He has been collecting them for years and is fascinated by their history.
‘‘It goes back to the 1880s when the White company was building sewing machines,’’ Ray said.
Thomas White founded the White Sewing Machine Company but it was his sons who brought the family business into the world of transport.
‘‘It was a company that started out building sewing machines and roller skates in America,’’ Ray said.
‘‘White had four sons and numerous daughters but it was his sons who built steam cars at the turn of the century (1900).’’
The White Motor Company stopped producing cars after World War I and instead turned its focus to trucks.
It proved a masterstroke as the White truck quickly became a popular brand in the United States.
Ray said the appeal of the White truck was easy enough to understand.
‘‘They were built tough, strong, it has good looks and you can spec a truck out the way you want it,’’ he said.
‘‘In 1983 White filed for bankruptcy because they focused too much on machining and tooling and the cost of materials became too high.
‘‘It was all due to the economics of the times and they were forced to close shop.’’
However, although White no longer manufactures trucks, it was far from being the death knell for the White brand some might have thought.
‘‘White trucks still have a good following,’’ Ray said.
‘‘Those old Whites are still making money for people some 40 years on.
‘‘That’s why they are so collectable.’’
The popularity of the White was on display for all to see over the weekend at the Kyabram White Truck Muster and the Vintage Engine and Machinery Rally.
More than 100 trucks — from the vintage to the modern beasts — were on display.
Ray was one of the event’s organisers, and said there was a diverse mix of trucks enjoyed by visitors.
‘‘We had one or two Whites from about 1925 right through to the latest Western Stars of today,’’ he said.
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