Jeep DJ Mail Trucks Brought to Life Via Restomod Company
Once as common as junk mail, postal Jeeps are a vanishing part of history. One Alabama-based company is changing all that.
Like the Checker taxicab and the Ford Crown Victoria police car, the postal service Jeep DJ is a nostalgic part of the American landscape that’s gone forever. In fact, even its replacement, the Grumman LLV (Long Life Vehicle) is reaching the end of its long service life.
Still, many of us are old enough to remember seeing these unusual Jeeps slowly making their rounds in our neighborhoods. That nostalgia must have been what prompted Postal Jeep Parts out of Boaz, Alabama to work so hard to keep these classic Jeeps alive for rural mail carriers and enthusiasts alike.
To regular Jeep enthusiasts like us, there’s not a lot of things to get worked up about when it comes to DJs. They’re two-wheel drive, automatic tin-tops with about as much off road capability as, well, a mail truck.
Still, we can definitely understand the unusual appeal that these vehicles hold — they are, after all, Jeeps. They’re a part of our history that’s important to preserve for future generations. We’re glad that there’s a group of people out there devoted to keeping the memory alive, and perhaps one day we’ll see one of these parked at our local cruise night.
Apparently, postal Jeeps do require something of a specialist, as there are a ton of variations out there. From the first DJ3A in 1955, through the DJ5A through DJ5M and the DJ6, two common failures seem to be the transmission and braking system. With so many variants, it’s important for DJ enthusiasts to be sure they can talk to someone who knows what parts they need.
In an age where not one but two companies exist to sell restored Grand Wagoneers at prices well over $50,000, is it so crazy to believe that there’s an equally passionate group out there restoring and modifying postal Jeeps?
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