A couple years after the Grumman LLV Mail Trucks were put into service with the USPS.. Grumman, seeking to expand the use of their platform into the private sector, presented a single LLV-R Roadster prototype in 1989.. the project unfortunately saw little interest and was quietly forgotten.
Posted by The_Nabisco_Thing@reddit | WeirdWheels | View on Reddit | 92 comments
Hurrygan@reddit
It's horrible completely, but the windshield totally killed itš¤£ It's almost unbelievable how bad it is...
legal_stylist@reddit
I look at this and then realize that multiple people at a billion dollar corporation making more than I will in my lifetime approved making this ā¦
MittMuckerbin@reddit
Other than Cliff Clavin, who is would the target market of this vehicle had been?
TheGrandMasterFox@reddit
Newman.
JoeyToothpicks@reddit
I was just driving with a USPS LLV behind me and was thinking about how there are very few commercial vehicles one could buy on that platform. I never knew THIS freak existed! Thank you for bringing it to my attention!
The_Nabisco_Thing@reddit (OP)
I really hope someone makes one someday!
TheToddBarker@reddit
No joke I actually kind of want an old LLV.
The_Nabisco_Thing@reddit (OP)
Same here!
alcyonecone@reddit
im so sad this is fake lol, honestly kinda fire in a quirky way
The_Nabisco_Thing@reddit (OP)
I would love to have this if it was real!!
pugzilla330@reddit
I know this is April Fools but with the LLV being retired, someone should buy one up and modify it to make this real.
The_Nabisco_Thing@reddit (OP)
I really hope someone will do that one day!
EvilTodd1970@reddit
**Checks the date** Yeaaaah...
idontknow39027948898@reddit
The picture might be fake, but the idea of turning the LLV into a roadster is apparently real.
carruba_@reddit
Read the end of it..
idontknow39027948898@reddit
Oh, dammit. I totally missed that one line.
Doip@reddit
Much like this post, that one was just Torch fucking around
thekozmicpig@reddit
Iām impressed (and a tad worried) with myself that I recognized it as a photoshop of the Guyson E12.
ZerotheR@reddit
If you know, you know...
Quizzical_Rex@reddit
oh that is fab, i would love that.
EltaninAntenna@reddit
Being horrible may have had something to do with it...
perldawg@reddit
there is a 60%+ chance this thing would be super popular if released today
Drzhivago138@reddit
Check the date.
jamesgilboy@reddit
The date wasn't 4/1 when Jalopnik did a story about it in 2017.
TootBreaker@reddit
End of that article: 'It's a fascinating idea, and while I'm not surprised Grumman never pulled the trigger on this, I sort of wish they had. I suppose one reason why they didn't is that I just made up all this crap right now.
Still, makes you think, doesn't it?'
perldawg@reddit
my statement stands
El_Douglador@reddit
...for another \~16 hours
recumbent_mike@reddit
This totally got me.
adudeguyman@reddit
Looks at the Nissan Murano convertible
No_Cook2983@reddit
Call it the ācyber-technosportā and people will sign up on a waiting list.
OliverNorvell1956@reddit
No, that canāt be it. But it was SOMETHINGā¦ā¦..š
Fign@reddit
I was gonna say āI can see whyā
Old-Revolution-9650@reddit
Now that's fugly
SoundMedal@reddit
What do you mean, unfortunately?
iHateEveryoneAMA@reddit
Presented in 1989 but the photo is black and white...
BulletProofHoody@reddit
I saw the pic and said to myself āoh damn that shit is fuglyā. I then clicked into the thread and saw the comments and saw the same sentiment and cracked up when I scrolled through what you all had to say š
idontknow39027948898@reddit
Who would believe that a vehicle designed to adhere as closely to the minimum requirements for a government contract does not readily translate into consumer vehicle sales.
Specialist-Zebra-439@reddit
Did Homer draw that?
Thesinistral@reddit
Didā¦ā¦ did they just flip the mail truckās window upside down? LMAO
Puppythapup@reddit
I want one now
s6cedar@reddit
This is the best 4/1 shitpost Iāve seen today.
Particular-Sell1304@reddit
What do you mean by āunfortunatelyā?
therealjayphonic@reddit
Ironically it looks like a roadster based on a mail truck
Spocks_Goatee@reddit
Better than the current electric car company providing new vans for the USPS.
aaaaaaaa1273@reddit
TR7 from wish
paraworldblue@reddit
Right? The body is weirdly cool
paraworldblue@reddit
Am I the only one who thinks it's kinda cool? I mean, it's cool in a very janky way, but cool nonetheless. Honestly it mainly just needs a different windshield that doesn't look like it's upside down.
-McLaren-F1-@reddit
Itās a photoshopped Guyson E12, based on a Jag.
Infiniteinfiniti456@reddit
It figures. Look at today's date.
-McLaren-F1-@reddit
I know
The_Nabisco_Thing@reddit (OP)
Here are a couple of links with some info:
https://web.archive.org/web/20170928223205/https://www.jalopnik.com/i-cant-believe-there-was-almost-a-mail-truck-based-spor-1818969114/
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/grumman-llv-r-mail-truck-based-roadster-photo-97742
M1RR0R@reddit
I knew this was gonna be a Torch article
Stellarella90@reddit
His articles are rather distinct, aren't they?
Infiniteinfiniti456@reddit
Saw it from a mile away. If this was real, he'd be all over it
UnjuggedRabbitFish@reddit
The sliding door is a nice touch.
PlasticMegazord@reddit
It's definitely interesting.
Extension_Juice_9889@reddit
That would work if you inverted the windscreen.
Confident-Benefit600@reddit
Now i know what to do with that old mail truck.....a sports car and it will right hand drive, oh so british
LurpyGeek@reddit
Looking at the overlay... was the Iron Duke turned on its side to fit?
Figit090@reddit
Funny joke but knowing the "private sector" is actually a Chevy S-10 killed it for me š
airfryerfuntime@reddit
Gee, I wonder why...
Volt02@reddit
nice try, i read the Jalopik article already
crawwll@reddit
Who was the lead designer? Homer Simpson?
bobjones50@reddit
Why didnāt they just design an RV around the original?
Designer_Situation85@reddit
What platform? Wasn't it an s10 type chassis with a gutless (even for the time) four cylinder? How does that translate to roadster? Maybe a truck but that's just the s10.
Venom4174@reddit
Itās horrible! I love it!
Historical-Shine-786@reddit
When a cyber truck and a mail van have an ugly baby?
acog@reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/WeirdWheels/s/Gwsm6YgSdY
radbradradbradrad@reddit
Thatās a little liberal usage of the word unfortunate.
SjalabaisWoWS@reddit
That's how they found out the private market doesn't work like a government tender, huh?
The_Mutton_Man@reddit
I want
dirty_hooker@reddit
Stubby RWD S-10 chassis with an all aluminum body? Yāall are sleeping on the potential with a motor swap.
antarcticgecko@reddit
As a tall guy who isn't comfortable in most convertibles, I appreciate the added wind protection.
chaindom66@reddit
Feel the wind in your hair - eh - waitā¦
delicate10drills@reddit
Definitely wouldāve been more interest in simply releasing a civilian LLV with a decent range of engines including one that yields 10lbs/hp.
carn1vore@reddit
Jalopnik was well into its decline at this point, but they still had a few bangers left in them. Gold.
Idonotgetthisatall@reddit
It's hilarious, I love it. I would gleefully drive around in wacky outfits.
developmental1@reddit
If they had streamlined the windshield and headlights itād look way better.
DickweedMcGee@reddit
I'm guessing the prototype is still slowly cruising down roads today with 1,000,000+ miles like it's bretheren?
cmbhere@reddit
NGL. That's pretty awful.
daxelkurtz@reddit
Guillotine on wheels oml
Electrical-Risk445@reddit
Same designer as the cyberdump?
Spazecowboy@reddit
They love that style windshield. Not sure if itās the same company but the new mail delivery vehicles have the it also. Iām sure itās good for visibility but man is it ugly.
bongohappypants@reddit
They certainly did skimp on attractive design.
joeefx@reddit
They put the windshield on upside down
Which-Technician2367@reddit
The white banded tires with the steel wheels really gave it that race car look /s
Dorwyn@reddit
It's an attempt to draw the eye away from... the rest of the car.
Lele_@reddit
This is the peak of malaise. And being like 10 years out of date is part of it.
Designer_Candidate_2@reddit
Long life roadster? In the US? I don't think it would matter how pretty or ugly it was, almost no one and definitely no other manufacturers want a sporty vehicle that has a long life intentionally.
Maybe in the Soviet Union, but not in the west.
Slimh2o@reddit
You know, if you just, uh, ....uhm put....or you could do some....no that wouldn't work...
Ya know, that's one butt ugly car....
tenderlylonertrot@reddit
wow, that may just be one of the most hideous prototypes ever....
The-Machinist-@reddit
Pinewood derby inspired disaster.