I was on my way home from work late last week, when I came upon a very, VERY uncommon sight: A prewar–extremely prewar–car on John Deere Road. Now, I am not one of those people who thinks every car built before say, 1930, is a Model T. This most certainly wasn’t, but it looked expensive. A Buick? A Locomobile? Nope, it’s a White.
As in, White trucks, which lasted all the way to 1981, when the ailing company was puchased by Volvo AB. But the Cleveland-based company got its start in motor vehicles like this one. The very first White automobile was a response to a less-than-stellar steam-powered Locomobile that Thomas A. White had purchased. His son, Rollin decided to build a better version, and by 1900 fifty cars had been produced.
image: remarkablecars.com
By 1911 or so, gas-powered Whites took precedence, and that is what I believe today’s White is. A Model GF Touring Car, to be precise, from approximately 1912. These were powered by an L-head inline six, producing sixty horsepower.
It was a very nice, warm day, and the gentleman behind the wheel appeared to be really enjoying his ride. It is not often that you see a one hundred year old car in traffic. You made my day, sir!
Damn!!! That’s something that was seen too seldom fifty years ago, much less today. Bet you go at least another five years before you see something else pre-Model A on the highway.
Given the size of those wheels, does this qualify as a “Donk?” (c:
This would have made my day, too. Great find!
There’s no Skittles logo, so no.
Of course not, it a 1912 donk, so it would have to be Sassafras or violet flavored candy or something……
Way cool a friend of mine has an engine and front rails from a very early White the radiator matches the white car in the foto but its a 4cylinder cut down to a saw bench ages ago its unlikely he will ever find the rest, The same guy built a 1913 Cadillac from a chassis found in a dump so he has the talent if the parts come to light.
Thats the way to ID an expensive car from back then, the bigger and crazier the car, the more prestigious
That is more or less true. Back then less was known about aerodynamics and cars did not go very fast nor did they “handle.” Metal working was much more crude so the only way to make them better was to make them bigger and more lavish. It wasn’t until the 30s and really post WWII that styling themes began to take off. We all know about Harley Earl, etc…
Also back then, especially pre 1920s, each manufacturer was usually known for something.
One of the most beloved presidents of White was a man named Black.
The last head of White trucks was none other than Bunkie Knudson former GM exec and Ford President.
White built more steam cars than Stanley even though they are now mostly known for trucks.
The Crawford Museum in Cleveland, OH has a nice display of White as it should.
On the cohort should be a foto of the underside of a White Steam car I shot it at Southwards museum.
How fun! Certainly trumps my recent Model T in the wild.
Just checked – there was also a Black automobile made in Chicago around the same time. Now that you have found us a black White, time to go looking for a white Black. 🙂
That’s so awesome!
I will never forget the encounter I had with an actual Model T a few years ago. I was at an Auto Zone and I heard that “putt..putt..putt” sound and I see a 1915 Model T pickup turning from the dense traffic of the 4 lane highway and into the parking lot. The old man pulls up to the store, hops out, buys a quart of oil, comes back out and crank starts that old Model T up again and out he goes back into pretty dense downtown evening traffic.
I was amazed. I’d never seen someone in a stock car of that vintage just out and about.
It made my ’71 Beetle seem downright modern.
The oldest known car to me personally that is driven everyday as a primary vehicle by its owner is this 1957 Chevy Bel Air sedan. Owned by a young man from California who currently lives in McPherson, Kansas. Its all original (well original components the engine and transmission have been overhauled) nothing modern about this car aside from radial tires. If a 20 something fellow can keep a 56 year old car going on a daily basis why can’t a guy drive a 1915 Model T in public?
When I go to major car shows, I always give credit to any car that is there simply because someone took the time to make it as nice as possible and bring it. With that said, I do have special thoughts for all the cars that are driven, especially from long distances to shows. In 2007, we attended a car show in Savannah GA where a fellow drove a 1927 LaSalle from the Midwest to there. In 2012, we attended a show in Florida and a gentleman drove a 1962 Cadillac in concours condition from Washington state. Of course there are lots of car related events that encourage driving.
I wasn’t criticizing the Model T driver at all. I thought it was awesome.
I’m 27 and I drive aircooled VWs. late 2010 to early 2012 my daily was my ’59 Beetle, 6 volt, 36hp.
The model T driver just changed my perspective of my own cars.
I believe cars are meant to be driven and enjoyed.
Oh I wasn’t criticizing it was a joke I am sorry you misunderstood. My point was that if a young guy can keep a 50s car going a 1915 T in traffic is not that unusual. I like it actually. Anything unusual is good. Forces people to think not just pay attention to the car for safety reasons but makes people think/remember about cars when they were more special.
Thatsc why my 59 Minx wears a towbar it aint a show pony its a driving automobile.
You can tell something about that car. It cost a pretty penny when new. It looked more refined then “entry level” Model T of the same time period(which really was a crude affair) It also had the then new option of electric lighting. But as electric lighting on Brass Era cars was not really reliable, the manufacturer retained gas or kerosene powered lights just in case. Not that there was any real difference between electric lighting and gas lighting on cars of that time. I had heard that the lighting system on early cars was solely there to let other drivers know there was a vehicle approaching and not to be used for actually seeing where you are going
Before White got into cars and trucks, the company made its name manufacturing sewing machines in Cleveland.
One of their sewing machines was legendary: the White Rotary.
In southeastern Michigan in the early 1900’s, a pioneering marine phototagrapher named Louis Pesha roamed the area in his 1910 steam-powered White. Sadly, he died while driving his White when it over-turned on Oct. 1, 1912. I hope the White in the article has seat-belts. Louis Pesha was a great photographer.
What a great find!
> The very first White automobile was a response to a less-than-stellar steam-powered Locomobile that Thomas A. White had purchased. His son, Rollin decided to build a better version, and by 1900 fifty cars had been produced.
Many car companies from that era seem to have similar stories of how they were founded…. “We bought a ??? but it was so awful that we figured we could build a better car ourselves.” If only it was still that easy. Of course, look at how few of them still exist today, even as divisions of other car companies. Perhaps getting into the car manufacturing business wasn’t such a good idea after all, even 100 years ago.
Too bad there wasn’t a GMC nearby, cause then you could be passing a Jimmy and a White.
Sixty horsepower was probably pretty good at that time.
Really gives you an idea of the scale of these pre-war cars seeing one around modern appliance-mobiles. Must be a lot of fun to drive! I’m surprised he doesn’t have one of those “slow moving vehicle” triangles on the back like many do. Funny to think when that car was new there really wasn’t many true roads, hence the large narrow wheels. My daily driver is the ’65 Olds F-85 sedan I have but something like that White would really be a trip back in time.
Red triangles dieplayed on vintage cars was often a warning sign for 4wheel brakes
I live in downtown Toronto and recently found out that a very old building down the street from where I live, now a theater, was originaly built as the Toronto White dealership.I cannot imagine that many dealership buildings from this period exist these days, even if re-purposed.
Fun factoid my friends White 1ton has the radiator mounted on shock absorbers not bolted to the chassis like other vehicles of the era a clever innovation I thought I;d share his is newer though slightly and shares its chassis with the larger car of the same year