Grumman (VW) EV on eBay

[Intrigued]

eBay Motors: Other Makes : Grumman (item 130279329595 end time Jan-13-09 19:30:45 PST)

Didn't know such a thing existed, but it started out as a Postal Service electric vehicle. Grumman body/VW running gear!

It's in Olympia, Washington.

Are any of you modders watching it???

[captainslug]

All of the Postal Service vehicles (LLVs) were made by Grumman, but those don't get very good gas mileage (16 to 18mpg). 500 Postal Service LLVs were converted to electric drive in short route areas (I can't find any specifics though).
Canada Post contracted Solectria to do EV conversion work on two LLVs, which were then evaluated in great detail.
https://www.tc.gc.ca/innovation/tdc/...500/13528e.pdf

Grumman made a few stepvan models as well as a couple firetrucks.

[Intrigued]

I knew something of the LLVs and 1/4 ton vehicles, but just hadn't heard that any had been converted to battery power. If the thing wasn't like 1600 miles away I'd love to try for it!

[metroschultz]

It came from Grumman directly.

The postal vehicles are Right hand drive. Also the postal LLVs don't have windows in the cargo area. (Security)
The Post Office and Grumman had a sort of falling out and Grumman took what they could from the contract to make money selling Urban Delivery vehicles. They kissed and made up though.
The Post Office does have the largest fleet of alternative fuel vehicles in the world right now. Including Electrics and CNGVs, etc.
We have 2 of the CNG trucks where I work and a contract with the gas company down the road to fuel them.
Happy Bidding,
S.

[Intrigued]

The guy selling this said that it had VW diesel wiring when he got it, and had VW (Rabbit?) running gear. Did Grumman do that, or has this been "played with" a time or two???

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by Intrigued

The guy selling this said that it had VW diesel wiring when he got it, and had VW (Rabbit?) running gear. Did Grumman do that, or has this been "played with" a time or two???

Yeah, Grumman bought some VW diesel engines/transmissions to drop in the smaller all Al vans. They were slow as dogs just like any other VW diesel of the era, especially autos, but were supposed to get ~30+mpg w/ ~1000lbs of carrying capacity. Here's some more info.

[metroschultz]

The LLVs the post office got were based on a 1989 Chevy S10 chassis.
Everything in them directly related to the operation of the vehicle drivetrain is Chevy.
I believe the Urban Delivery Vehicle Grumman sold were made the same way.
But with the full frame of the S10 you could put any drivetrain in it you wanted.
We at the shop are waiting for the life line to run out (10 more years) then we are all going to buy one and build it to our own specs.
One guy has a LT1 drivetrain from his wrecked Vette he says he will put in it to make the fastest delivery van in the east.
Not much info but I hope it helps,
S.

[Intrigued]

Originally Posted by roflwaffle

Yeah, Grumman bought some VW diesel engines/transmissions to drop in the smaller all Al vans. They were slow as dogs just like any other VW diesel of the era, especially autos, but were supposed to get ~30+mpg w/ ~1000lbs of carrying capacity. Here's some more info.

COOL!!! That's quite a site there. You learn something every day!!!

Thanks, roflwaffle!

It looks like the Kubvans and Kurbwatts may have been a predecessor of the LLV... Hey, Schultz! Can you find out anything for sure from your side???

Looks like with the aluminum body, that the curb weight isn't too bad, either!

...a person still might want to get the thing for swapping into something more aero, and sell the aluminum... if that isn't like a Cardinal Sin...

[roflwaffle]

I think that'd be a bit sacrilegious considering fairly high power electric motors are what, ~$1000-1500? These small vans are rare as hen's teeth. All the other electric bits can be fabbed by a hardcore DIYer and tossed in whatever shell ya want. Maybe yank the guts and offer the chassis to someone who won't scrap it for what you would've gotten for 1000lbs of Al scrap anyway, so ~$500-600+?

[Intrigued]

Boy, if someone already had an old VW Rabbit - talk about a bolt-in!!! :-)

...don't know if there'd be room/suspension to handle 20+ batteries, though, LOL!