DECEMBER 2007 OLD TIME TRUCKS
RESTORED WHITE CONVENTIONAL
By John & Shirley Sponholtz

Bill Schoenike of Shawano, Wisconsin, purchased this 1970 White Model 4000 single axle at auction. It was originally owned by Lakeside Cartage of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Bill put a great deal of effort into the frame-off restoration of this White, which included adding a different cab and changing the axles so he could install Budd wheels. Powered by a 238-hp 6-71 Detroit Diesel backed by a 10-speed transmission with 3:70 gears, the tractor also has a split manifold and a Jake brake. Pulling a 1939 Foust flatbed that Bill also restored, the White has appeared at a few national truck shows and many local events. One of the earliest American truck manufacturers, White began building trucks in 1900 in Cleveland, Ohio. They initially used steam engines for power, but by 1909 they were making gas-powered trucks. During the 1940s, White introduced a line of aerodynamic trucks designed by Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky. The famous Labatt’s Brewery “Streamliner” rig was one of those designs. Through several mergers, the White name continued to persevere until 1995 when Volvo, the owner at that time, ceased production of the marquee.