In the early-to-mid 1960’s, almost 30% of homes in the U.S. had milk delivered to their front porch or steps. Our little house on Washington Avenue was part of that 30% as the milkman from the local Greenleaf Dairy put glass bottles of milk on our front porch during his early morning runs. I can still hear those milk bottles clinking. But thanks to improved refrigeration and the growth of large grocery store chains, the number of homes getting delivered milk dropped drastically to only 6.9% by the mid-70’s. We’ve featured a few milk trucks here on Barn Finds over the years, but all have been the iconic “snub nose” Divco trucks. I can’t recall seeing any Chevy milk trucks growing up in the 60’s, but they obviously made them. I spotted these two for sale here on Facebook Marketplace in nearby Greensboro, NC for $5,500 each.
Details and history are scant with the seller stating, “Both are complete and said to have been running in the last couple of years, but I have not tried them. Would make awesome rat rod or custom projects or restore to original.” That’s the extent of the details, folks. There aren’t any photos of the interiors or engines, but the truck with the school bus yellowish paint looks to be the better of the two. There’s surface rust and fogged glass, but I’m not spotting any major damage or rust, and they appear to be complete.
Based on a sales brochure I found online, Chevrolet’s C-50 Series was “designed for low-cost general hauling” and was available in four wheelbase sizes: 133″, 145″, 157″ and 175.” Standard equipment included the High Torque 140 horsepower 230-cubic inch six-cylinder engine with Chevrolet’s 4-speed Synchro-Mesh transmission. A 292 six cylinder and 283 V8 were also available engines offered.
The photo above is about as close as it gets to an interior photo, and it’s hard to tell the overall condition, but it doesn’t look too bad. There’s also a photo of the rear area of one of the trucks that looks pretty decent and solid as well, but we don’t know which truck it represents.
Living not too far from the Biltmore Estate, I couldn’t help but notice the BF crest and graphics on these two trucks. George Vanderbilt established Biltmore Dairy Farms on his sprawling estate in Asheville, NC in 1897. It proved over time to be the most financially successful of all of Biltmore’s enterprises and their popular milk, butter, and ice cream products were sold in five states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia. The dairy business was sold to Pet, Inc. in 1985, and the huge dairy barn is now the Biltmore Estate Winery. These two Chevrolet C-50 delivery trucks are a far cry from the Dairy’s horse drawn delivery wagons of 1900, but they were built when the milk delivery business to homes, hotels, and local grocery stores was changing. A lot of inspection, due dilligence, and answered questions would be needed for these two survivor milk truck projects. And, who knows what they could look like in their next chapter: restored to original? hot rod? rat rod? other? What would you do with one or both of these?
I miss Biltmore ice cream—especially Butter Almond.
Jeez, a C-50 seems like quite a bit of GVW overkill for hauling bottles of milk. I would think a C-30 would have been good enough.
I suspect these bodies will wind up on more modern chassis and turned into retro-style food trucks.
Well believe it or not but Milk is one of the heaviest liquids. Combined with a glass bottle container, plus at the same time either metal or wooden carriers and racks to held the bottles securely together and the weight adds up quickly then remember the empties going back. Any trucks with less capacity would have never endured the heavy stop and go demands. The best milk trucks were the purpose built Deveco trucks.
I must disagree with you. I ran a home delivery Milk Route for 10 years. The Divco came with a 4 or 6 cylinder engine, they blew up and our mechanics installed V8 engines in them. I did not like the Divco because the drivers seat would not rotate around and out of the way our Ford and Chevrolet trucks did.
Maybe your Frito Lay guy could haul in a C-30, single hub.
Lighter load.
Better hours too.
In our town, it was Leasch Dairy who delivered dairy products every morning without fail. And they did so
into the ’80s. Their trucks were Internationals painted a
light peach color with their logo on the sides. I can still
recall the radio announcer telling customers to consult
Their route man as to the latest specials. Sure do miss
those days.
We had San-A-Pure milk and Omar bread delivered by truck to our home back in the 60’s. A galvanized, insulated box that held 2 gallons of milk was on our front porch.
I would make one into a Bookmobile/Ice Cream truck, free to all. With a huge flat screen on one side for neighborhood movie nights.
The other…hmmm…….could star in a Stephen King sequel to “Christine”, or ……. going the other way it could become super cute like the cat schoolbus in “My Neighbor Totoro”.
We weren’t rich enough to have milk delivered in those days, but I remember Borden was the company in Texas. The only thing I remembered having delivered to the house was ice for the ice box. We didn’t get a refrigerator until 1952. Some things I miss about those old days, other things I don’t.
I would think either of these vehicles might make a great small RV for a single or a couple.
Well Ron Denny, I live in Charlotte NC not far from these or you. Living in NASCAR country & near all the shops, converting them to traveling party busses & making the circuit comes to mind. Room for beer, grill, coolers, couple of beds, what else ya need? Put viewing area on top. BOOM!!!
A number of years ago I lived near Asheville NC and enjoyed Biltmore’s dairy products. One day someone called the Asheville police from the Biltmore Dairy company to report a Biltmore tanker truck driving around the area. The police were puzzled why would you report that? Well it turns out the truck wasn’t Biltmore’s. It belonged to a bootlegger who was just a little too slick for his own good. Busted!
Did anyone else notice some of the relics in the field these trucks are sitting in? Is that ’59 or ’60 Chevy possibly sitting on a 4-wheel drive chassis? There are 2 other pics showing different views of the same.
I noticed the Lenkerbrook truck, it was a local dairy where I live in central PA. Nice to see one of them still around, even if in rough shape.
I grew up around Harrisburg. I’d love to have that truck
I used to be a beer distributor and we would buy these clean them up and use them for draft beer party wagons utilizing a Honda generator
I want the Lankerbook Truck. That’s what I grew up with. Harrisburg, Pa.
I lived in Hendersonville,NC in the 60’s & 70’s and saw tons of these trucks on the highway back then. These were not home delivery trucks. They delivered primarily to the mom and pop stores and some larger groceries. We used to bug the drivers for old milk carts to sit on when working on our brakes and so forth. I still have a few that have helped me moves car parts all over the eastern coast and yes I still sit on one to work on my car/ truck. Biltmore used to sell an ice cream bar called the “Winky. It was a cherry vanilla bar covered with chocolate and peanuts. I miss the trucks, the dairy and especially the Winky bar. We lived in the best of times and they can’t take our memories from us.
I’ve lived in Hendersonville all my life. The Biltmore Dairy Bar was a treet for lunch, dinner, and milkshakes….. the squeeze cups of vanilla were awesome too…. simple times. These trucks were common.
I was the milk truck at our place, go to the barn Milk the cow and carry buckets to the house to be strained, boiled and refrigerated until the butter rose to the top then separated, to make butter and butter milk. Yet I find myself mysteriously attracted to these vintage haulers. I imagine one or two being converted into R.V.’s, other than that maybe for roadside advertising for whatever product a company might be selling. Hope they find good homes.
God Bless America
Make a great RV? Already well insulated
As a kid we had milk delivered. I still remember the ad lingo. ” if you don’t own a cow call cloverland now, it’s NOrth 9-2222. Neat old things that look to be nice for redo.
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I live in Northern New Jersey and believe it or not there is a farm called Sicomac dairy farm that’s still delivers milk to residents. They used the old Divco trucks but they still drive them as it were in the ’60s. Every couple of years they get new paint and repairs. It’s something to see!
Sicomac, Van Peenan and Ideal.
I’d prefer a 55-57 front clip but it looks great rust -wise. It would be put on a newer frame- pwr train..so it wouldn’t handle like a bus..They’re getting rare in any shape as the crusher wins..
Absolutely Old Ranger but let’s not forget Mrs Baird’s Bread and Foremost Dairy. Both had home delivery in Houston, TX
I’m thinking the coolest handicap van in the world