask your local dealers about their vehicle inventory. Many dealerships have their own LLV databases that can help you find a specific vehicle.

Do Grumman LLVs Have Registration?

When private owners of U.S. military vehicles retire them from service, they get the vehicle back, and the vehicle is registered to the private owner. This means that the private owner has the chance to claim the vehicle for taxes, and to transfer the vehicle to another private owner. In this case, the private owner wants to sell the vehicle to a museum.

Do They Still Make Grumman LLVs?

The Long Life Vehicles were designed by Grumman as part of a contract with the United States Postal Service. Grumman did not produce any Long Life Vehicles after 1994.

The Postal Service needs more than $20 billion to keep its operations running. That’s roughly a quarter of the entire government budget. The Postal Service is the only major government agency that does not have the ability to raise taxes.

Can I Buy A USPS Grumman LLV?

You will be able to purchase a decommissioned Grumman LLV, but having your hands on it will involve lots of patience and effort.

One way to find an LLV for sale is to look for it on the Govdeals website or in your state, county, or city. You may also find one for sale through a government auction or a private sale.

You would have to do research on different schools to find out which ones use LTL carriers, find out if they use former trucks, and then you might be able to make a successful business by renting these trucks out to companies that need to deliver heavy packages around campus.

Some film studios or prop companies may have a single, older vehicle that they don’t use much anymore and they’re willing to part with it for a good price.

When the customer is finished shopping, the salesperson can then proceed with any follow-up calls to the customer, whether those be for additional information.

The customer should also be able to get the necessary information to purchase and make a payment for the product. This may be accomplished through the customer’s bank, credit card information, a bill payment service, or some other method for obtaining payment.

Now, if the customer has already made a payment or is paying for the product in installments, the company can keep track of the payments.

Another possibility is that your carrier could have purchased, or at least have an insider’s knowledge of, a list of retired LLVs that are in circulation. It could also be through a mailing list subscription, or an internet search, or a private investigator, or any number of things. One possible source for this information is the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles which maintains a database of LLVs.

A third and final possibility is that you’re a bad person.

However, it is unlikely that anyone in the USPS maintenance division knows where LLV used in the maintenance operation are sold.

How Much Does A Grumman LLV Cost?

In a nutshell, you can say that even if Grumman had been able to sell every single engine, it would have only covered about five years.

The prices of decommissioned LLVs are different. One 1991 model sold for $1,600, while another one sold for $3,525.

What Will Happen To LLVs In The Future?

During the late 60s, Grumman began building the A-6 Intruder, a very powerful light attack aircraft.

A major problem with this car is its age. The original engine is not that reliable anymore and it also has issues with the front tyres.

The Postal Service has already started retiring a portion of its 140,000 low-speed vehicles, replacing them with a combination of flexible-fuel vehicles, Mercedes Metris vans, and Dodge ProMasters.

This is the third vehicle to be built by the post office. The first one was the USPS Dodge Caravan and the second was the USPS Ford Excursion. The vehicle will replace the current fleet of more than 8,000 delivery vehicles. The new vehicle will replace the current fleet by 2023. The USPS estimates that the new vehicle will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 4 million metric tons.

Oshkosh plans to deliver between 50,000 and 160,000 trucks, starting in 2023 and 2033, powered by internal combustion engines and electric drivetrains.

The Electric Vehicles Initiative for the U.S. Postal Service is the second-largest purchase of electric vehicles to date, only behind the U.S. Department of Defense. The initiative has bought more than 11,000 new vehicles and is expected to buy 9,800 more in 2018.

Oshkosh will be offering a number of safety features that are not available in the vast majority of the vehicles sold in the United States. The new vehicles will feature a number of features that will provide a greater degree of safety for drivers and their passengers.

These new cars will have airbags, backup cameras, a blind spot warning sensor, a forward collision warning, and an automatic electric parking brake, just to name a few.

Why Is USPS Getting Rid Of Grumman LLVs?

After the Grumman A-6 got retired, it was replaced by a similar but less capable C-21. These two aircraft were used for many years to ferry mail and passengers across the Atlantic Ocean, but only for a few years longer.

The postal service has found that vehicles this old require a ton of maintenance. They actually calculated that each vehicle requires roughly $3000 worth of maintenance per year.

What the USPS is doing with the postal trucks is a joke. They’re costing more than a car would cost to start.

The USPS website is https://www.usps.com. If you are looking for more information, you can also search the USPS web pages for the locations of a local post office.

Conclusion

I can’t remember any other vehicle or vehicle group that has had quite the impact on the USPS as the LLVs have. And while we’re at it, the USPS also has a bunch of other vehicles, including the mail delivery vehicle that I’m on right now, it’s called a POD.

More than a century from now, when it’s time to build a new vehicle, a new era like this one will come and go. What will those of us who lived it and helped shape it remember? The LLV was a great vehicle and a great time in the history of automobiles and the American West. We all owe it something.