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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » You guys are just sick enough to tell me what to do with a Divco

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Sept. 8, 2011 11:05 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

This is one of the coolest trucks I've ever seen, but I can't justify buying it.

A buddy has a Divco milk truck that he would nearly give me, and I really want to have a great use for it, but I can't think of a purpose (or re-purpose) after the restoration.

It kind of looks like like this:

I thought about a mobile coffee shop or ice cream truck, but it is much smaller inside than it looks. The wheelbase puts it in hot rod territory, but the frame and suspension is overly beefy (designed to haul a lot of milk bottles).

It's too big to autocross, to small to haul big stuff, enough space for a big block with a roots style blower under the hood, but who would want to drive all the power in a STANDING position?

No seating positions, floor's too high for concession sales or large stuff, not big enough for a serious campmobile, would be terrible on gas, but OH SO COOL!

Help! What am I gonna do with this?

If I bring this thing home my wife will sell me to the scrap dealer in little bitty pieces!

But my addiction is seriously taking over!

Which one of you enablers has a great idea for this beast?
Sept. 8, 2011 11:08 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

...and just to make life a little harder, he's also got a Jeep Fleetvan kind of like this:

Arrgh!
Sept. 8, 2011 11:18 p.m. mrhappy Reader

Mobile grill? It could slide in and out of the back doors. Beer taps on one of the sides and a cooler for food and kegs.
Sept. 8, 2011 11:18 p.m. JoeyM SuperDork

rear engine drag car...wheel stander
Sept. 8, 2011 11:21 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

I'm not a good enough engine builder to build a wheel stander.
Sept. 8, 2011 11:23 p.m. Jay SuperDork

There's a guy down the street with an old milk truck body that has been tubbed (?), slammed, and has some kind of gnarly V8 driving it. It's never been repainted; it's wearing full-on patina and has a personalized number plate that says "milkman" or some variant. I'll have to grab a pic, I think some of you here would go nuts. It's pretty sweet.
Sept. 8, 2011 11:25 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

The problem with a grill (or any concessions) is the floor is too darned high. Look through the door in the picture- the driver stands while driving on the ultra low deck at door sill height, but the cargo area floor is the upper level higher than the wheelwells. You can't stand in the back (to serve, etc.)

If it did concessions, the salesperson would have to stand outside beside (or behind) it, not inside.

Courier service?

I'll build this thing if I can think of an end use for it.
Sept. 8, 2011 11:26 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

I like the "stand while driving" concept...

...I can't wait to see Alan McCrispin give this puppy a whirl at the Challenge!
Sept. 8, 2011 11:26 p.m. Junkyard_Dog Dork
Sept. 8, 2011 11:32 p.m. Jay SuperDork

Jay wrote:

There's a guy down the street with an old milk truck body that has been tubbed (?), slammed, and has some kind of gnarly V8 driving it. It's never been repainted; it's wearing full-on patina and has a personalized number plate that says "milkman" or some variant. I'll have to grab a pic, I think some of you here would go nuts. It's pretty sweet.

Never mind, found it on the internets already:
Sept. 8, 2011 11:36 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

Yeah, that one is a lot bigger than the Divco.
Sept. 8, 2011 11:37 p.m. Wally SuperDork

How hard would it be to mail to NY? I've been thinking about getting a small truck for a while now
Sept. 8, 2011 11:38 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

Mail? You mean you want a project, or you are interested in the finished truck?

I've got a trailer...
Sept. 8, 2011 11:39 p.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

Mobile Pizza maker/sales.
Sept. 8, 2011 11:58 p.m. fasted58 Dork

hot rodded tailgater party truck?... team colors
Sept. 9, 2011 6:02 a.m. HappyAndy HalfDork

Jay wrote:

Jay wrote:

There's a guy down the street with an old milk truck body that has been tubbed (?), slammed, and has some kind of gnarly V8 driving it. It's never been repainted; it's wearing full-on patina and has a personalized number plate that says "milkman" or some variant. I'll have to grab a pic, I think some of you here would go nuts. It's pretty sweet.

Never mind, found it on the internets already:

That's awesome!
Sept. 9, 2011 6:09 a.m. failboat HalfDork

stuff a more modern frame and drivetrain underneath and make it your tow vehicle?
Sept. 9, 2011 6:15 a.m. purplepeopleeater Reader

Short wheelbase makes for exciting tow vehicles!
Sept. 9, 2011 7:11 a.m. JThw8 SuperDork

Man, you are just posting up all kinds of good tidbits today.

A Divco has been on my "must do" project list for a long time. If I had access to one for near free it would be a no brainer. I have no intended use for it other than a cool hot rod. I suppose if you set it up right you could tow a small race car and carry tools and equipment in the back.

I recall a post in OT from one of our members here that has started his own bakery and was contemplating a cool delivery vehicle....this is it.

I'd probably do something crazy like go for Trifecta of Crap 2.0 with it :)
Sept. 9, 2011 7:55 a.m. MadScientistMatt Dork

It does look like something an auto parts business could use to deliver engines and transmissions.

SVreX wrote:

If it did concessions, the salesperson would have to stand outside beside (or behind) it, not inside.

I'll build this thing if I can think of an end use for it.

I could see making that work, although the lack of a viable way to do air conditioning would be a minus. Set up your coffee brewing equiment on that ledge behind the driver, pitch an Easy-Up tent behind it, and set up a folding table...

Another idea. It looks as if you could fit a large gas powered welder and maybe an engine hoist in there. Use it for a track side mobile welding service.

Another gadget that's about the right size for fitting in the back of the truck would be a small laser marking table. I've seen mobile laser marking businesses making things like custom key chains, and one at a competition shooting event used to engrave gun stocks.
Sept. 9, 2011 7:56 a.m. rob_lewis Dork

Do you HAVE to do anything with it? I think it's already pretty cool by itself. Put a bigger/newer motor in it, get it all running and driving and simply enjoy having something different than the norm to drive around.

If you want to make it something, the party/tailgate/bbq is probably the easiest. Some kind of built in bbq or smoker, a classic beverage dispenser, some tunes and a TV and your good to go.

Looking on the webs, quite a few of them have tall seats in them, so you don't have to stand when you drive it.

-Rob
Sept. 9, 2011 8:04 a.m. pigeon Dork

JThw8 wrote:

I recall a post in OT from one of our members here that has started his own bakery and was contemplating a cool delivery vehicle....this is it.

Immediately what I thought of too. If you're not inclined to sell it to the bread man, does your local auto-x club need a truck to haul cones and timing equipment? That would be way cooler than the old chip delivery van that both of my local SCCA regions use.
Sept. 9, 2011 8:13 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

that would be a very cool support vehicle for AutoX and the like
Sept. 9, 2011 8:36 a.m. 4cylndrfury SuperDork

failboat wrote:

stuff a more modern frame and drivetrain underneath and make it your tow vehicle?
Sept. 9, 2011 8:48 a.m. AngryCorvair SuperDork

i see it as a niche service vehicle for tailgating at the nearest university that has money.

or, since it's never going to carry anything as heavy as a full load of milk bottles, figure out what it's going to weigh in your dream configuration and down-spec the suspension and chassis to that.

mobile tattoo parlor? set up a mini lounge in the back and us it as an off-beat limousine? put a pole in the back and rock a mobile strip club?

use it to haul your supplies to car shows for the mobile pinstriping and t-shirt business you didn't realize was your true calling?

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