Divco Milk Truck Restoration

[Divcod]

Initially posted a photo of a quarter panel which was fabricated for the restoration of a 1952 Divco Milk Truck Model 11. Feedback on that post indicated there was interest in more information, especially photos, of work completed an updates on future progress. Decided to start this thread to provide more details and information.

My Model 11 is a stand up driver designed for door to door delivery of milk and dairy products. Little is know of the history other than lettering on the side indicated it was part of the Northern Alberta Dairy Pool. It would be nice if someone reading had additional information on N.A.D.P to provide to me. My goal is to restore this truck to it original look as there are very few of these available.

As a commercial truck it was utilized to the maximum with little regard to appearance and when it reached the end of it's usefulness it was parked in a field.

The attached photos show how the truck looked initially, I will make additional posts to show the fabrication of the quarter panel and replacement of many of the body sections. Will also try to provide answers to any questions but will state that I am a hobby metal worker who is trying to figure out how to make metal do what I would like, my answers are only my opinion so would welcome constructive input. Next up shrinking of metal to make a fender.

Can someone let me know how to add captions to photos?

 

[HOTFR8]

This should be good to watch. Good luck with it.

 

[shaun oriold1]

I see this one regularly, and it makes me want to get one for my business. They're totally cool trucks. Keep updating with progress.

 

[Divcod]

The fender for the quarter panel was fabricated by shrinking one piece of metal to match a buck which was taken from the opposite hand, driver side, replacement quarter panel. A *********** shirker was fabricated to allow reaching the required depth.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

 

[Divcod]

Thks, Completed a iron ore mining project in WA a year ago and returned in Nov so we could take the Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide. Cheers!

 

[HOTFR8]

Thks, Completed a iron ore mining project in WA a year ago and returned in Nov so we could take the Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide. Cheers!

The Ghan. I went on the original many years ago. It is called the Ghan after the Afghans that opened up the route with Camels. The new route to Darwin from Adelaide detours many of the old flood areas. Still the new trip would be fun.

Back to that Divco.

 

[MP&C]

Can someone let me know how to add captions to photos?

You got your attachments uploaded, and once that is done, go to preview (instead of submit) and then look at the "drop down" next to the paper clip. This should show all of your attachments. Now type your text blurb and when you'd like to insert a picture, click/place your cursor where you'd like the picture to be, go back to the drop down and select the picture you'd like to insert, keep typing, repeat. If you have uploaded multiple pictures, then you also have the option of inserting all pictures at once... If you don't use the paperclip function it just pastes them all at the end.


Nice project!

 

[Tireman]

hey its Dairy Delivery nice score

 

[larry_g]

Can someone let me know how to add captions to photos?

If you want it to look like this thread http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=273996
Then I can tell you.

First up load your pictures to an album here. You'll find them in your user control panel. Then when making a post click on the yellow icon with the mountain (above) and insert the BB code copied from below the picture in your album, you have to click on the picture in the album to see the BB code. Then you can caption below or above the BB code in the post. The captions you put on the pictures in your album will not come over with the picture.

good luck, it took me a few years here to figure out that process.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[chruler]

Way too cool!

Was that the same type truck they used to use for the old Paddy Wagons. kinda looks the same.

I'll be watching this thread!

 

[Divcod]

I don't know for sure if Divco ever made a paddy wagon but the milk trucks are geared very low. Model 11's are rated for 7,000#s and as a stand up driver controls are very different. Controls are three throttle controls foot, hand and dash while the clutch and brake are on one pebble.

 

[longlivepunk]

Cool! Especially since it's from Alberta. Subscribed.

 

[firemanast]

Very nice !

 

[1/2 Cup]

That's one awesome piece of work on the guard.

Looking forward to following your progress.

Regards

 

[xtremek]

It looks like you're going to have a cool ride when you're done. I'm subbing to this one.

 

[jhn9840]

Years ago a buddy had a Divco don't remember the exact year. Most likely from the early 50's. It was a bread delivery truck. The racks were cut out of it and it was used primarily as a camper at the lake. We had a blast riding around in it. Subscribed, looking forward to updates and pics. This thread brings back some great memories.

jhn9840
John


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[36truck]

Very cool build. You do some great work.

 

[Ajustable]

My FIL bought 6 of the divcos back when i was dating his daughter. He took the front axles out to use as farm wagons. The trucks were all dairy delivery. I might still have the divco name plate off of one. Ill see if i can find it amongst the junk.

If I remember right, the shift, gas, and brake were on the tree, as well as the floor, lotts of linkages, the motor was a 4 banger continenal, same motor they used for New York taxis's , flat head. I thought i heard that chrysler bought the continenal motor works.

Any way you have a great find, looks like your doing a great job fixing her up.

 

[Ajustable]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divco

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Motors_Company

I dont see any reference to Chrysler, sorry for the wrong posting error, but kaiser is mentioned.

 

[Kevin54]

Divcod........glad to see you started a build thread. Of you don't keep it updated, don't worry.......as members we'll be all over you like flies on **** to keep the updates coming.

Thinking back to when I was young, I remember our milkman had a stand up Divco, meaning that it was like yours where you had to stand to drive. But in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, and that is dangerous for me to think, and may very well be wrong, but weren't some "sit down Divco's"? I know that there is a museum where I go to a swap meet up north, and they have a Divco out front that is semi restored, and it has a seat in it.

Also, like the one Shaun posted above, that Divco has been chopped, but it also appears to be longer than yours. Do you know if they made two lengths?

What are the intentions for yours? Are you going to chop it, hotrod it, seats, and the whole custom thing, or are you going for a restoration, factory style?

As I said before, growing up, I thought a Divco was one of the ugliest trucks/vans there was, but as I grow older, I find that they are just very, very cool. Living around here in the rust belt though, you don't find any. If you see "one" in a car show, that is the "one in a dozen". You may see a Metro or two but they just aren't the same as a Divco.

There is a website out in web land that a guy has about three of them and was making one good one out of them. I don't know if you have ever ran across the site or not, and I'd have to look through my other computer to see if I have it bookmarked, but if I do I'll post it up for you. He was going about the same route as you with making bucks and such to make new panels. It was a rather lengthy website with a lot of pics. I don't know how far you have done as far as research, although I would venture to guess you have travelled far on the interweb doing research. But if I run across something, I'll post it up just in case you may not have it. There is not a lot of stuff on the internet about Divco's, and when I run across something, I try to bookmark it just in hopes I come across one someday. I do have some pics, but even those are few and far between.

Also MP&C is getting ready to redo one here before long, so with two threads on Divco restoration/rodding, that should make for some good stuff in the Fab Forum and for the Divco fans out there. Just make sure when you get to the rear of yours that you widen the inner fender well wide enough to get some huge Mickey Thompson's Sportsman's tucked up under there

 

[motoretro]

This one sure brought some memories as my Dad was a Bordens' delivery man in the mid-50's. He drove a yellow and white Divco and once in a blue moon, he'd take me on his route. Good luck on your project, anxious to watch the progress.
Motoretro

 

[madoc1]

was at a transam race in early 60s. saw one outfitted with bunks and a ladder to go up to the top to get a better view. this was at laguna seca. always wanted one since.

jim

 

[STANIMAL]

Keep posting pics . I would love to have something like that for my shop .

 

[RivennHewn]

Keep them pics coming!!!!!!

 

[Lone Star Blaze]

I have wanted a Divco since the first time I saw one. cool project

 

[lawlessjr]

A co-worker of mine runs this on the weekends. Serves rootbeer floats out of it.

 

[Divcod]

Thanks for the comments. Divco did make several models with the Model 11 being one of the shortest at a wheel base of 100". Whether to restore or hot rod was difficult to decide. Some of the hot rods are so cool and can be made to be very drivable. On yet other hand there seems to be so few remaining trucks we decided to go for a restoration. Only modification is I've made contact with a Divco owner who has one that was used as a school bus in a small community in the Cascade mountains. Hope to purchase the seats so I can use it to haul the neighbor and grand kids around. Mileage will be pretty limited but it is a nice bit of history.

I plan to paint the truck white and yellow to duplicate the Borden Dairy colors. Would like to add their name but have been told there is a legal issue or at least companies are concerned if their name is on the truck they might assume some liability. Who knows, so will create my own dairy name. Have a friend who is an excellent pin stripper and sign painter so hope to get all of the lettering done by hand.

 

[chruler]

Sounds like a good plan. Looking forward to the restoration.

 

[sberry]

Yes, geared low and heavy.

 

[Dragoonmc]

Id just make it border dairy. Most people wouldn't hardly notice

 

[70staged]

keep the exterior and interior looking stock, maybe a nice paint job with some lettering on the outside. Newer motor but please no 350 Chevy or LS. update the suspension a little and drive that thing

 

[Kevin54]

keep the exterior and interior looking stock, maybe a nice paint job with some lettering on the outside. Newer motor but please no 350 Chevy or LS. update the suspension a little and drive that thing

Oh no. If you have a Divco, it has to be a custom. Big motor, custom interior, custom paint, ,and a hellish set of wheels and tires. Whether it has a 350, or a Ford engine, that is up to the owners preference whether being a Ford or Chevy person. But a Divco just screams out to be customized. And as far as if the owner wants to sell it down the road, a custom Divco is going to bring way more than a stock milk hauler. But that's just my $.02 on it. If it were mine, I may not go as far as a 572 Crate motor, but a decent 350 reworked into a 383 would be nice. Or maybe a crate 5.0 Ford engine, or old school 390 Ford engine rebuilt and bored a little.

But in no way stock. Stock screams boring. And when you have a Divco, it has to be a standout in the crowd, in your face, custom. A nice plush interior. Build it to drive it, take to all the shows you can, plus plush enough to haul some friends with you.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I vote for stock. It seems like the only Divcos you see anymore are customized or hot rodded, so a stock one will stand out and be more interesting. Besides, you'd have to cut it up pretty much to put a big engine or big tires on it, and I don't know if I'd want to drive something with a lot of horsepower while standing up.

 

[4xdog]

I vote for stock. It seems like the only Divcos you see anymore are customized or hot rodded, so a stock one will stand out and be more interesting. Besides, you'd have to cut it up pretty much to put a big engine or big tires on it, and I don't know if I'd want to drive something with a lot of horsepower while standing up.

+1. I like stock too. Resto-mods don't do much for me -- I really enjoy the trip back in time from how a vehicle was way-back-then.

(Said as one who drives a 1962 Triumph TR3, with rotor & points, choke cable, generator, wire wheels with inner tubes...)

 

[rodster_67]

+1 Stock

Just so cool in stock form.

 

[RivennHewn]

They have the "Cool Factor" as is. No need to go crazy.

I like them at the stock height, lowered looks silly to me.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Funny story about a Divco.
Irwindale Raceway about 1971 or 1972.
Oil down and track cleanup taking forever so someone got a teenage kid on a Stingray bike and gave him a boatload of seconds on the tree. The other lane was the Divco. Truck barely caught the kid in the lights.
Almost as entertaining as the fuel altereds that night.

 

[CNGsaves]

Another +1 for stock and dairy theme already planned by OP.

How about using a regional dairy name that has been bought up??

Lots of consolidation occurred in dairy business in last couple decades.

 

[Divcod]

Fabrication of the quarter panel requires a single piece of metal which curves from the front to the rear of the truck. On the upper portion are two reveals with a expanded area between the reveals. Hopefully, I can get some pictures attached that will make it a little clearer.

The reveals with fabricated with a male and female die set which was run through and English Wheel. The wheel was also used to create the majority of the expanded area.


Expanded reveals after multiple passes through the English Wheel.

Right hand formed end, left hand (rear) actually wraps around the trucks structure and will be fabricated as a separate piece and then welded in place.

Die set fabricated from a pipe split in half and square tubing .

Thought I'd be able to show a picture of the repair of a structural member but after working on it tonight it ended up in the scrap pile. At some point in history someone needed more room so they cut slots in the member and beat it over with a hammer. Trying to save as much original metal as possible and limited access ended up with a very irregular cut in the 23" piece so getting a perfect fit on the 14ga material is difficult. Next try.

For those who voted for a restoration, although it really wasn't up for vote, you win as my wife and daughter want the original look. They were the ones who wanted the truck as I had other projects that needed to be finished. Just in case you are wondering my other projects are next in line.

One of the posts mention the consolidation in the dairy industry and my limited research on the Northern Alberta Dairy Pool indicates it is no longer in operation. If there is any one who has information or know of someone I could contact to get some of the history it would be great. Ultimate would be to find someone who actually drove Truck 83. Never know.