Last Dealership

DIVCO CLUB OF AMERICA

TRI-CITY DIVCO SALES - THE LAST DIVCO DEALERSHIP

wpe14201.gif (77422 bytes) When Divco-Wayne sold the delivery truck production line to Glenn Way in 1967, there was understandable confusion among Divco dealerships around the country. Many handled Divco trucks as a secondary line, and when no new delivery trucks were available for nearly a year, they simply stopped promoting them. Others maintained their connections with Divco right up through the Correct Manufacturing bankruptcy in 1987. Then, with no more trucks being produced, they dropped out too. Yet through it all, one Divco dealership remained in the USA to serve customers with used trucks, parts and service and knowledge.

Tri-City Divco Sales of Rock Island, Illinois was owned by Ralph Bussard, a local Rock Island boy who wpe83296.gif (22856 bytes) was born in 1924. After serving in W.W.II, and fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, Ralph joined his father in the family business, B&B Auto. He also began selling trucks for the local Divco dealer, a man named John Dee. (There was also a John Dee who worked for Divco in Detroit, but they were apparently no relation.) The Illinois Dee was getting up in years, and so Ralph bought the dealership from him.

The territory included 42 counties in Iowa and Illinois, quite a large service area. Ralph, and at times his father as well, would either take a train or a plane to Detroit to pick up new trucks directly from the factory. Then they drove them home, with a top speed governed at 30 to 40 mph, through whatever mid-western weather conditions, snow, sleet, rain, or wind, they found. The trucks from the factory were all delivered in primer. Final painting, equipment installation, including installation of racks for milk cases, etc., and lettering were all done at the Tri-City Service Department.

An avid golfer, Ralph was often invited to play at local Dairymen's Association outings. Many a truck deal was made on the golf course, in the days when a handshake sealed the deal. Ralph was also a life member of the Elks Lodge, a Mason and a Shriner. An avid hunter, he had a registered beagle hunting dog named "Divco," but the family called the pet, "Divie" for short.

While other Divco dealerships closed their doors in the 1980s, Ralph carried on, buying up a large inventory of parts at the final bankruptcy, and tapping into parts sources from the many customers he maintained in the later years. In 1991, when the Divco Club of America was formed, Ralph became Member Number 3. He graciously provided his mailing list so he and the other club founders could prospect from it for members to help the club expand.

In failing health, Ralph finally closed the dealership in 1991, five years after Divco ceased production, and retired to Louisiana, to be near his son's home. He finished his years playing golf with his wife Barbara and many friends. He passed away in May, 1995. wpe11447.gif (21718 bytes)

In Ralph's honor, the Divco Club of America is proud to present a scale model Divco Dividend Series truck, like the one on Ralph's business card, lettered for Tri-City Divco Sales, America's Last Divco Dealership. The 1/34 scale truck is Fleet "No. 3" in memory of Ralphs club membership number.

Unfortunately, today there aren't any Divco dealerships to sell trucks, stock parts or provide service. But to fill the void, the Divco Club of America has a large network of parts sources and our Club Library has manuals, brochures and materials to assist members with truck maintenance and restoration. We also offer free classified advertising in our newsletter to help members locate available trucks from all over the country. (Non-members can place FREE "For Sale" ads with us. Simply e-mail the information to Editor@divco.org. We regret that we are unable to provide "for sale" information or "trucks wanted" ads to non-members. Our policy is that Divco Club members deserve first priority.)

Joining the club is easy. Just follow this link for more information on The Divco Club of America. We have members all over the US and Canada, (and even a few in Europe) keeping up the traditions Ralph and the other founders began in 1991.

Follow this link if you'd like more information on Divco Delivery Truck History.

The club also offers a number of other Divco Logo collectibles. For more information or an order blank, click here.

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