Project Name: Divico Truck for Stew Leonard’s
Delivery Time: 2 months
Type of Project: Custom Replica
Besides its famous fresh produce straight from farmers and strong customer service philosophy, Stew Leonard’s is known for its engaging shopping experience with animatronics, costumed characters, and live demonstrations. So, when Stew Leonard’s approached Custom Engineered Arts with an intriguing request to recreate an iconic Divco truck from the 1950s, it was clear this project would be something special.
Our goal was to build an authentic 3D replica that will bridge the past and the present, and captivate visitors with its blend of tradition and innovation.
About Stew Leonard’s
The original Stew Leonard’s store opened up in 1969 when Stew Leonard Sr. transformed his family’s dairy business into a small store in Norwalk, Connecticut. Originally known as Clover Farms Dairy, the store focused on providing fresh milk and dairy products. Over the years, Stew Leonard’s expanded its offerings to include fresh produce, meats, baked goods, and more, all while maintaining a strong emphasis on quality and freshness.
Today, Stew Leonard’s has grown to several locations across Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. The supermarket remains a family-owned business, with Stew Leonard Jr. at the helm, carrying on the legacy of his father and providing a one-of-a-kind shopping experience to every customer who walks through the doors.
The Story of a Divco Truck
Before Stew Leonard Sr. opened the dairy store, he drove a Divco (Detroit Industrial Vehicle Company) milk truck to deliver fresh milk directly to his customers’ homes. When Stew Leonard Sr. decided to open the dairy store in 1969, he parked the Divco truck right in front of the store as a reminder of the company’s roots in home milk delivery.
The truck remains a nostalgic symbol of the store’s beginnings and represents the dedication to providing customers with the freshest products, a tradition that continues up to this day.
3D Design and Technical Challenges
Creating a replica of the truck was almost as complex as building a real one. Despite the fact that we were only creating half of the car to be later hung flush with the wall, this piece was no small feat. It was really important to the client and us to create a replica that is truly authentic.
That’s why we paid special attention to the research, preparation, and design. The client provided us with the photos of the original Divco Truck (yes, the one and only that still is in the first-opened store), and even sent us a small model of the truck.
Based on these sources, we worked on a 3D model and rendered it first, as it helps the client to visualize the end result better, make adjustments and dive into the details such as texture, form, color and finishes. We sent a 3D model of a half-cut truck to the client for review.
After carefully reviewing and approving the mock-up, the client selected the color that they liked. We used Benjamin Moore since they have standards throughout North America.
Production Process
The initial idea was to build everything from styrofoam and hard coat it, but due to the shape complicity, small details, and final weight of the piece, we changed it to fiberglass. As the first step, we broke a model into multiple pieces. We started by creating a so-called plug, a piece that is covered with fiberglass.
When the foam gets removed, you have a shell that you have to work with. Basically, just as a car has a metal shell, we made an identical one, just with fiberglass. After each piece was completed, we sanded and polished it to perfection to achieve a proper smooth finish. We made sure it had no cavities, no bumps, and no holes.
Some real elements were added to the project as well because it would be much more cost-effective for the client instead of making them out of foam. Real wheels, mirrors, and windshield wipers were installed onto the custom-fabricated fiberglass.
Next, we added windows that were customly cut with a laser CNC machine from clear acrylic and installed with the rubber seals onto the truck. Branded covers for the wheels, logo, hood, and small elements like ornaments of the hood were 3D printed and integrated into the model. When each element was complete, we moved on to the assembly phase.
Assembly and Finishing Touches
One of the most challenging parts of this project was assembling everything together.
Every curve, every contour, and every detail had to match and flawlessly transition one into the other. To add to that, the symmetry of the left and right sides was extremely crucial.
It took a little bit of time to make it perfect, but the end result did not disappoint. The Divco Truck from the 50s finally emerged in our facility and was ready to be shipped.
Delivery and Installation
Given the tight deadlines, we opted for direct shipping. One drive, one driver, from our power gate to the gate of the client, a final custom fabricated Divco Truck was delivered to the client in 12 hours.
The client handled the installation, aided by our detailed guidelines and technical support. We even provided a stencil for mounting points printed by our team, so that the client has an attached stencil to the wall almost like a vinyl sticker. This way the client was able to drill holes without any mistakes and reduce the time of the installation.
For this and any project, we have our support team available 24/7 to answer any questions.
Client Feedback
The feedback from Stew Leonard’s was overwhelmingly positive. The granddaughter of the founder was particularly thrilled, exclaiming how realistic the truck looked. They even added interactive elements, allowing children to push buttons and activate lights and sounds, making the truck a delightful attraction.
End Result
Now the replica of the original Divco truck hangs in Stew Leonard’s newly opened location in New Jersey, right next to the picture of the founder Stew Leonard Sr.
