UPDATE 04/08/2022: It seems the owner of this wonderful 1965 Ford F-250 Good Humor ice cream truck had no success when he last listed the classic for sale, so he has decided to try his luck again. He appears serious about finding this gem a new home because he has dropped the price substantially. While the previous asking price was $68,000, he has slashed the figure to $57,000. Otherwise, nothing has changed with this Ford. Our own Russell Glantz located the vehicle listed for sale here on Craigslist.
As a child, do you remember the man with the ice cream truck making the rounds in your neighborhood after school? Back when an ice cream cone or sandwich might have set you back a quarter. One still makes the daily circuit in my sub-division, but the ice cream costs a lot more, and the song “It’s a Small World Afterall” seems to be playing on an endless loop. This 1965 Ford F-250 was a real Good Humor ice cream truck back in the day and has seen a thorough and expensive restoration in recent years. It’s available in Lebanon Township, New Jersey, and here on Craigslist. Thanks, Larry D, for spotting the original listing for us that set the ball rolling.
In the mid-1960s, Ford’s trucks in the F-series were redesigned and paved the way for the popular transports that they sell today. The F-250 was a step up in towing capacity from the F-100 and that was the basis for the seller’s ice cream truck. The transformation of the F-250 likely happened in its early days and the truck has seen at least 92,000 miles according to the odometer. Though it’s in Jersey now, the truck resided in Boston before being acquired by the seller.
As the story goes, the seller is a serious car collector and his grandchildren began to bug him about not having an ice cream truck in his entourage. Not wanting to disappoint them, he found this already restored F-250 and brought it home about six years ago. It stays inside a climate-controlled garage except when he drives it occasionally to shows or to distribute ice cream at special events.
The truck is mostly original and carries a large, square box on the back where the day’s goodies are kept. It’s a “cold plate” type of freezer where you plug it in at the grille and charge it up overnight. It works as it should, keeping frozen treats at their proper temperature. The body and paint are in great shape, as well as all the signage, lettering, and decals that adorn the vehicle.
This transporter of sweets is powered by a 223 cubic-inch inline-6 that’s paired with a Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission. The single-barrel carburetor has been upgraded to a 2-barrel set-up. More recent improvements include new shock absorbers, new rubber “biscuits” on the I-beam control arms, the exhaust, and a tune-up. Looks like a sweet ride!
In honor of the late and unbelievably great, Eddie Van Halen,,, nobody could play like Eddie Van Halen,,nobody,,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2RKWJD5ops
He was one of the GREATEST Eddie Van Halen . RIP EDDIE, GO HEAD AND JUMP. He was one reason my SENIOR year in 1983 was so awesome , early 1983 and their song JUMP was one of the most POPULAR songs on the radio then. It was a VERY GOOD YEAR.
I love everything about his except the Chevy hubcaps. Get some ford hubcaps on that truck before it quits running! Ha ha ha
Um….you don’t know your hubcaps. Those are FORD although a newer set. I am surprised that with the quality of the restoration the period caps were omitted. Maybe they were going for more bling since the oems were painted.
I had one of the very last Good Humor stand up vans (71 Ford) Have to say these were the most wore out ragged,junked vehicles one could have.They were run into the ground long after Humor sold out. When these are found usually need everything.
I would think the asking price reflects the cost of restoration here. I sold mine to a company who planned to restore it as a walk up food vendor. This was a few years before covid. I imagine if completed they should have done well with it since one couldn’t dine in for over a year.
With this open cab unit would be a dumb idea to quit the job cash in the 401K early and sell ice cream. One you can’t leave it outside. Can’t use it in the elements. This is geared very high. Driving on the highway it would be screaming. Permits gas and insurance plus upkeep on a 50 year old machine you would have to sell a ton of frozen treats and never make ROI!
It’s cool ……Hard Pass.
Those are Ford hubcaps, circa 1980-85. It would look better with period correct ones.
Those are indeed FORD hubcaps, just from a later year.
It’s licensed in Pennsylvania. This would be great for my retirement in Florida, except I’d have to work for 10 more years to pay it off before it would show any profit. Oh and Tracy Sad to say but those are FORD CAPS ….. https://www.ebay.com/itm/193032108320 …… https://www.hubcapzone.com/frd8.html
$68,000.00? And all the melted ice cream you can eat!
Love the truck, but the good humor is in the pricing of it! Lol
A die cast model of this would be as far as I’d care to go. I believe this falls into the category of “professional vehicles.” white elephant sub species.
I have a diecast model of that …..Also mine was much more affordable. Its cool but not in my price range.
My friend Reed was run over by one of these trucks while running for the the truck yelling ICE CREAM! Scared everyone on the block.
I can’t remember the last time i saw or heard ANY BRAND ice cream truck go down my street. I would imagine today the company painted on this truck would try to sue the owner if he or she tried to sell other brands of ice cream(or even their own brand?) using this truck.
Cool, only six items to choose from?
How many ice cream bars would I have to sell to make this thing pay for itself?
Would I get a cease end desist order from Good Humour for not selling their brand even though its painted on the truck?
Wonder what insurance would cost to run a business where you could potentially make a speed bump out of a little kid? (don’t think I could get behind the wheel again if that happened)
But what a fun toy to have
There’s no doubt, for me this would be a lost cause. I’d eat all the profits,,,
The price of nostalgia comes high……….
The only ice cream trucks out there now are beat to s**t 80’/90’s minivans covered with faded/peeling stickers with a sweaty dude pulling out God knows what out of a worn out igloo cooler and charging $4 apiece. It was a simpler time back then.
Here in SE PA we have a fleet of fairly new Mr Softee trucks that still make the rounds. They just came out of hibernation about a week ago.
All I can think of here is Cheech and Chong’s “Nice Dreams”.
I’ve bought an ice cream from one of these at the AACA show in Hershey for the past 10 years or so. A cheap, but short trip down memory lane.
Why do these always seem to be ’65’s?
The guy should have taken what he could have got the first time. Seeing it over and over only means he wanted too much and the people are not buying.
My how waiting it’s cost him. The economy is tanking and fuel is a record high. For something that relies on gas……lots of it along with higher food costs.
Would have to sell your Fudge bars for $10 each. That is as ridiculous I guess as spending $60K on this rig.
Some one just put one of these on the road in Lynchburg VA. It is a 1968, if I remember correctly. He is not in it for the profit. Sells the Good Humor stuff. Looks good.
Only a handful left of theses exists; asking price based on rarity and personal interest; most who own chose so not to make profits, and YES you can make good money by attending special events, car shows, private events, etc. Like a lot of things that are ‘delivered’ there has to be volume and close proximity to each sale to turn profit in any ‘delivery’ business(ask amazon); yes, i do own a ’69 GH truck and it’s GREAT.(like owning a cuda, mustang, or corvette…)(and yes, GH truck will NOT outrun any of thoses!LOL!!