Nice Patina: 1939 White Horse Step Van
Remember back when delivery vans came by the house to drop off milk and pick up the empties? I guess it’s still done today, but far less common than it was in the middle of the 20th Century. One of the companies that made these kinds of vans – among other things – was the White Motor Company. The delivery van was referred to as the White Horse (hero tie-in to The Lone Ranger?) and they were built between 1939-42. This ’39 edition looks like its last gig was delivering auto parts for Weaver’s Garage, locale unknown. Today it resides in another garage in West Milford, New Jersey, and has a great patina (for those into that). It’s not running, but someone with knowledge of Franklin engines might change that. This throwback to yesteryear is available here on eBay where the bidding stands at $6,651.
White Motor Company was engaged in the manufacturing of all sorts of things from the turn of the prior century to 1980. This included automobiles, trucks, buses, vans, and agricultural tractors. They also made bicycles, roller skates, automatic lathes, and sewing machines. During World War II, they assisted the U.S. Government by building diesel engine generators and the like for U.S. military equipment and infrastructure. They were still on the Top 100 Defense Contracts list during the Vietnam War.
Here we have a White Horse delivery van that the seller speculates may be only one of 10 known to exist more than 80 years later. The engine was supplied by the Franklin Engine Company who built motors for both automobiles and airplanes. It’s a 4-cylinder, air-cooled, mid-engine powerplant that’s attached to the rear axle. So, if you have any knowledge of these things and know where to source some parts, perhaps getting it running again won’t be too tough. We’re told it does turn over and the shifter linkage is intact and functions.
The truck is said to roll easily due in part to a new set of period-correct tires, professionally installed with new tubes and flaps. It may be complete except for the front glass, but since it’s flat, most glass shops could probably cut new pieces to fit. These things were built like tanks with thick sheet metal, so perhaps whatever rust is there is simply surface. It would be great if the body could be left alone with the previous graphics in full display!
Due to limited garage space, the seller needs to move this van along to someone who can fix it up and enjoy it. He has another project going on and must free up some room in his man cave. This isn’t the first one of these we’ve seen come up for sale. Here’s a 1940 edition that was featured here in Barn Finds in 2020! If you were to buy it, what would you do with it?
Auctions Ending Soon
2002 Subaru Impreza WRXBid Now2 days$333
1975 Chevrolet Corvette ConvertibleBid Now2 days$4,000
1964 Ford F-100 Camper CustomBid Now2 days$2,000
2006 Jeep Wrangler SportBid Now4 days$10,500
1974 Datsun 260ZBid Now6 days$750
Comments
Super cool find.
There is a Franklin museum in Tucson, AZ. I wonder if they would be interested.
http://franklinmuseum.org/
I’ve been to the Franklin Museum. We were using our (then) new GPS. It kept telling us we had reached our destination and we were out there in what looked like the boonies. I saw a structure off to the north and decided to check it out. It WAS the museum. We spent a good three hours there. It’s definitely worth the stop…
Hey! This is great… I wouldn’t even have to change the lettering on the sides!!!
Perfect!
Joseph Weaver
Some of the brand signs on the side look like they were added late in the garage’s operation. I’d pull those off. The Champion one in particular is glaringly out of place with the rest of the aged signage.
Really special truck.
Porsche is said to have visited the Franklin factory to study their engine design/engineering.
Seems to me Tucker used a water-jacketed Franklin…
A Franklin rotary helicopter engine.
I have no need for this. I have no use for this. My garage is full. But geez I love this thing. It’s intoxicating!
This is pretty cool. It’s unfortunate this person sunk $1000 bucks into the tires, when they probably won’t be used anyway. These were unique in that the entire engine and rear axle could be removed out the back, and a rebuilt unit could be installed. With no cooling system, it could be done in a few hours. These were worked hard, and very few survived. Most became tool sheds out back. A resto-mod is the only way to go here.
Another interesting project. It was mentioned that room was needed in the Man Cave. I’m inclined to think that you would need a Man CAVERN. I’m curious as to that Boxer engine being an adapted aircraft engine. I have a friend who recently overhauled the Franklin engine in his Luscombe airplane. He didn’t indicate that parts were all that hard to locate. However, considering the challenges I’m facing finding parts for other engines it may be a daunting task. Other than that this won’t win any prizes on the freeway other than some single-digit waves. But then I’m not in a hurry anyway…
Oh! Boy! This really takes me back to my youth. I lived with my uncle on a farm in Indiana and he bought an old White Horse milk truck I made it run and my friends and I would drive it everywhere. Only when you drove mine, you stood up to drive. There was no seat. It had a brake and gas pedal on the floor and the clutch was squeezed on the shift lever to the right of the steering wheel. It was a standard “H” shift pattern. When the shift linkage under the dash came apart, we opened the hatch behind us and grabbed the rods and shifted into gear. When it finally quit running, my uncle junked it. No seat belts or safety features whatsoever. I guess they figured it was safe enough to go door to door delivering bottles of milk. Wish I was younger and had room in the garage. Thanks for the memories.
These look a lot like the International Metro van, or is it the other way around ?
Of course the Mee-tro as we called it on the flight line when I was in the USAF has two grille openings and the White step van does not. But they both did a lot of military duty…
Convert to electric. Ha, ha
Might make a good tool shed.
Bury it nose down, like those Cadillacs.
Convert to a tiny house.
Etc. etc.
God bless America
all ways nice to see anything pre-war still able to roll.
The more rest0 & the less mod, the better. Like to see it ALL oem but that’s pretty difficult (sourcing, finances). Sometimes, if I can find a reference, I’ll copy rather then wait’n dig’n, search n’miss for something I cant afford. Hey, not my preference but works for me~
This one has the right size, any split w.shield I like, may B a place for the 300/4.9 on my floor if THIS motor iffy?
“a garage delivering parts”? no I don’t remember that. I do remember docs on home visits and fruit from an itinerate seller…
What a great find and terrific piece of Americana. It seems to be in good shape frame and drivetrain wise. I’m sure tons of small businesses would be on board with spending the money needed to turn into some great, rolling shop advertisement.
Maybe a Corvair fan wants to do an engine swap on this one?