Document text
68 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, June 24, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 20, 2004 Glen Campbell and Louise Elliott take a break to watch from this 1923 Ford Model T Roadster pickup as other autos participating in the Medford Cruise roll by on North Holly Street. Mail Tribune / Andrew Mariman Classics roll on in Medford’s Cruise By JACK MORAN Mail Tribune Got milk? Rene and Lee Forncrook of Medford might not, but at one time, their 1948 Divco milk truck carried enough calcium to fortify an entire neighborhood. "This was made for delivering milk," Lee said. "But we kind of street-rodded it, because we wanted to have some fun." The Forncrooks’ tall drink of nostalgia was one of more than 500 classic automobiles prowling the streets Saturday night during the 19th annual Medford Cruise. Many in the crowd said the Divco truly stood out amid the usual batch of classics, which included plenty of boss Chevy pickups, tough Mustangs and cool Corvettes. "I saw it," said 8-year-old Ruby Paez. "It was pretty cool." Advertisement Added Jaren Peters of Eagle Point: "That is a nice truck." Onlookers of all ages crowded the downtown area during the 3½ -hour cruise, which highlighted a weekend of events that end today with a Show ’n’ Shine car show from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hawthorne Park. "It gets better every year," said Peters, who watched the cruise after making a few passes through downtown with her husband, Louis, who drove a 1932 Dodge Victoria during the event. The Forncrooks, who have participated in past cruises through Medford as well as other similar affairs throughout the West, say their hometown cruise is as good as any they’ve seen. Lee admits he’s "not a car guy," and that it was Rene’s idea to buy the milk truck eight years ago, when the couple found it in a Junction City yard. They purchased the vehicle for $1,500, but have spent much more than that on improvements, which include a 350 engine and an automatic transmission. During the 1950s, the truck was used to deliver milk, ice cream and other goods from the Sunny Brook Dairy Co. in Corvallis. Several spectators suffering in Saturday evening’s heat wished the refurbished vehicle was still in service. "Where’s the ice cream?" one woman screamed. "Two quarts of milk, please!" another man shouted. Divco, formally the Detroit Industrial Vehicle Co., manufactured tens of thousands of milk trucks from the late 1930s until the late 1960s. Rene Forncrook said the truck is quite a conversation starter. "We always have people telling us they remember these trucks delivering to their house," she said. "Somebody asked how we ever got the spoiled milk smell out of here. It never had it, so I didn’t know what to say." The couple has been married 34 years, and say events like the Medford Cruise keep the relationship fresh. "We find things like this to do to liven up our marriage," Rene said. Donna Teixeira of Medford watched the show from Third Street with four of her family members. With a classic car in the garage, Teixeira said she wants to join the Forncrooks and others in a future cruise. "We have a 1942 Chevy sedan," she said. "Hopefully someday, we’ll be in the cruise." Reach reporter Jack Moran at 776-4459, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times