This style of truck had a Ford 300 6 cylinder engine with an automatic transmission. This combination of engine and trans made it real easy to drive a “Stand & Drive” delivery truck.

This truck was the last Stand & Drive delivery truck that Rutter’s Dairy had in service. It was pulled from service in the summer of 1993. The last home delivery was made in the winter of 1993. This truck represents the mechanical refrigeration method of delivering milk. Ice was used until 1954 when forced cold air refrigeration was tried. That wasn’t successful because there wasn’t enough electrical power to run the compressors to keep the milk cold during the whole day. Cold hold plates were introduced about 1955 and became the standard of the industry for most of the home delivery trucks. The bigger trucks were later able to have a forced cold air system that was successful in keeping the load cold. They have now become the standard of the Industry.

When this truck was pulled off the route in the early part of 1993, it was run through the Body Shop to be repaired and painted like it looked in the 1980’s.