The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Photo of old Chevy/UPS step van (help ID)

Hi, still working on identifying the year this step van was made.
Was able to find a pretty decent photo that should help. (taken in 1990).
The "Blue Goose" has aged some since, like we all have :o)

http://www.gypsyodyssey.com/blue.goose.html

Bought it in '87.
It had a '67 rebuilt motor.
The title says '67.
But, the shop owner said the body was older, and it was a former UPS van.
The VIN is: PS327F172054 (on the steering column).
I don't know how to gather info off the vin... anyone know?

Haven't been able to locate an ID plate.

It does look quite similar to this '57 die cast toy from UPS.
(seen here)
http://www.motormint.com/browseproducts/1957-UPS--153;-Package-Car---1-28-Scale.html
Some differences are: Windshield style; square skylights (ours are round); different grill.

Any additional info would be much appreciated.
Marg B.
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I did get the following help from an earlier post (before I had a photo).

HevyHauler wrote:
With UPS vans it's really hard to tell it is very rare that anyone would get there hands on an old UPS van as they were built specifically for UPS and they would dismantle and recycle them they were not to get out to the general public. Notice that they look different from all others and there were literally millions made but you never see an old one.

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jay 1124 wrote:
Chevrolet introduced step-van chassis in 1948. Several different manufacturers made bodies for them so you might find ten or twelve vans all built the same year but might all look a little different from the rest. Try to find a manufacturer's ID plate somewhere on the van. Maybe on a door edge or a door jamb. If you can find the VIN number it will be much easier to determine when the van was built. Maybe someone else can tell you specifically where to find the ID plate.

****
spanky wrote:
Grumman-Olson (Olson Kurb-Side) was the most popular manufacturer of these stepvans, used by General Motors. Montpelier Manufacturing, Utility Truck Distributors, Herman Body Company, Dekalb Commercial Body Corp., Universal"Carovan", & Boyertown "Better-Built". Were just a few other manufacturers. Post a few pictures, & I may be able to take a guess at it.

It looks like mid 50,s to early 60's body. If it's a Grumman body they used to put the body ID tag up on the electric wiper motor above the windshield. If it's a Union City body they used the same number for the body as the serial number. It could be on the steering column between the dash & firewall. If it has the old stovebolt 6 (4 screws on the valve cover) then it is 62 on back. If it has the 230/250 engine it is 63 up.

Post a picture of the dash and the engine. If the radiator is a Harrison it will have a date code on the upper tank. Why do you think this is a UPS truck? Is theIr brown paint visible? You may want to contact these vendors for additional information, provide them with a picture.


STEP VAN PARTS


MORE STEP VAN PARTS

Found this one on craigslist. 1961 GMC UPS PACKAGE CAR It is supposed to be an old UPS truck too. Contact him and see if he has additional info on the truck, manufacturer, vin plate location or any other identification. Notice that he is calling it a GMC!

Here's one the old man was running in the late 50's for Moirs bread here in Nova Scotia

http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/ecumsecumguy/?action=view&current=Moirs1.jpg

Thanks a lot for the info and links! This has helped.

I did find the nameplate that says:

Manufactured For
Grumman Allied
Industries, Inc.
Athens, N.Y.

It is an blue oval with silver type.
Located on the top of the heater vent on the dash.
(if it had been a snake it would have bit me!)

The photo I shared is from 1990.
The paint has faded and cracked some since.
There is a great deal of UPS brown visible, especially on the roof.

The mechanics shop I bought this from said it was an old UPS van.
He worked on them for UPS in our area... way back when.

We used it to haul and store music equipment from '87 to '95.
It has been idle since, but ran well when we stopped driving it.
Had 45,500 miles when I bought it, now it has 53,800, on a re-built 67 Chevy motor.
Just been using it to store equipment.
Deciding to restore, or sell to someone who might want an old timer project.

I will tell my husband about all the info you have given me.

Thanks again!
Marg B.

p.s. Our UPS guy doesn't look like that either ;o)

The Grumman body is a fantastic body. It is aluminum & can last for many years.

Just looked at a lot of photos of Chevrolet step vans from 1948 through 1968. None of them have a grille anything like yours. They started out with a 5-bar grille, went to a 4-bar, and then in 1968 went to a form of the '68 Chevrolet truck grille with one bar through the middle. Tlhis doesn't mean much because whoever built the body may have only used the Chevy chassis and running gear and manufactured the entire body as opposed to buying a chassis and front clip and completing the truck. Sorry I can't help. If you ever learn the year and body manufacturer let us know, please.

UPS has their own design & specs. They buy so many that the manufactors can build them to ther specs.

This looks like an IRWIPI waiting to happen! Where is that one at?
Good luck on the step van! My UPS Guy doesn't look like that either!
Laterz,
Gator
>|--|~

have you ever tried to contact someone at ups? their has to be someone that is in charge of their company history that would have info on the past design of the vehicles.let them know your doing research for a "museum display" and want to be acurrate.

I am taking more & current photos today of the dash, engine and body. Should get them back from developing mid-week.

Will try to ID the radiator.
Since it is a re-built 1967 motor, I am wondering if there might also be a different radiator.
My husband is the mechanic and will be delving into that area soon.

There is definite brown UPS paint under the blue.
Also, there were the UPS shelves in it when I first got it in 87.
Took, them out to get the music equipment to fit better.
(wish we still had them, they were solid aluminum too!)

Did check out the '61 UPS Pkg. car on craigslist.
Will contact owner.

Good Idea "10 micron" to connect with UPS.
There is a major UPS station north of us in Rockford, IL, at the airport.
Used to be one in DeKalb, IL, where I bought the truck.
I believe it all moved up to the Rockford airport

M.B.

If the title lists it as a 1967, I would be inclined to assume that it is a 1967. Is the shop owner still available to ask him what it is that tells him it is older than 67? It would not be impossible to have the wrong year on the title, but unless there was some clear indication that it was wrong, it would most likely be a 67.
Because it is a rebuilt 1967 engine (that must be stamped on it?), it may be the original engine. The frame may have the serial number stamped on it, often located on the front left side. It should match the number on the ID plate, and match the engine number if it is the original.
It is not common to change the radiator when an engine is rebuilt, but it could have been changed at some point.

I had a look at my photos and old ads of step vans from 1940 GMC and Chevy Dubl-Duti and PM's up to 1970 stepvans. And the one that looks the most like it is a 1969 ford p350 Grumman.
The chevy and the GMC had six piece front window on most of the Grumman bodys of this year.Is the rad filer on the inside on the dash? If yes it is before 1954/55.
It looks like a little door on the front to get to the rad filer and a home made grille. Or a grille from a Welles Aluminum Body
and the rear bumper is not stock for Grumman.
need more photos.
jay 1124 what photo do you have? always loking for photos of the Dubl-Duti or PMS
Maxx

Maxx, the photos I referred to are in "Encyclopedia of Chevrolet Trucks". (In all my truck photos, I don't think I have one of a Chevy stepvan.) It is in the Crestline series of books but is a different format to the usual Crestline books and the photos are a lot clearer.

Like you, I saw a resemblance to a Ford Grumman van but since the lady says "Chevrolet" I have to accept that. The grille definitely is not a Chevrolet grille. Did UPS use their own grille design. What year/years were the Dubl-Duti's built?

No UPS vans had the five bar Grumman grilles.
Chevy Dubl-Duti I think 1938 or 1939 on the GMC and then Chevy I have to look that up. I like the 1940-46 Dubl-Duti.Yes the lady said that It is a Chevrolet I think a 1967 Grumman.
will have to wait till the new photos are posted. My 52 GMC Grumman was made with the Chevrolet marker lights I was told by a old timer that if they ran out of parts you got what was left in the storeroom at the time
Maxx

lot of truth to "leftover parts" theory because i was looking at a mid 60' chevy 18 pass. bus last week and the dash had 54' AD gauges not the ones from the 60's trucks. one thing is "custom is custom" and if the contract needed to be met they used what they had at the time.

Hi...
Just posted more pics to help ID the yr. of this step van.
It does seem funny the body looks more like the '57 UPS van and older than anything I've seen around '67.
Leftover parts is very possible... custom is custom :o)

http://www.gypsyodyssey.com/blue.goose.html

Very happy to report... my husband got her running yesterday!
Motor sounds beautiful and smooth.
Even drove it around the driveway some.

Many thanks for helping out!
Marg B.

the steering wheel looks very 67 - gauges might be dateable too, and no tellin what UPS could have done given the thousands of dimensionally similar trucks they had, doubt they threw away a functionally good truck cuz the body got mushed when they had a worn out one with a good body

Bill

Horn button looks like 1960 1966 assume that it is a 1967 Chevrolet Grumman Olson Kurb Side stepvan
I will keep looking
Maxx

The link for the photo has expired on this thread but I think I may own a very similar truck. I recently bought it because I felt it needed to be mine. Pics of it in the sig..

I've been doing a bit of research myself, let me know if you have a pic I could see to know if we are working with the same sort of vehicle

Very nice looking truck. I'd love to find one of these to use in my business. Keep us posted on the progress.

Robert

I picked this up in trade.I use it everyday for my remodeling company.
1968 Grumman-Olsen "olsenette"
Ford chassis/engine, aluminum body
These were taken the day I brought it home. Fixed a few details and put some dog dishes on her.Custom bumpers are I beams.
If anyone has any more info on this body Id love to hear. I cant find a vin tag anywhere?
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/RLNTHDR/PICT1867.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/RLNTHDR/PICT1865.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/RLNTHDR/PICT1868.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/RLNTHDR/PICT1872.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/RLNTHDR/PICT1873.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/RLNTHDR/PICT1875.jpg

i have new glass for your 56 step van for sale 808 9277598 carlos

carlos - you maybe didn't notice but this thread is from 2009, doubt he's gonna call
also note the rules here, no selling or advertising outside the swap meet ..... but welcome to the shops anyway, look around and tell us about yourself in the Welcome forum

Bill