Ice Cream Truck?

Hello, So, a little quick background that might not be important but whatev... I'm an auto tech, I'm currently working super part-time for a bio-fuel start-up, it is supposed to be full-time soon (actually, it's supposed to be full-time now, but I am being patient because if/when it does become full-time I'll be stoked) but if it is not full-time by June, my "I don't have to work" money will be close to running out, and I'll have to get a different job working in a traditional repair shop.

Also, I have been wanting to get a van or truck for sometime now, it needs to be diesel (since I work with bio-fuel conversions and can get grease), and I would really prefer a manual transmission but have accepted that no vans are manual, just mid-nineties ford F250's. Also, I need to be able to fit a kart inside, which from the looks of it would work with an ice cream truck, and it'd be nice if I could also tow a trailer to take my Jetta to faraway rally-crosses.

So, I found a couple of ice cream trucks for sale in my area that are actually priced about the same as other diesel cargo vans and trucks, and I wanted whatever information GRMers have to offer on being an independent ice cream salesman.

I figure this way, days I'm not working for the bio-fuel company I could just cruise around and sell ice cream, but I'm slightly concerned with where I get permits, and I am concerned with turf wars (if they are real, I would have thought it was a free-for-all)...

sorry this got long, but if you made it this far, Thanks!

I know nothing about ice cream trucks, except you have to make yours look like the Sweet Tooth truck from the Twisted Metal games!

Sounds like a great idea. Go dual-purpose. Deliver bio-fuels to Dad, and while you're arranging for the next delivery, sell ice cream to the kiddies! Yes, I know it's brilliant.

RexSeven wrote: I know nothing about ice cream trucks, except you have to make yours look like the Sweet Tooth truck from the Twisted Metal games!

Or if the neighborhood isn't so metal, you can be more subtle and make it look like a Mr. Whoopee from GTA:

Naughty variants:

This one belongs to a good friend of mine.

Jobies Ice Cream Truck

1961 Chevrolet "Dairy Clipper" ice cream panel truck. Don't have a better picture of it.

It's gorgeous, and he's got 2 identical ones.

All I can tell you about his business is that he ALWAYS looks like he is working his a$$ off, and doesn't make that much when all is said and done. He's also got a LOT more invested in those trucks than most people here would ever spend. I think it's nearly $40K each, once he finished the restoration, all of the ice cream equipment, generator, etc.

I can also tell you from experience that ALL food service businesses are a PITA. There is no barrier to entry (everyone thinks they can make BBQ, serve Lattes, or serve ice cream, or whatever) unless you do it the way my friend did (spent a lot of money- that's a barrier to most of us). Then there are no profits.