Kids today associate Good Humor ice cream with the frozen section at the grocery store. But, back in the day, there were thousands of franchised trucks running around selling these wares on just about every street corner. This 1969 F-250 is such a converted truck and has been restored to its Good Humor glory days. Located in Rogers, Minnesota, this “cool” classic is available through a dealer here on eBay for a “chilly” $109,995. At that price, surely nobody is going to put it back into service! Hats off to “Curvette” for another tip trip down Memory Lane!
Less interesting (perhaps) than the evolution of the venerable Ford F-Series pickups is the story of Good Humor itself. According to the seller’s research, an ice cream parlor owner named Harry Burt started the company back in the 1920s. By adding a stick to an ice cream bar, the “Good Humor Ice Cream Sucker” was born, and old Harry found that the best way to peddle them would be via small trucks equipped with freezer units going from neighborhood to neighborhood.
After Corporate America got onboard upon Harry’s passing, Good Humor developed a fleet of more than 2,000 trucks at the peak. The sales focus shifted to grocery stores in the 1970s after fuel prices made operating the trucks (and franchises) more expensive. These trucks were converted Ford stock done by Hackney & Sons out of the Carolinas. 1969 versions like this one were powered by a 150 hp, 240 cubic inch inline-6 that Ford used for many of the F-Series entries. The seller’s pickup has an automatic transmission, though it sure looks like there’s a clutch pedal hanging from under the dash.
This Good Humor sales machine is said to have 20,000 miles and could be one of just 100 left to survive (in any condition). This Ford/Humor was restored to original specs, but we don’t know how recently that was. It’s said to be true to specs, including the inside freezer unit that we do not see. It still has the signature Good Humor bells to alert the local kiddies that goodies were on the way! If you were to see fit to part with six figures for this beauty, what would be your end game? Surely not selling ice cream door to door.
Chocolate Eclair ice cream 🍦 😋 bet that was a good one. 👍 Thanks Dixon.
I’d buy that for a little side business, but $5 per cone or pop cycle it would take more than my remaining lifetime to recover that investment!
The “Good Humor” truck from my childhood was an older Ford — an F-1 or at best F-150, I’m pretty sure — and had amplified bells (or a tape loop) playing the repetitive company jingle. Which, by the way, is still stuck in my head….
Good ice cream, though.
We had several trucks passing through the neighborhood: Good Humor, of course, and a GMC Suburban carrying Helms bakery products (it was worth stopping the guy to by a doughnut, just to smell the exquisite aroma of the load space), plus an early Jeep station wagon offering “fresh fish.”
Now I’m feeling nostalgic. Just not $150 Large nostalgic.
Wow, I thought that this one was expensive!
https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/d/stratford-soft-serve-mister-softee-ice/7919453707.html
Buy it & show everyone that you have WAY too much money!
The Good Humor truck I remember, early 1950s, was a Ford of that vintage with an open driver’s compartment like a town car from 1925. The driver wore a white uniform and a hat similar to a police officer or naval officer. The ice cream was way better than the competing Jack and Jill truck that mostly sold Popsicles.
The Ice Cream truck from i was a kid was a 1956 Chevy same setup as this truck his name was George. Cant remember what i had for breakfast most days but i remember the truck and his name from 56 years ago or there about’s.
Optical illusion Russ, that’s the diamond plate your seeing. There’s no clutch pedal there.
If you drove one daily maybe you would have interest.
I think this falls under the heading, “looking for the right buyer!”