A Boy and his Coach – a 1933 Twin Coach !
An amazing story of serendipity
The meeting place of chance and fortitude
A twisting historical tale of a truck and
A long forgotten dream fulfilled !
Background
Scene:
1958 … just 4 blocks south of Sunset Blvd in glorious Hollywood, California... just around the corner from the famous Tiny Naylor's Drive-In... and one block from United Artists - Chaplin Studios. It's late afternoon .. 5-ish summertime – in plain view of the giant HOLLYWOOD sign off in the hills just a few miles away – it's the 1300 block of North Detroit street.
… toot toot ! .. toot toot ! The Helms bakery truck is cruising slowly down the street … sounding that unique whistle …
Endless summer games; tag,hide n seek, football, or baseball in the street ... the endless amorphous activities of youth .. but mostly just hanging out .. but then ...
… the Helms bakery truck would roll in … .. important business was at hand. Donuts!
Instantly, “time out!” was called for whatever was going on !!.
Our ad-hoc street baseball games – consisting of a scraggle of us neighborhood 4th and 5th graders, would immediately dissolve into a 'Keystone Kops' scene .. as everybody breaks for home. yelling 'Helms Man ! Time Out !' .. fleeing home to fetch a nickle ! Chalk sign on the coach door read Donuts 5 cents, and listed other goodies on sale or specials.
… breathless .. “Mom Mom !!! It's the HELMS MAN – MOM !!!! .. can I get a quarter ?? ” (ever the psychological ploy to over ask – trying for a nickle, hopefully, with fingers crossed ! )
Allowance money … usually an advance .. “I promise I'll mow Saturday .. but the Helms mans here now .. hurry !! :D”
In short order ..we were back on the street … surrounding the Helmsman .. who stopped and waited for us to gather round .. and then .. he would open those AMAZING drawers of treats ! Helms knew how to tantalize and tease the crowd and just make you want more – masters of marketing. Magic to us kids .. or so it seemed...
O M G ! THAT AROMA !!!
Lordy, the smell of the fresh and warm baked goods would waft out .. and weave it's hypnotic nasal compulsion!!! … we ALL loved that moment !! .. and it was always greeted with mmmms, ooohs, 'n ahhhs .. that rich just baked warm yeasty goodness … and the deal was sealed ! NOW you HAD to have a donut !!!!
This moment is sublime in memory .. I can bring it back as if it was real … I suspect there are a few others out there who remember. After the Helms man moved on .. we would all be in a group in a row on the curb .. savoring our treasures … always comparing .. oh those sprinkles look good – I'm getting chocolate next time and such ,
.. I liked that fancy stuff … but my weakness – when available because they sold out quick – was the apple fritter! My my my .. what memories !
Whatever you wanted was there ! .. donuts and cookies usually for us.. but all sorts of wonderful baked goods .. bread stacked on the shelves .. but deeeeep drawers full of delectable donuts, cupcakes, brownies, cookies of every stripe, coffee cakes, tea rings, apple fritters, and Danish pastries !! Cakes and breads stacked for deliveries ..and such fabulous pies – gloriously tempting even to the staunchest dieter! Dear dear memories of a lost time.
Those were the days !
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How my dream came true – a true story !
It started seriously after a blog story I wrote about wishing we had home deliveries like in the old days ..and then I ended the piece with the comment .. 'where's a Helms Truck when we need one ?'
Well that jogged something in my memory, and I got to wondering after posting the story – if there was any hope of really finding one – wishfully – affordable, AND fixable within reason ?
Could any still be running or available? Maybe if I could find just the right one to possibly fix up as a project, I could actually have myself a nifty old Helms truck?
Alas .. they were few and far between, and most that I found were in really rough shape .. and looking far too costly to bring back to life .. especially with my slim budget.
I looked online, researched and studied. I looked high and low for a driveable and affordable Helms Twin Coach online – for several hours a day during this year of covid19 sequestering, I found myself scouring the web vigorously – this was my pandemic quarantine and boredom smasher !
I did find several dozen old Helms Coaches .. but all were beyond consideration from condition or cost. I began to despair of finding anything I could manage mechanically or handle financially.
After several months .. and a few near misses .. I slowly realized it likely wasn’t ever going to happen unless I won the lottery.
My childhood memories persisted. That quiet nagging was keeping the embers of hope alive, until I just missed out on a terrific and restored one at auction – but it closed with a price so high, that I got nosebleed. Light-bulb !! Deflated, I realized my mission was hopeless, and was not ever going to happen for me!
Oh well .. I said to myself, “ get yourself a “Consolation Prize” ! why not?” – Find a nice die cast model to put on the shelf and enjoy – reminisce .. and that will be that .. a good memory !
Poking around on eBay recently, I found a beautiful very accurate die cast 1:24 model of a Helms Bakery Truck - with some really super detailing, and superb finish. I decided to get it – it was very nice. I had found my Helms Truck consolation prize!
I was thwarted by the website check out cart – so I sent an email to the seller, because I couldn’t complete the transaction online . The seller called me ! I was pleasantly surprised and delighted. I explained my difficulty in completing the PayPal check out thing .. so we just did the old fashioned snail mail and check deal.
However … this is the amazing bit … I casually mentioned my difficulty in location a real Twin Coach that I could bring to life … so my getting the model was a consolation to myself. His next sentence changed my life !
He said .. “I have one, ....
... but know where there is a complete one - that might work for your budget ! would you be interested ? ”
and continued “ .. I have one that I am keeping , but a family recently offered a 1933 to me, but the timing wasn’t right – I can get you in touch directly with them if you are interested?! I think it will fit your budget if they still have it ?!”
I was gobsmacked ! .. … I about exploded with excitement !!! “YES !! please!!! ....”
Things then moved very very quickly – almost in magically mysterious ways – That was Wednesday.
A few calls and texts and emails on Wednesday, and Thursday !
The deal was closed, and funds exchanged the following Monday!
It was picked up near Victorville California on Tuesday at 7 am!
I write this 4 days later on Friday .. just as they are unloading my wonderful old coach at the garage in Texas at 5 pm!
Through the most surprising turn of events – confluence of the stars, and pure luck …
I found, bought and obtained transcontinental delivery of
a 1933 Helms bakery coach – in just a bit over a week !!
It has actually traveled , from Victorville in the California desert, to Houston Texas for restoration !!
I finally have my Helms Coach !!! DREAM COME TRUE !!! WOW !!! Never give up on your dream ! … and, I have a really great die cast model to boot ! What a week !
Now that is 'Serendipity' !!!
1933 Divco – Twin Coach, Kent Ohio
Helms Bakery Coach
Where she sat in the California sun for the last dozen years
The story of this particular vehicle is quite fascinating … it has a wonderful history and I am pleased to pass it into the archives for this stalwart old 1933 Divco Twin Coach
I purchased it from a family that had it for 55 years .. and drove it for 45 of them !
This one ooozes personality and charm, because the family were so dedicated to preserving and treasuring this wonderful piece of history !
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To Be Continued … the Saga begins …
1 comment:
I remember the Helms trucks with their fine assortment of bakery goods driving in our neighborhood in Buena Park in the mid 60’s. Lots of goodies to choose from and gobble up.
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