The Hayabusa-Powered Postman Pat Van: A Ludicrous Custom Creation

10 photos

Photo: Bennett Built Motorsport

Think the Grumman LLV mail trucks the USPS have been driving for 40 years are tin can boxes on wheels? Think again. The UK's favorite mail carrier has seen a bewildering transformation that amalgamates the practicality of a delivery van with the heart and soul of a superbike. Enter the Hayabusa-Swapped Postman Pat Van, a ludicrous yet painstakingly crafted marvel brought to roaring life by Bennett Built Motorsport.

Located in the quaint village of Redmarley D'Abitot, Bennett Built Motorsport is a small team with big ambitions. They're known for building lightweight, high-performance cars, and their latest project pays homage to the beloved children's show, Postman Pat. For this mad endeavor, BB Motorsport took a 1970s Italian mini-SUV called the Willam Fourgonnette, a vehicle more often seen delivering pastries in France than pushing the limits on British backroads.

From there, they went to work, transforming this vintage French runabout into a dead ringer for Pat's iconic red Royal Mail delivery van. Custom-fabricated flared wheel arches, a modified floor pan, and a newly welded firewall were just the beginning. The final product, painted in a vibrant red, looks like the improbable offspring of a Nissan Cube and a Grumman LLV.

Oddly enough, the pièce de résistance of this build wasn't just the retrofitted bodywork; it was the engine. Not content with a run-of-the-mill automotive engine, BB Motorsport opted for a turbocharged four-cylinder Suzuki Hayabusa engine. This 400-horsepower beast is more commonly found roaring down racetracks on two wheels, not delivering mail through sleepy villages.

With great power comes the need for precision engineering. To accommodate the Hayabusa engine, custom motor mounts were fashioned, along with a six-speed sequential racing transmission. This setup is linked through a custom driveshaft to an elite racing differential. Together, these components ensure the van delivers an insane performance experience that matches its one-of-a-kind aesthetic.

Yes, this labor of love was commissioned by a paying customer. This isn't just a showpiece for car meets and auto shows; it's a functional, if somewhat outrageous, mode of transport. The fact that you too could own such a unique vehicle, should you have deep enough pockets, only adds to the allure.

Now, imagine the sheer joy, and possibly terror, of piloting this machine through narrow lanes and city streets. The juxtaposition of its nostalgic exterior with its state-of-the-art internals makes this build truly extraordinary. Bennett Built Motorsport has managed to turn a beloved children’s TV show prop into a high-performance machine that will leave everyone gawking.