Brad Brown

The big brown trucks driven by UPS drivers are called package cars. When I worked at UPS Corporate, a retiree (to whom I’ll give the pseudonym “George Hamilton,” given his resemblance to overcooked bacon) gave me a miniature die-cast package car. The truck is similar to the one shown above, except the one I’m giving away is mounted to a block of wood (suitable for placing on your awards credenza), and it’s painted with the old UPS logo. It was manufactured for UPS’s 90th birthday celebration in 1997.
 

The Contest

To enter the contest, leave a comment below, listing the URLs of your three favorite blogs or websites (any URL besides mine; PG sites only please). Self-promotion is encouraged, so don’t be reticent to list your personal site. If it sucks, the audience will let you know. The winner will be picked by random drawing at a random time on Sunday, November 23rd, 2008. I will ship anywhere in the universe, as long as the shipping cost is under $25.00 USD [assuming the dollar still has value by the time you read this]. If you need any clarification of the rules, email me.

 

Unsolicited Trivia

• There are no radios in a real package car. By leaving out the radio, it allows more time for drivers to talk with their mistresses via cell phone.
• The top of a UPS truck is white, not brown. It’s a coating called Super Therm®, applied to reduce interior temps (it’s also used to prevent the Space Shuttle from melting). Without this coating, the inside of a UPS truck would reach temperatures of 170+ degrees in a matter of minutes during the summer.
• If you wonder why you never see old UPS trucks on the road, it’s because they’re crushed when they reach end of life. Otherwise, an enterprising criminal could purchase a truck and use it as a base for mischief. UPS drivers are trusted entities, and it would quite easy for a thief to gain access to potential loot by posing as a driver.

 

Questions Asked Frequently

1. How much is it worth?
    
   I don’t know. Given that it’s eleven years old and not readily available on eBay, I would assume it would be worth $30 or more. There are three strips of visible transparent tape (?) on the commemorative box, so that might diminish the overall value.
    
2. How big is it?
    
   That’s what she said. But seriously…the car itself is about 4×3x2 inches. The block on which it’s mounted is about 5×7 inches, and is made of a stained pressed wood.

 

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