Way back in the field where vehicles go when their days are over, Bill Huther came upon the truck.
With its back end up in the air and front wheels over a cliff dangling in the air, the vehicle looked like not just its best days but all of them were done.
But Huther immediately knew two things about the truck that day in July 1995.
One, it was a Divco model that starting in 1926 became America’s milk trucks.
Two, this particular vehicle had once belonged to Huther’s dad, who drove local routes for Muller’s Dairy.
“I turned to the guy who owned the junkyard,’’ Huther said, “and told him I bet it was No. 6. It was.’’
The connection with the milk trucks and his dad had kept Huther on prowl to find a Divco model. The name Divco came from Detroit Industrial Vehicles COmpany as the vehicles were made in Detroit.
The last year a Divco rolled off the assembly line was 1967. Wear and tear and time makes these rare finds.
Huther, of Clinton, knew he’d walk away and leave the truck hanging over the cliff. But its condition made him uncertain on whether it could be restored.
“It had been off the road for 20 years and needed a lot of work,’’ he said. “I thought it was worth a shot. What happened was a complete top…
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