In amongst all the displays of almost everything imaginable is a real treat, a 1911 White Roadster. This beautifully restored roadster was built as a 7 passenger touring car used as a stage running between Quesnel and Barkerville in the 1920s. It managed to get itself seriously damaged early in life and in 1968 was rebuilt as a roadster. It spent 13 years on display in the BC Museum of Transportation, Science and Industry before being returned to Quesnel in 1993.
With serial number 44 GE, this car was powered by a 40 horsepower 4 cylinder gasoline engine driving a 4 speed transmission. The engine's spark is produced by a Bosch magneto, wheels are 28", tires are 37" x 4½". For lighting, the car has 2 acetylene headlights and a side and rear light, both kerosene.
Initially a division of the White Sewing Machine Company, founded in 1858 in Cleveland, Ohio, White began building steam powered cars in 1900, first offering them to the public in 1901. By 1911 they had produced around 10,000 steamers, actually out-producing the better known Stanley Steamer. In 1911 the White Motor Company began producing gasoline powered cars, ceasing production of the steamer. White's gasoline cars were actually designed by Delahaye, licensed to White. After World War 1 White ended production of cars to concentrate on its much more successful line of trucks. White became a successful truck manufacturer, even dominating the industry for a time and buying out other truck manufacturers such as Sterling, Autocar, Diamond T and REO. After a slow decline the assets of the White Motor Company were sold off in 1980 and White no longer manufactured trucks, though the White name continued in use by companies which had purchased White assets, producing both trucks and tractors for many more years.
Accompanying the car is a full service and owner's manual as well as a history of the vehicle, reproduced below. It notes that this is a rare car, with which we will agree as we've never seen another.
1911 White Car
This car was originally a 7-passenger touring car used as a stage from Quesnel to Barkerville in the 1910s.
The following information was received from Bud Metz, April 23, 1993. He states, ...... "After the life as a stage, the car rolled over on Dragon Hill and destroyed the body & sheet metal of the car. Johnston Bros. found the car that was over the hill and brought it to their garage. Emil Staebler bought the car from Johnston Bros. (early 1930s), stripped it and used it to pull hay a tender (used to aerate hay), hauling fence rails, and cutting wood. Mr. Staebler used it on the farm, south of Quesnel for approximately I2 years. The car retired as a farm machine around 1940 and sat on the farm for approximately zo years."....
The Staebler's sold the car to Mr. Loucks who found it sitting in Quesnel. His brother-in-law, Mr. Robert Philips Beaton, purchased the car from Loucks and converted the White Car from a 7-passenger to a speedster in 1968. After restoration, the car participated in several antique car tours in Washington State, and British Columbia, including the Malahat Tour- an annual run between Nanaimo and Victoria. The British Columbia Museum of Transportation, Science and Industry bought the car from Robert Philips Beaton on September 16, 1980. When the BC Government closed the BC Museum of Transportation, Science and Industry, the City of Quesnel asked that the White Car be brought back to Quesnel. On April 19, 1993 the transfer papers were signed and on May 5, 1993 the White car arrived in Quesnel.
The White brothers of Cleveland, Ohio started into the automobile industry in 1901, building their first steam vehicles at the White sewing machine factory. The brothers began production of gasoline-powered automobiles in 1911. However, with the success of its heavy vehicle line during the World War the company decided to cut passenger car production and manufactured trucks and specialized vehicles exclusively.
The limited production of automobiles made by the White brothers makes this 1911 White a rare vehicle.
From a Paper accompanying the car