1904 White Model D

The Cleveland, Ohio-based White Company was initially a subsidiary of the White Sewing Machine Company and delivered its first car in 1901. Their technologically advanced steam-powered cars quickly developed a fine reputation, with their durability and performance put on display in 1905 when Webb Jay, driving 'Whistling Billy', set the new World Mile Speed Record at the Morris Park Track at 73.75mph, a remarkable speed for that era.

Brothers Windsor and Walter White were sons of Thomas H. White, and they inherited their father's flair for engineering. Thomas and William Grout established a sewing machine manufacturing business in Massachusetts prior to the Civil War, subsequently relocating the company to Ohio. Rollin, another son of Thomas, traveled to Europe in the 1890s to study the motor industry. Shortly after his return to the U.S., the Whites had developed a monotube (semi-flash) boiler that raised steam quickly, a feature they soon applied to their horseless carriage.

The newly introduced horseless carriage offered new challenges that the White brothers were eager to explore. Settling on steam, the White brothers built their first motor car in 1900 in the family's sewing-machine factory. The following year, in the New York to Buffalo Endurance Run, the White Company entered four White steam cars, each of which was awarded First Class Certificates. In 1902, our Gold Medals were won in the New York-Boston-New York event, and in 1903, a White Steamer won the Gold Medal in the New York to Pittsburgh Endurance Run.

In 1906, the White Motor Company patented the flow motor, which allowed steam cars to be driven automatically for the first time. This system ensured the flow of water was proportional to the flow of fuel, and lubrication was handled by a distributor driven by a belt from the engine. When the boiler tubes reached around 150 degrees (or if water was depleted), a thermostat closed the fuel supply.

Throughout its 80-year history as a manufacturer, the White Motor Company produced a variety of products, including sewing machines, tractors, bicycles, roller skates, machine tools, trucks, and automobiles. Between 1900 and 1911, they produced approximately 10,000 steam-powered automobiles.

Compared to the 'Stanley' steamer, the White steamer was more complex, more advanced, of higher quality, more expensive, and provided better performance. It was even more sophisticated than the Locomobile, which had been designed by the Stanley brothers (Locomobile left the steam business in 1904). The White Company of Cleveland actually built more steamers in a shorter period of time than the Massachusetts-based Stanley Company (The White Company surpassed Stanley as the larger manufacturer of steam automobiles in 1911, producing over 9,000 examples compared to Stanley's 5,200). With the popularity of internal combustion engines outpacing the steam-powered cars, the White Company began transitioning to gasoline-powered models in mid-1909. Production continued through 1918, with 8,927 gasoline-powered White passenger cars built.

Notable owners of White Steamers included Buffalo Bill Cody, John D Rockefeller, and the U.S. Presidential Fleet. A White was the only automobile present in the 1905 inaugural parade of President Theodore Roosevelt.

Inspired by the horse-drawn buggy, the early White automobiles had a similar Stanhope design. By 1903, the White cars had embraced a more modern design, with a more substantial chassis and a front-mounted engine. The coachwork favored the rear-entrance tonneau design, with a partly-closed setup available for an additional fee.

The White steamers had a 'Compound' two-cylinder system in which a boiler flash-heated water, then compressed in one cylinder, and then injected into a second cylinder at high pressure. Its rear transaxle had two forward speeds plus neutral, with the latter allowing the steamer to warm up at rest.

The 1904 White Model D rested on an 80-inch wheelbase platform and was powered by a 10-horsepower steam engine. Compared to earlier White automobiles, the 1904 Model D was longer and heavier and rode on hickory-spoked wooden wheels. There was a foot-operated bulb horn, and the steering wheel (previously a tiller) provided steering and throttle control. At the front, there appears to be a radiator, but it is actually a condenser, which recycles steam back into water and back into the car's steam generator.

The 1904 White Model D Steamer was offered as a Tonneau priced at $2,000 or a Canopy Top Touring for an additional $275.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2025