Do you know what year this truck may be? I’m guessing late ’40’s? The seller doesn’t indicate much in the ad (including the year), but it looks like a fun and unique project. This White Motor Company boom truck is listed here on craigslist for $4,100 in Columbia Falls, Montana.
The White Motor Company was founded in 1900 and lasted until 1980. Perhaps best known (in Montana at least) for their series of open top buses that were used to shuttle tourists in both Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, White made a series of different vehicles over their eighty year run.
By the look of the engine, this truck probably hasn’t run in a while. With the current power plant, it’s not going to win any races, but it should be able to haul just about anything that you can put on the back. This truck would make a cool car hauler, tow truck, parts truck or camper. I’ve always wanted to build one of these trucks and use a modern diesel chassis as the starting point. Can you imagine the vintage body of this truck over a 2017 F-550 chassis?
Check out this interior! I love the center mounted gauges and minimalist look telling you that this truck is all business. It wouldn’t take too much to make the interior really nice again. This truck is definitely not a common type of project, but it does deserve to be considered if you looking for an out of the box truck. Enjoy dreaming about what it could do for you.
The ad says 1950
It seems to me that White didn’t change much in its styling right into the early 50’s. Howard might be able to elaborate some. I can understand why someone would want to take the cab and front sheet metal and graft it onto a modern chassis. I saw a Diamond T a couple of weeks ago that was powered by a Cummins 5.9 in a 2-ton Dodge chassis. Looked great! And that’s coming from a purist restorer.
The White 706 tour buses are definitely an icon to anyone who has spent a lot of time in Yellowstone or Glacier Parks. I remember those old flathead sixes whining away. The buses were ordered by the Great Northern Railroad which built those luxury hotels in Yellowstone, Waterton/Glacier, and Yosemite (it seems to me that the Yosemite buses were green). They put those bus bodies onto fully modern (Ford) chassis must be 20 years ago now. They may be a lot safer and more reliable but a lot of that 30’s era charm disappeared when those old chassis were discarded.
Hi geomechs, not sure, it could be a 1950. I believe in ’48 or ’49, they came out with the cabover 3000 to replace these “W” series. This, I think, is a WC22, with the 386 flathead 6, their own motor, about 150 hp. It could be the last White flathead, as in the early ’50’s, I read, they started using REO OHV 6’s. I’m with you, pal, when restored to original, you’d have a 1950 White WC22. If you want to lumber along at 42 mph ( wound out tight) bouncing down the road, hard steering, poor brakes ( I guess they were ok for 40 mph), just plop the body, which I always liked, on a modern chassis and be done with it. Charm gets a tad old on a hot day, holding up traffic, oh oh, and now vapor lock,,,dang,,
The ads wrong
I believe this is a 1946 White Mustang.
I say a 49, my dad had a road tractor exactly like it.
I like the idea of “reframing” it. I’d do it using a healthy straight 6 & a red painted stake bed. Could be a lot fun on a small budget.
I don’t know a thing about the truck however, it gives me the vibe of being pre-wwll. Certainly, without question regarding parts forget it, unless of course you machine your parts. I’d like to see it haul something.
Although parts would be a bear if your good with machining your parts great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2gKrjJN7lc Here is a 48 on you tube
I have what I believe is a 1956 white with the super mustang 6 , same cab as dump truck but it is a short bus by superior? I have tried for years to find one like it but have not been able to. I drove it home years ago but yes I have a late model drive train for it one day. It is # 3 on my list at this point, any information would be greatly appreciated.