The phone rang... and then the next car adventure starts

[Trulyvintage]

6 minutes ago, Grimy said:

Yeah, right, he drove a 5 mpg car that distance at 35 mph max wartime speeds rather than take a train...  Remind me to sell you a "fully rebuilt" engine and no you can't look inside....

He was doing military work.

 

He easily could have opted to take his own car if the expenses were reimbursed.

 

Jim

[Grimy]

29 minutes ago, Trulyvintage said:

He was doing military work.

 

He easily could have opted to take his own car if the expenses were reimbursed.

For my 32 years in government (civilian and miiltary), reimbursement was a flat rate per mile.  He could have made money if he had driven a Bantam, not so much the 5 mpg White or a Cad V-16.  ALSO, if a gov't employee opts to take longer time than absolutely necessary (car vs train [then] or aircraft [today], he/she is reimbursed only for the least cost AND would take to take the extra time against annual leave entitlement.

 

Folks, Ed may well have heard this family story--if he's not trolling us as he occasionally does 🙂 but I think this is one of several million family legends that simply don't hold water.

[SC38dls]

I’m sure Ed is just excited about all the new info he is getting to go over and stories he has heard. Given time he will correct his errors and tell us the rest of the story. Don’t disparage him as I’m sure we all want the story of the “Great White” to continue. 

Edited July 21, 2021 by SC38DLS (see edit history)

[coachJC]

$135.00

[wayne sheldon]

Many years ago, I used to hear stories of early collectors being given nice early cars by strangers just wanting to keep their 'memories' from going into the scrapper. I also know for a fact that Jack Passey paid some serious money for classics during the 1950s, a time when they could often be had for a hundred bucks. However, Jack had an eye for the special cars, ones that were not the factory standard. He often would later sell such cars for more than he had paid for them as he kept upgrading his personal collection. 1940 was a bit before Jack began collecting.

The great White was a truly special early car. Given its size and power, its rarity, and its connection to the then popular White trucks, it should have intrigued early collectors. I wouldn't be surprised if a couple hundred dollars were paid for the used car in 1940. Nor would I be surprised if it were given to a reputable collector.

I could guess all day long.

 

$37.75?

[Reicholzheimer]

4 hours ago, edinmass said:

Story keeps getting better...........the original owner was a cool guy, working in the aircraft industry. Had a home on the oceanside in Long Island, the lot was about 2/3 of a city block. 

 

I also found out he drove the car from New York City to Mississippi and back in 1942 to work at an assignment for the Army Air Corps, with special tax stamps and gasoline coupon allotment. 

Where on Long Island?

[LI_BENTLEY]

Sense he really wanted it I say $10.00 for a running old car.

[edinmass]

Rockaway on Long Island. The estate was just about  a city block square, since been torn down for a synagogue. 

[edinmass]

I will let the sale price guessing contest go till tomorrow at noon. Winner gets to drive the car on an AACA tour for the day..........IF THEY CAN HANDLE A PRE WWI CAR. 

[edinmass]

I'll check the dates on the paperwork again, he did make the drive, as we have the receipts. I have been hunting so much information down my head is spinning. I went back to the grandparents to get more information. I started with just the first and middle initials, and found the first and middle name through obituary's. Some of the people were born before the civil war. Some of the dates are foggy, as we are trying to interpert information from family stories, paperwork, ect. Early on we thought the second owner bought it in late 1938...........that was a bit too early. He did have collector cars PRE WWII. And he had FANTASTIC stuff.........here is a PARTIAL list of his cars. Several are in the Simeone Car Museum, Leno has two if my understanding is correct........the guy had fantastic taste!  He bought every car below between 1940 and 1960, take a close look at the list. Many of the cars are high 8 figures today. I don't want to betray the privacy of the family.........they have been very helpful. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The car above is the actual Grad Prix factory car............unrestored. Anyone got one like it?

Edited July 21, 2021 by edinmass (see edit history)

[DrData]

Ed,

 

I have been following this thread from the beginning and it just gets more amazing. To say the PO had amazing taste is an understatement. All that seems to be missing from the list is a Talbot-Lago or a 540K Mercedes.  Wow!

 

A as the family genealogist, I can appreciate the thrill of your discovery. Enjoy the journey and continue to keep us up to date.

[edinmass]

It’s kinda neat that the White had all those cars and many, many more as garage companions. The place was the things automotive legends were made of. I like the fact the only car he kept forever was the White. Who wants those tiny, underpowered race cars and factory specials? Me! Take a close look at the list......it’s astonishing for the era. Truly a guy who had a vision. 

[jimy]

$35

 

I chose this number because I believe that is the price my uncle paid for a 30's (guessing on the year) Chevy when he was a teenager sometime in the 1950's.  He had fun running it around the farm until my grandfather sold it while he was at school.  I don't think he has ever gotten over that.  Pictures below -SORRY ABOUT PICTURE SIZE - I was expecting thumbnails that could be clicked on.

 

I managed to purchase a $50 1968 Beetle and a $75 1975 Saab 99 in the 80's.  The secret was to look for something parked in someones yard. Both got painted and put back on the road. 

Edited July 21, 2021 by jimy (see edit history)

[Ken_P]

$40 is my guess

[vermontboy]

I will take a stab at $95

[edinmass]

The "Price is Right" ends at lunchtime. We do have a winner..........and there can be multiple correct winners.....just one guess per person. Also, I can confirm the tax man at one particular jurisdiction valued the car at..........$25.00 

[edinmass]

18 hours ago, Trulyvintage said:

He was doing military work.

 

He easily could have opted to take his own car if the expenses were reimbursed.

 

Jim

 

 

He was training people to fly aircraft. And running a major logistics program. There were six airfields he was involved with. 

[Robert G. Smits]

I will go for $125  This car obviously held a special attraction for him

[JV Puleo]

53 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

 

He was training people to fly aircraft. And running a major logistics program. There were six airfields he was involved with. 

 

What is obvious is that the gentleman who owned and used the White during WWII knew a lot about good cars as well as having good taste. It may be that the job he was doing demanded he have transportation at his disposal. He wasn't, after all, a private in the army. This is purely a guess but I wonder if the White wasn't chosen because he KNEW it was unfailingly reliable, regardless of the fact that it would be disparaged as "old fashioned" by most people. The notion that "new" must be better is not a recent development. Anyone who was collecting cars in the 1940s and early 50s was not likely to be influenced by popular notions because all car collectors were considered odd then - heck, in the 1970s my uncles and my father thought it was hopelessly eccentric.

 

I'll guess he overpaid for it because he wanted it and could afford it...$35 (which I think was more than a weeks pay to my grandfather, a postman,  in 1940).

 

[further to the above] When I sold my PI, because I had lost my storage, I advertised it in Hemmings. I was out of the house when a doctor called from Texas. He spoke to my father who passed a note on to me. What really amazed him was that a doctor was interested in the car and, to quote dad "he sounded very intelligent" – all very surprising to him given he considered my PI a pile of junk.

Edited July 22, 2021 by JV Puleo (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

15 hours ago, edinmass said:

I will let the sale price guessing contest go till tomorrow at noon. Winner gets to drive the car on an AACA tour for the day..........IF THEY CAN HANDLE A PRE WWI CAR. 

If we are a runner up can we at least get a chance to sit in it and get a personal tour at Hershey?

[TAKerry]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

The "Price is Right" ends at lunchtime. We do have a winner..........and there can be multiple correct winners.....just one guess per person. Also, I can confirm the tax man at one particular jurisdiction valued the car at..........$25.00 

Just ruined my day now that I know I have the thinking of 'the tax man' !

[g-g-g0]

WAG!   $20.00

[JayG]

$40 

[edinmass]

Time is running out.  Get your bids in!

[avantey]

$85 WAG!

[34LaSalleClubSedan]

$20.00

[edinmass]

At liquid lunch. 
 

And the answer is………

[edinmass]

The answer is:
 

$75.00

 

More fun than a barrel of monkeys!

Edited July 22, 2021 by edinmass (see edit history)

[SC38dls]

I was 94th runner up! So I guess I get to watch from outside the gates!  Bummer. 
 

[edinmass]

4 hours ago, Robert G. Smits said:

I will go for $125  This car obviously held a special attraction for him

 

 

$125.00 was my guess also........two thumbs up.....👍👍

[edinmass]

On 7/21/2021 at 1:27 AM, wayne sheldon said:

$75.

 

 

And we have a WINNER! Wayne........have you driven early iron before? Two wheel brakes? Or do I need to add more life insurance? 

[Grimy]

5 minutes ago, edinmass said:

And we have a WINNER! Wayne........have you driven early iron before? Two wheel brakes? Or do I need to add more life insurance? 

Ed, Wayne has driven more EARLY iron than you even seen in your lifetime....

[edinmass]

4 minutes ago, Grimy said:

Ed, Wayne has driven more EARLY iron than you even seen in your lifetime....

 

Fantastic.....he can drive it on the Modoc Tour for a day...........makes me feel good that he got it right.......

[wayne sheldon]

Holy smokes! When is the Modoc tour this year? After the recent past several years, I don't think my old era suits fit me anymore.

[Grimy]

2 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

When is the Modoc tour this year?

Sept 13-17, 2021, but Ed says he won't be there this year, is planning on next year.  I'll be there this year, God willing, and you can ride with us if you like.

[wayne sheldon]

No worries here. My current circumstances make it unlikely that I could attend this year anyway. I keep hoping my circumstances will improve, they cannot stay this way forever.

Thank you for the invite George! You are a good man.

[Trulyvintage]

16 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

No worries here. My current circumstances make it unlikely that I could attend this year anyway. I keep hoping my circumstances will improve, they cannot stay this way forever.

Thank you for the invite George! You are a good man.

What’s up Wayne ?

 

 

Jim

[Paul Dobbin]

My guess is $50,00, scrap value fir the Aluminum,

[edinmass]

Fun fact.......for many years, my White gas car had a garage mate. A 1910 White steam car. It’s now in Leno’s collection. Here is the video of my car’s stablemate. More to follow on the other cars from the collection. Ed.

 

 

 

 

[edinmass]

With the help of very capable others, we are preparing to make a air compressor in it’s entirety for the new 1917 White.I can’t take any credit for the project. Forum members here are helping me more than I can express.  A big thank you to Gary, a very talented and generous engineer. I’m very lucky to have his assistance........thanks Gary. Your a true craftsman as you build proves. We are discussing 3D Metal Printing for the project.......not because it’s better or more economical. Actually it’s probably three to five times more expensive than normal casting and machining. It’s more of the experience I’m looking for. The pump block, piston, and rod are all in need of manufacture. Not sure where this project will end up yet. The best part of the project is Gary was impressed with the design and pattern making of the original White parts. I agree........I stumbled over the first 1917 White, and fell head over heals with the engineering and build quality. It’s not the best car in the world, but it sure is one of the most interesting..........more to come when we figure out which way we will proceed.