Most Zip Van photos that you see show a sort of Pontiac Aztek configuration to the front windshield.
There are two big windows facing front, and two little ones (in the red stripe belt line) facing down (presumably so the driver could see the front bumper for parking).
But the photo of the one in the Studebaker museum does not appear to have these windows.
And though most of these windows have rounded ends, the ones in the black and white picture (posted here last week or so) of a bunch of newly assembled vans, appear to have squared windows there.
So what is the story?
Were there production variations between early and later builds of these trucks? Was the museum one incorrectly restored? Or is the common photo just poorly lit and the windows are not seen by the camera, but are there?
How many Zip vans did Studebaker build for the post office anyway?
I remember them from my childhood, zipping (well, more putt-putting) from house to house, delivering our mail.
If they made 500 that would have been only 10 for every state.
Surely there were more than 500 post offices in the USA during 1964.
If they built 1000, still some post offices would have been left with none.
I always figured there were thousands of them, but I guess that is not so.
What other vehicles would the post office have had along with the Zip vans?
Who got the contract after Studebaker folded?
And did they only have the contract for the one year (a 1963 date actually built in 1964)?
There are two big windows facing front, and two little ones (in the red stripe belt line) facing down (presumably so the driver could see the front bumper for parking).
But the photo of the one in the Studebaker museum does not appear to have these windows.
And though most of these windows have rounded ends, the ones in the black and white picture (posted here last week or so) of a bunch of newly assembled vans, appear to have squared windows there.
So what is the story?
Were there production variations between early and later builds of these trucks? Was the museum one incorrectly restored? Or is the common photo just poorly lit and the windows are not seen by the camera, but are there?
How many Zip vans did Studebaker build for the post office anyway?
I remember them from my childhood, zipping (well, more putt-putting) from house to house, delivering our mail.
If they made 500 that would have been only 10 for every state.
Surely there were more than 500 post offices in the USA during 1964.
If they built 1000, still some post offices would have been left with none.
I always figured there were thousands of them, but I guess that is not so.
What other vehicles would the post office have had along with the Zip vans?
Who got the contract after Studebaker folded?
And did they only have the contract for the one year (a 1963 date actually built in 1964)?
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