For decades the Divco Model U was the universal delivery truck, bringing milk, bread, and other necessities to homes across the country.
We seldom see them today, even at vintage auto shows, but the Divco Model U was once ubiquitous in the cities and suburbs of America, delivering milk, bread, and other necessities straight to our doors. They truly were everywhere. Divco was an abbreviation of Detroit Industrial Vehicle Company, a manufacturer with a rich and complicated history, and the snub-nosed Model U, introduced in 1938, was the Cadillac of small delivery vans, if you will.
Unlike other small delivery vehicles of its time, the Divco Model U was designed from the ground up for the purpose, with a semi-unitized steel van body and a unique, double-stepped chassis frame that allowed the driver to stand while operating the vehicle. To facilitate stand-up driving there was a simplified control system, manufactured by Warner and marketed by DIvco as Step-N-Drive, that combined the clutch and brake in a single pedal (below) while a hand throttle was incorporated in the shift lever. A swing-away pedestal seat allowed the driver to sit down for extended journeys of more than a block or two.
The Model U was offered in both insulated (dairy) and non-insulated body styles, and with a variety of equipment. Engines included four and six-cylinder Continentals, a Hercules six, and a three-cylinder Detroit Diesel, while in the final years, 240 CID and 300 CID Ford inline sixes were used. Divco went through a number of owners and built a variety of trucks and busses along with the Model U and, as the home delivery business disappeared, built its final vehicle in 1986. Now, here in the 21st century with the growth of online shopping, the market for delivery vans is red hot again. But this next generation of vehicles will be totally electric, and ultimately, they may have no drivers at all.
Are you going to publish more info on the mechanical, especially the transmissions and how they were actually driven. Here in Australia we’ve never seen any Divco’s so they look really intetesting – crazy engine sizes & availability in their day!
We keep these stories short for the internet audience. But if the interest is there, we would love to follow up with more in-depth info. Thanks for your interest.
Thanks for your reply to my query- I hope others ask for mire info on Divco vans?
Count me in as another that would love an in depth article!
Another vote for an in-depth article.
And I love all of the replies from people that had personal experiences with a Divco van.
I grew up in a wide spot in the road so delivery trucks were rare, but regular trips to the city showed me what the door to door life was like. There were DIVCOs but there were also a fair contingent of trucks from other builders. Good to see them coming back but I do have to say that electric power really puts a bad taste in my mouth. While it’s probably a good idea the politics have destroyed it…
More Divco!!!
Ford made a Model A Standrive Delivery in ’30 or ’31.
Very low production, interesting vechcles……
The Illinois state fair displays one every year in the dairy building
I worked at a shop during and after high school that maintained a fleet of milk delivery Divco vans. My first job was to change the oil, grease and adjust the brakes and clutch on each vehicle. Scheduled maintenance. It took forever to lube those things. Must have had 100 grease fittings. They were everywhere! Most were Hercules but we the later trucks were Ford 240 / 300 sixes. Some were newer but most were ancient. We maintained a stock of anything and everything to keep them on the road. Steering, suspension, brakes, clutches, electrical and even body parts.
Sounds like my first job at (16). We maintained fleets of just about everything, including Divcos and Metros. One thing that sticks in my mind was some of the vehicles were positive ground. Anyone remember Blue Crown spark plugs?
I grew up next door to the family that owned our local dairy. They had 2 Divcos and I remember being intrigued by the standup driving feature. Those trucks seemed to last forever.
My brother and I worked at a gas station/general auto repair shop after school, in the 1950s. We maintained a fleet of Divco’s for a local dairy. All had four cylinder Continental engines, we kept one rebuilt engine on hand with a clutch and tranny. We could change out one in an evening. Then over the course of two weeks we’d rebuild the one we took out. Rinse and repeat, all summer long.
More Divco!
The Twin Pines (Detroit area) man worked out street all during my youth (60’s-70’s) and I think he finally called it quits about 1982. I worked for a dairy in the 80’s driving semi and there was one guy who had a 1955 he bought new that he used till he retired in 1987
Ah, your story took me back to the late 50s and early 60s. Mr. Fry was our Twin Pines milk man, and he delivered to our Royal Oak home for several years. I can still see the glass bottles and hear them clanking against each other. I vividly recall riding along with him to the end of our block after he delivered our milk. Your pics of the Divco interior are exactly as I remember his truck. I was fascinated by the stand-up driving position. Simpler times! Thanks for the memories!
I love the old Divco trucks and your article is awesome! More on the Divco truck & other brand trucks would be a real treat! Thank you!
Growing up in the 1960s, our local dairy ran Divcos for home delivery. Interestingly, the main bread supplier in town also did home delivery but they had a fleet of International Metro vans.