This truck represents one of the mores which have been lost through the years. Once there was a carefree and simplier America where “house wives would flock to the Trucks for fresh loaves of bread, pastries, cream puffs, and other baked delicacies”. This truck was one of those.
This truck is said to be one of the fifty to be still in existence now. And, moreover, trucks built for Helm’s Bakery were built upon particular specifications which made them standing out of the crowd of the other bakery delivery trucks.
The wood cabinets are in almost perfect status; everything on this truck smells of authenticity. The seller says that the engine had a little overhauling including a new radiator and generator, so it drives well. Find this oddity for sale at $39,000 here in Orange County, CA.
I bought one of these in 1970, direct from the bakery. The person selling them was the former Helms Fleet Manager. He said the bottom price was $400. The unique thing that the Divco had was a combined clutch/brake pedal. The first part of the travel down disengaged the clutch. The last part was the brake. Starting on a hill wasn’t too bad, once you got the hang of it. The transmission was a three speed stick with no synchros in a standard H pattern. You learned to be patient. The engine was originally a Hercules, but Helms re-powered them with a Ford 134 cu in industrial (tractor) engine. Side draft stromberg carb. I converted it to a camper and slept in a parking lot at Marina Del Rey. I was driving down Lincoln Blvd when I broke the top off of a valve. This was my first engine rebuild.
LikeLiked by 1 person