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America's Milk Trucks since 1926
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Capitol Dairy, out of New Bedford Mass. |
This page is being written with the help of Bob Gouveia from Burlington, Ma.USA
| The Divco truck was built by the Detroit Industrial
Vehicle Company and its successors These trucks became a part of the American
way of life. Chances are your milkman drove a Divco truck. So did
most other delivery services. The Divco was manufactured form 1926, until
1986. The Divco truck was a multi-stop delivery trucks unlike any others.
The only vehicle that stayed in production with the same basic model for
a longer period of time was the Volkswagen
Beetle. Today many people consider Divco as the icon for the
multi-stop delivery era.
In 1922, George Bacon, Chief Engineer for the Detroit Electric Vehicle Company designed a remarkable new electric driven milk delivery truck. It could be driven from four positions, front, rear, or either running board. However as we know electric trucks were no match for a gasoline powered truck. This was the main reason the George Bacon and others formed the Detroit Industrial Vehicle Company (D.I.V.CO.) to produce his invention using a LeRoi gasoline engine. In 1937 the Divco was completely redesigned with a welded all-steel van body and a snub-nosed hood which was used with virtually no change up to the end of production. |
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I would like to invite any of the visitors to this page that have any Divco pictures that they would like posted here to e mail me a copy at |
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| These pictures were submitted by Kent Schnetzler of Springfield,
MO and he had the following to say;
"Shot some pics of an interesting milk truck that was in a field in Old Snowmass, CO (just up the road from Aspen). I posted a pic of it on a Ford 8N tractor forum and somebody thought it was a Divco. Anyway, I thought it made a great subject. I shot these pictures in Fall 2005 and went back a few weeks later to shoot some more.......and somebody was pulling the old truck out of the field! It sat over winter 2005-2006 in a lot in Basalt, CO, then disappeared (hopefully to be restored). It looked like it was complete, in excellent condition for sitting in a field, and the glass was complete and unbroken. Oddly, it had Minnesota plates." I wonder if anyone know where this truck ended up?? He is some followup information on this truck. A viewer on the Ford 8N tractor forum replied with the following. With MN plates, the color scheme, and what I think I can make out of the faint painted out dairy name, I think this truck was part of the fleet of Ewald Bros Dairy. The processing plant was just west of the Minneapolis city limits, and the big Ewald dairy farm was in the suburb now known as Golden Valley. They were one of the big dairies to serve the greater Minneapolis area. I know they were still in production in the 70's, but faded out in the 80's. The farm was closed in the late 50's due to city and suburban growth pressure. They were well respected for quality products. They delivered to our house in the 60's. Kent has looked closer at his pictures and has found the following. "I hadn't even noticed the very faint name, so I went back to the original prints + several other shots, and, sure enough, there's what appears to be an "wald" very faintly on the side above "MILK". On the rear doors, I can make out a "WAL". Thought I had a close up of the license plate, but don't. In one shot, I can read the plate number and Minnesota, but can't make out a year. The phone number on the front fender is "522-3601" without any area code." |
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Jeffrey Ewald Waconia, MN |
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1965 Divco owned by Phil Guglielmo of Farmington CT |
| "I am the owner of the milk truck that was posted on your web site.
It was Mr. Bo Cote that bought the milk truck from Ewald Dairy, as he told
me the story. Bo told me how he would drive the truck around his home in
the summers, and people would think he was the milkman on the delivery
route. After that, he brought the truck out here to the Roaring Fork Valley
and drove it for a short time until he had clutch problems. Bo then parked
it on his field in Old Snowmass, Colorado. It sat there for several years.
I would pass it at times, when I took the back road to visit friends. I
always thought what a great picture it was, sitting in a hayfield.
A few years back, two of my brothers in West Hartford, Ct. had bought an old Divco that was used to deliver milk in and around West Hartford. Their Divco had been used by A.C. Peterson Farms when I was a kid. About 3 years ago I mentioned to my brother about an old milk truck sitting in a field, in Old Snowmass. He asked me to send pictures to him, which I did. He was interested in buying it, and then would bring the truck back to West Hartford, CT. He was hoping to restore it to match his other truck. I knew who owned it and I told him I would ask the owner. It didn't take to long to find Mr. Bo Cote; we had both worked together on the Snowmass Ski Patrol a few years back. I called to see if he wanted to sell the truck, and in fact he did, as he was selling the house and the new owner wanted the truck removed. I put my brother, Phil, in touch with Bo and they struck a deal for the purchase of the milk truck. We bought it on April 10th 2005. Of course I was left with the task of paying and removing the truck from the field. So in the fall of '05 I, along with a friend, hauled the truck to a lot in Basalt. I left it there until my friend sold that lot, then I had to move it again. It sat for a short time at my employer's landscaping lot until I was able to rebuild the carburetor and get it started. In the fall of '06 I had to move it again because it was taking up valuable space at the yard. The clutch was still not working but I could start it in first gear and drive it around the yard. I got the brakes to barely work and thought I’d drive it to my house about 1 mile away. I drove it to my house in El Jebel, with my wife following me. I was lucky enough to get to my house without needing to stop, or use my brakes. As I got to my driveway and went to turn, the truck didn’t turn quit as sharp as I hoped. I went to put on the brakes...ops, no brakes. I bumped into my work truck; then the Divco stopped. I was able to back it up and then pull into my driveway. Now it sits waiting for a new clutch and brakes. I don't have a garage to work in so I can only work on it in good weather. Since I’ve put some time into getting it to run, I, along with my brothers Phil and Pat, are trying to decide who owns it! Phil did give me a check for the truck but I never cashed it. At this time I would like to be able to get it registered, so I could drive it around the valley. The truck has a remanufactured Ford straight 6, 300 CI and it runs very well. It was sold by RIHM Motor Company in ST. Paul MN. The model # is 374 and serial # is 374 4244. The # on the back of the truck is 17. It's a stand/sit model with refrigeration in the back. I have not tried to hook up the refrigeration system yet, to see if it works. The registration I got from Bo says it was built in 1960." |
| Looking for great truck accessories?
If you are looking
for something to add to your truck why not try some nerf
bars or tonneau
covers?
Sign online today and show some love to your truck with some new accessories! |
| Related Information |
And on to the rest of the pictures
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It was owned by Monroe Dairy of R.I., and sold to Capitol Dairy in new Bedford, It was the last full year they made Divco trucks, before they went out of business in 1986. |
The completed truck is shown below |
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This truck is owned by George H. Baldwin Jr CEO of Baldwin Dairies It was once owned by "Sterling Davis Dairy" of Wrightsown, NJ. |
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This truck is owned by Joe Venuti, owner of Bedford Farms |
This old girl sure has done its share of the work |
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| These pictures were submitted by Murrar Elliott of Cole Harbour Nova Scotia Canada. The truckes were owned by Woodlawn Dairy of Dartmouth Nova Scotia. Murry used to deliver milk for Woodlawn. |
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This truck is still delivering milk today |
Grantville Milkmans Convention 2005 This truck was restored by George & Barb Parmelee |
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This photo was taken at Grantville Milkmans convention |
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Click on this image for a larger view in a new window |
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window |
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| This truck is being offered for sale.
For complete detaild go to http://www.sfarzo.us/twin33/ |
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 It was taken at Old Truck Show in his home town |
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This one was laden with bakery goods that looked tasty! |
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Bob used to help clean up the loading dock, and get a free quart of milk. I lived not to far away at the time |
waiting for a nice paint job |
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Click on this image for a larger view in a new window |
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window |
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Click on this image for a larger view in a new window |
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milk trucks and deserver being shown |
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owned by The Siegles from Kansas USA The truck will be one the road in about a year and fully restored in three years. |
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This Divco should keep them happy |
Now that is milk truck |
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THE TRUCK WAS ORIGINALLY OWNED BY THE HOME DALE DAIRIES IN BOISE IDAHO AND RETIRED FROM SERVICE IN 1976. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN IN VARIOUS STAGES OF RESTORATION SINCE AND IS NOW 60 PERCENT COMPLETE STREET ROD. WE PURCHASE THIS DIVCO ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. THE FORMER OWNER STATED THAT THE NEW PARTS AND LABOR TO GET IT WHERE IT IS NOW IS VALUED OVER $18000.00 MY RESERVE IS WAY LESS THAN THAT. SINCE WE PURCHASED IT WE PUT NEW EXHAUST, NEW CARBURETOR, NEW FUEL PUMP, NEW TRANSMISSION, NEW DRIVE SHAFT. WE PURCHASED THE TRUCK WITH THE INTENTION OF RESTORING IT MYSELF, BUT I JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WANT TO SEE THE TRUCK CALL JERRY @ 770-560-6398. |
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| This Divco go-cart is owned by Steve Mair of Fort Collins, Colorad.
He and his family have owned it for 35 years They got it from wonder bread
when Steve's dad, David Mair drove for them its an actual Divco truck.
They use it in 4th of July parades in our home town almost every year. |
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| These pictures were submitted by Tom Drake and were taken at the Hagley
Museum Auto Show in 09-2005.
The address on the truck shows Wilmington, DE but I've seen this truck at their dairy in Hockessin, DE. The Hagley Museum is the first Dupont family home and black powder works on the Brandywine Creek in Delaware and well worth a visit if you are ever down this way. |
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| These pictures were submitted by Tom Drake and were taken at the
Delaware Antique Truck Associations annual truck show at Delaware City, DE in April 2004. The owners are Bob & Patti Giles of Johnstown, PA and they drove the truck to the meeting. A round trip of about 362 miles. |
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