WHITE TRUCK

White Sewing Machine Co. (1901-1906)

The White Co. (1906-1915)

The White Motor Co. (1916-1965)

White Trucks (1966-1981)

Volvo White Truck Corp. (1981-1987)

White GMC Volvo (1987-1995)

Cleveland, Ohio

This is a White radiator emblem (c1935-1938)     mjs
Size: 71mm wide 56mm high    MM: D L Auld

The White Sewing Machine Company began to build steam powered passenger cars in 1900 (see White) and commercial vehicle production began soon after with the first White steam powered delivery van being delivered in 1901. Light commercial vehicles built on the passenger car chassis and using pneumatic tires were offered thereafter with a 10-cwt capacity model offered in 1904. By 1906 the range of commercial vehicles had widened to include buses, police patrol wagons, fire appliances and mail trucks. White steamers were used as ambulances by the US Army. Some larger 2-1/2-ton and 3-ton capacity trucks were also made but in very small numbers.

White gasoline commercial vehicles were offered from 1910, although steamers were still available in 1911. The range and capacity of White commercial vehicles continued to grow with the introduction of taxicab production in 1911 and trucks up to 5-ton capacity available by 1912. In 1912 also, White collaborated with Riddle in the funeral car business.

White delivered large numbers of trucks to the US Army during the First World War and began to build buses in serious numbers during 1917 following a contract for open-sided sightseeing buses for use in Yosemite National Park. Thereafter, bus production continued strongly for many years, the last White buses being built in 1953.

In addition to trucks, White entered the multi-stop delivery van market in the 1930's with two unusual models; the Merchandor in 1938 and the White Horse in 1939, which featured stand-and-drive capability. White expanded its truck business over the years and absorbed many competitors, including Indiana, Sterling, Autocar, REO and Diamond T (see Diamond T). In 1951 White became the sales and service organization for Freightliner trucks until this arrangement was terminated in 1977. White's marketing agreement required Freightliner trucks to be rebadged White Freightliner.

In 1967, White established the Western Star line of trucks to bid for business in the Western states and Canadian haulage market. By the 1970's the production of White group trucks was high but the company was making a trading loss and by 1980 was operating under bankruptcy law. Volvo took over White in 1981 and the company named changed to Volvo White Truck Corporation. In 1987, GM and Volvo merged and the White company became White GMC Volvo. Then in 1993, the parent companies of Volvo GMC and Mack merged in order to reduce costs and in 1995 White production ceased.

Emblems

The first White steam powered commercial vehicles did not carry an emblem but would have displayed the White name on a maker's nameplate/serial plate similar to the example shown below:

This is a White nameplate/serial plate (c1904)     mjs
Size: 104mm wide 56mm high

The first White gasoline powered Model TA and TB trucks in the early teens had brass radiator header tanks but did not have the "White" name in the header tank. However, White passenger cars began to display brass "White" scripts fastened to the radiator core from about 1905 and these were in regular use by 1909. The following style of "White" radiator script was probably also used on at least some White commercial vehicles from about 1910:

This is a White radiator script (c1910-1920)     mjs
Size: 162mm wide

The following White factory illustrations from about 1911 and 1912 show the brass radiator with a radiator script. It is noted that the shape of the White radiator was distinctive and was seen as an identifying feature of White trucks and White passenger cars.

This is a White 3-ton truck showing the radiator and script (c1911)   lktec

This White truck ad shows the rad script (1912)  americanikons

This "White" radiator script continued in use for many years, see for example the original photo below of a White bus in 1919 displaying the same brass radiator script:

This is a White bus displaying a radiator script (1919)       tom

Close-up showing radiator script (1919)   

From about late 1916, larger capacity White trucks had heavy fin and tube cast iron radiators with the "White" name cast into the radiator tank top, which continued to be used for many years, see examples below:

White truck with cast iron radiator (1919)  richard spiegelman

White truck cast iron radiator & cast emblem (1923)  lktec

White 3/4-ton and 2-ton trucks were renamed as Models 15 and 20 respectively in 1918 and retained their brass radiators without a name in the header tank until late 1920, when the "White" name was embossed in the top of the brass header tank top, see example shown below, and this style of White emblem continued in use until about 1930:

This is a White emblem embossed in the radiator tank top (1920-c1930)    mjs

It is noted that there are many photos of surviving early White trucks with brass radiators displaying the "White" name embossed in the header tank but those built before 1920 have clearly been restored with the wrong radiator.

From about late 1921, White truck Models 15 and 20 used sheet metal firewall supports with the "White" name embossed on both sides, see example shown below: 

"White" name embossed in firewall side support (c1925)   ms

The following painted, cast metal White emblem was used on the rear frame of some White commercials in the mid-1920's:

                                                                            

This is a White commercial rear frame emblem (mid-1920's)  lktec
Size: 168mm wide 56mm high 

From about 1921, White 50 to 59 series trucks and later 62 and 63 series trucks had an aluminum radiator with the "White" name cast into the radiator tank top, see examples below. This arrangement continued to about 1936 on the bigger 63x and 64x series trucks.

White Model 59 tanker with cast aluminum rad emblem (1929) bcvtm

White bus with cast in aluminum radiator emblem (1932)   tom

White cast in aluminum radiator emblem (1927)   brc

The following shows the "W" front bumper connector used on large trucks and buses from about 1929 to 1935 and as seen in the White bus photo shown above:

White bumper connector emblem (c1929-1935) lktec
Size: 230mm high 203mm wide    MM: None

The following White aluminum emblem casting has been cut from a radiator:

This is a cast aluminum White commercial emblem (c1925-c1934)     lktec

The distinctive aluminum radiator with the cast-in White emblem was used in the form of an interesting green, white and black enamel badge displayed inside some White buses, see example shown below:

This is a White bus display badge (1920's)    lktec
Size: 160mm high 120mm wide 

The following black painted White hood side nameplate was used in the early to mid 1930's. There were two sizes for larger and smaller White trucks:

This is a White truck hood side nameplate (1930s)       lktec
Size: 400mm wide 57mm high (large) 254mm wide 38mm high (small)

The following photo shows a larger White truck with an aluminum radiator with the cast radiator emblem, the large size hood side nameplate and front bumper connector emblem:

This White shows a cast in radiator emblem and a hood side nameplate (1934)

The lighter White trucks from the 60 series introduced in 1928, the 61 series in 1929 and subsequent  611 and 612 series trucks from 1931 to 1934, had a radiator shell with a polished metal radiator emblem, see example below:

This is a White radiator emblem (1928-1934)    mjs
Size: 94mm wide 46mm high   MM: Unknown

The following White emblem finished in green and white enamel is found in the emblem collection at the Smithsonian. This emblem is similar to the previous White truck emblem but is a different emblem. It is possible that this emblem has been restored in the wrong colors but I cannot confirm this. If you have further details about this emblem, please let me know, in order to update this post. This White radiator emblem is rare.

This is a White radiator emblem (dates uncertain)     sac   
Size: Unknown    MM: Unknown

The White first series 700 trucks introduced in 1934 used the black enamel radiator emblem shown below. This emblem continued in use until 1936. 

This is a White radiator emblem (1934-1936)      mjs
Size: 102mm wide 58mm high     MM: D L Auld

In 1936, White introduced the streamlined 700 Series models designed by Count Sakhnoffsky, see example below:

Streamlined White Model 700 by Count Sakhnoffsky (c1936)     

Count Sakhnoffsky designed a new radiator for the White streamlined models, see original patent drawing below:

Sakhnoffsky radiator design (1936)    

This new Sakhnoffsky radiator design is seen on the following photo of a White Model 706 Tour Bus:

This is a White Model 706 Tour Bus (1937)     

The red and white painted White emblem shown below can be seen in the above photo and was used on both 700 and 900 Series White trucks:

This is a White 700 & 900 Series radiator emblem (1935-1938)      mjs
Size: 71mm wide 56mm high    MM: D L Auld

The following black and white painted White hood side nameplate was displayed on the 700 and 900 Series trucks together with the radiator emblem shown above:

This is a White 700 & 900 Series hood side nameplate (1935-1939) lktec
Size: 463mm wide 43mm high

The following black painted White emblem was mounted on the front of White buses from about 1938 into the 1950's. This White bus emblem is rare.

This is a White city bus radiator emblem (c1938-1950s)   lktec
Size: 546mm wide 157mm high       MM: White

This White city bus emblem is also seen painted red, see example below:

This is a White bus radiator emblem (1938)      aacam  

This White bus radiator emblem was mounted above a long sharply pointed chrome post, see the following White bus advertisement from 1945:

                                                                         

This is a White bus ad showing the front emblem (1945)  ms

White introduced the White Horse Delivery Truck in 1939, see illustration below. White Horse Delivery Trucks were produced until the mid-1940's. Some White Horse vehicles in 1940-41 displayed the same emblem but did not have the long vertical chrome bar.

This is part of a White Horse Delivery Truck ad showing the emblem (1939)    ms

This is a White Horse Delivery Truck (1940)    ms

Close up showing White Horse emblem

I do not have a good photo of the White Delivery Truck emblem, but the following is the main body of the emblem, which would have been chrome plated with a chrome plated circular disc showing the white horse head, as shown above. A complete White Horse emblem would be very rare.

This is the main body of the White Horse emblem (1939-1942)    worthpoint
Size: 322mm wide 274mm high

The following is a much smaller White Horse emblem showing the design of the white horse head:

This is a White Horse emblem (c1940)     mjs
Size: 45mm diameter   MM: None

The White WA model introduced in 1939 carried a new radiator emblem and Super Power hood side nameplate both painted black, white and red and a crank hole cover inscribed "Super Power" in red, see White publicity illustration shown below:

This is a White model WA with new emblems (1941)  lktec

Close-up showing radiator emblem & hood side nameplate (1941)

The white, black and red painted White radiator emblem, shown below, was used on White WA & WB conventional models from 1939 to about 1948:

This is a White radiator emblem (1939-1948)     mjs
Size: 140mm wide 63mm high    MM: None

The red, white and black painted White Super Power hood side nameplate was used for the late Series 700 and early WA models to 1941:

This is a White Super Power hood side nameplate (c1937-1941) lktec
Size: 463mm wide 43mm high

From 1946, White Model WB trucks displayed the same White hood side nameplate but without the red paint, see example below:

This is a White Model WB hood side nameplate (1946-c1949)  mjs
Size: 463mm wide 43mm high   

Conventional White WA and WB models also carried the chrome crank hole cover inscribed with "Super Power" in red, as shown earlier above and in the close-up shown below:

This shows the White Super Power crank hole cover (1941)

From about 1939 to the late 1940's, White WA Series cab-over trucks displayed a particularly large, distinctive black painted, polished aluminum emblem located just above the radiator, see example below. The center disc on this large emblem could be swung away to allow access to the radiator cap. This White radiator emblem is rare.

This is a White WA122 streamliner truck with large emblem (1947)  ms

                                                                                  

This is a White truck hood emblem (1939-c1947)    lktec
Size: 317mm wide 75mm high      MM: White 

The White WC model introduced in 1948 carried a new black painted White Super Power radiator emblem, see example shown below. This emblem was used until the late-1950's:

This is a White Super Power radiator emblem (1949-late 1950s)     mjs
Size: 238mm wide 87mm high     MM: None

The White Super Power radiator emblem shown above was shaped to fit White trucks with horizontally curved radiator shells, see photo below:

This White WC-22 shows the curved radiator emblem (1955) ms 

There was a similar but different sized White Super Truck radiator emblem for use on White WC models with a flat radiator, see example below:

This is a White WC with a flat radiator showing the emblem (c1954)

This is a White Super Power flat radiator emblem (dates uncertain)  lktec
Size: 230mm wide 74mm high    MM: None

The following is a White WC model rear license plate holder nameplate:

This is a White Model WC rear license plate bracket emblem (1949-c1955)   mjs
Size: 172mm wide 63mm high 

Also in 1949, the following White emblem first appeared on the front of White 3000 Series cab over models and continued in use for several years:

This is a White 3000 Series with the new emblem (1951)  hankstruckpictures

This is a White 3000 Series emblem (1949-c1965)     mjs
Size: 248mm wide

The following hood side nameplates were used on White trucks in the 1950's:

This is a White hood side nameplate (1950's)     lktec
Size: 463mm wide 44mm high    

This is a White WC diesel hood side nameplate (1950's)     lktec
Size: 463mm wide 44mm high    

The following White WC diesel super power tractor carries the White diesel power hood side nameplate shown above and a "White Diesel Power" radiator emblem. The other visible hood side nameplate closer to the radiator is a Cummins Diesel nameplate,

This is a White WC26 Diesel Super Power tractor (1954)  caht

I do not have a photo of the "White Diesel Power" radiator emblem. If you have a good photo of this White Diesel Power emblem, please let me know, in order to update this post.

The "White Diesel Power" hood side nameplate was also displayed on White 9000 Series diesel models, see White publicity photo shown below: 

This is a White 9000 Series Diesel (1957)    lktec

Close-up showing White Diesel Power hood side emblem 

Smaller White WC models in the 1950s displayed a "White Mustang Power" hood side nameplate, see below:

This is a White WC Mustang model (1956)    lktec

Close-up showing White Mustang Power hood side nameplate (1956)

I am most grateful to Leigh Knudson for his expert advice in the preparation of this post on the White Truck. Any errors in my interpretation of his advice is entirely down to me.