Customs 1951 UPS Truck

I wouldnt worry about it and I doubt UPS will either unless you are wanting to intentionally cause some kind of stink.
They are the ones who sold it, and it was legal as far as the DMV was/is concerned or you couldnt have gotten it transferred, so youve done your part, but now if you were gonna restore it as a UPS truck with new paint and logos that represents their company, I could see where they would have the rite to step in (if they wanted to take the time and effort)but all you have now is something they sold,............I personally wouldnt even start to worry about, I see old X company vehicles with the logo still on em all the time....................no biggie

 

Pop off the logos, keep them on the shop wall for coolness sake. refinish and paint it. Their brown is ugly. Make a hell of a camper or swap meet cruiser. I woulnt even associate it with them

 

I am in the shipping business.
The UPS BROWN color is either TRADE MARKED or has a COPY WRITE.
I don't have any printed literature around any move, but have seen that info since 1996 when I started shipping.
Nick

 

Re what Denis said, I have seen somewhere, a brown truck, with flip front, big V8, lots of chrome and some sort of logo on the side.
I'm going to do a Google search for fun.

 

A good friend of mine built a 1953 Ford panel truck into a race truck and painted it UPS brown and put UPS decals on it. Looked real nice when it was finished. He had it at Louisville NSRA Nats last year and UPS saw it there. About 2 weeks after the show he got a letter from UPS's lawyer and they told him to remove all the UPS decals or he wouldn't like what happens next. He manages a real big business that ships all over the country. Well he's not using UPS anymore.

 

Keep in mind, this is not the first thread here about UPS. I'd almost bet that someone working for UPS and their law firms are reading these posts just like we are.
Perhaps they are laughing. Maybe they are planning their attack. You gotta repect a company this large with the common sense to do the things they do with their equipment. It's sorta like you don't mess with another man's dog or wife.
First thing I'd do is talk to my freindly UPS drivers and see what they think. Maybe get in touch with the company and ask questions. We may all be surprised. After all, that big ole brown flamed truck is good advertisement and maybe yours can be too.
Personally I'd just build a fun camper as mentioned and enjoy the truck. A hunnert years from now UPS will want to buy it and restore it.

 

If I had one, I'd paint it a root beer metallic and pinstripe it with a yellow/gold accent.

Do what you want, and have fun!

 

Companies MUST protect their names, trademarks, logos etc. or lose them. If Chrysler allowed everyone to use the "jeep" name, it would become generic, they would still be allowed to use it, but could not stop anyone else from selling "jeeps" or "jeep" parts.

This is why they are so picky about names, symbols etc.

On the other hand, if the vehicle has a proper registration and it was not reported stolen, they can kiss your ass.

I also don't believe anyone can copyright a color. For one thing there are too many different shades of brown. You could paint it root beer brown, or metallic brown, and nobody could say anything about it.

 

Geez guys! I can't believe so many are pissing their pants over this. UPS doesn't own the truck, they don't even own the paint. What they do own is their trademarked logo. If you stay away from the logo you will be fine. For anything else, unless they could produce a title to the truck I would tell them to pound sand!

 

tThe last time I was at the street rod nats was 1998 0r 99 and Ups had their custom truck on display and they where offering free shipping on anything you bought from one of the vendors. They knew the value of one of their trucks , dolled up as a hot rod at major car events along time ago. I do not think they would have much interest in yours unless you restored it to original Ups specs and tried to profit from it, for example triing to sell it at Barrett Jackson or something. It is a old truck that was once owned by Ups and offers no said value because of that ownership. So move on and create something cool out of it for not only yourself , but for someone down the road that thinks it is cool. I do not think you will have to many people interested in a restored Ups truck. Especially it they came across this post lol Larry

 

I agree with the last couple of posts!

And to get this back on track:
Are you still working on it?

Patiently waiting for pictures and what size are those tires. Lol

Keep at it.

And a good deep maroon paint job would really suite you nice little van!

 

At one time, UPS would sell their used trucks. Reportedly one time someone that purchased one still sporting the logo and color, parked near a school and did (or tried to do) bad things to young people. That was an instant end to truck sales. UPS sent people out to buy back the old trucks, or they would remove or cover the logo, and offered to paint all of the sold trucks any color the new owner wished. This all happened before the said trial even went to court.

The actual color formula belongs to UPS, and was probably purchased from Pullman before they closed their doors. I'm sure there have been many cases where reverse engineering the paint has produced a similar color, but I have to wonder why, its an ugly color.

They are very protective of their logo. Any attempt of using it would make a person fairly foolish and they would receive much unwanted attention, within days of turning up on the street. (UPS rewards anyone one that reports sightings of their logo on something that might not be theirs.) The van is yours to keep, but the logo will disappear, either by you or by them through legal moves. Those fancy flamed trucks you see sporting the UPS logo belong to UPS. They will not have their logo on anything they do not have 100% control over. It would be interesting to see the contract details when they sponsored that NASCAR car a few years ago.

Current scrapped trucks go to recycle shops with a cradle to grave clause. Everything has to be scrapped, and the recycle shop has to document the final destination of every piece. There was a local recycle shop near me that received 10 old UPS trucks, on one truck they sold off some of the aluminum sheeting from the side of the truck. When the turned in the paper work, the amount of aluminum scrap was too light, and a lawsuit took place. That scrap yard is no longer around.

For the first 7 years of my business, I was in the building next to the local UPS hub and became friends with the evening mechanic. They have quite an operation! I've also done business with them. They pay promptly, but you do things their way, without exception. Gene