BRIAN & TRISH WHITE
Featured Honored Collectors
It is almost a bit strange to write an article about Brian and Trish White in a concours program. While their cars are invited to many concours events, and they have been great supporters of the Hilton Head Concours, they are really first and foremost avid drivers of their vintage cars. In fact, one of their favorite touring cars is the 1923 Stutz Bearcat Roadster, which is on the show field and has seen tens of thousands of touring miles. Brian is a life-long member of the North Carolina region of the Horseless Carriage Club of America, and Trish immediately immersed herself into it when she moved south. In this case “immersed” also means being a driver herself, with one of her favorite vintage cars being their 1929 Stutz Blackhawk Roadster that is also on
display this weekend.
While the Whites’ collection includes muscle cars and a few sports cars from the 1950’s and 1960s, their first love by far is early cars…and particularly ones that say “Stutz” on the front. As a young boy going to Hershey with his dad, Brian saw a man in a coon-skin coat with a Stutz Bearcat, and his life was changed at that moment. Stutz is by far the dominant marque in their collection. Although the Whites have not sold many of their cars, when they do sell one, a Stutz somehow refills that parking place.
Hershey continues to be a destination for Brian and Trish to this day. Trish starts baking pies and preparing meals a week in advance; then they fill a motorhome with food to feed everyone delicious dinners during the week. It is a case of the “loaves and fishes” because they welcome everyone, and somehow there is always enough. In fact, it was back at Hershey where Brian and Trish acquired their 1914 Bearcat, decades after Brian first saw his dream car. The only difference was that this car needed a full restoration.
The 1914 red Bearcat, which is also on the show field, won Best of Show here at Hilton Head in 2016. This is particularly impressive, considering Brian does most of his own restoration work. But, of course, those of us who are avid drivers understand that we have to know how to fix our cars! In another case, Brian decided to restore his father’s 1911 Cadillac. But since that car was his dad’s and Brian was sentimentally attached to it, he first chose to purchase and restore a 1909 Cadillac, to be sure he got the 1911 exactly how it should be. Well, the “practice car” was invited to several major concours events and won an AACA first place!
The Whites brought the 1911 Cadillac here for the show, and this car has also done countless HCCA tours.
Brian’s hands-on experience and knowledge, particularly of early Stutz automobiles, has made him a recognized expert on the marque. This is an unofficial title that he modestly demurs, but it’s a fact within the Stutz Club. Brian is always the first to help, offer support, get a part, give advice or crawl under a car to get someone else back on the road. But always being the first to help is simply who Brian and Trish are.
While the sporting Stutz autos are a favorite, there is definitely an appreciation of the 1923 Locomobile, also on the show field this weekend. Brian restored this powerhouse after it was rolled in a trailer. The Whites have also enjoyed touring in this car, largely because it allows them to fill the car with friends! In fact, the photo here shows the Whites with four friends wrapped in blankets and a lot of laughter at last year’s Hilton Head Concours tour.
Featured Honored Collectors
It is almost a bit strange to write an article about Brian and Trish White in a concours program. While their cars are invited to many concours events, and they have been great supporters of the Hilton Head Concours, they are really first and foremost avid drivers of their vintage cars. In fact, one of their favorite touring cars is the 1923 Stutz Bearcat Roadster, which is on the show field and has seen tens of thousands of touring miles. Brian is a life-long member of the North Carolina region of the Horseless Carriage Club of America, and Trish immediately immersed herself into it when she moved south. In this case “immersed” also means being a driver herself, with one of her favorite vintage cars being their 1929 Stutz Blackhawk Roadster that is also on
display this weekend.
While the Whites’ collection includes muscle cars and a few sports cars from the 1950’s and 1960s, their first love by far is early cars…and particularly ones that say “Stutz” on the front. As a young boy going to Hershey with his dad, Brian saw a man in a coon-skin coat with a Stutz Bearcat, and his life was changed at that moment. Stutz is by far the dominant marque in their collection. Although the Whites have not sold many of their cars, when they do sell one, a Stutz somehow refills that parking place.
Hershey continues to be a destination for Brian and Trish to this day. Trish starts baking pies and preparing meals a week in advance; then they fill a motorhome with food to feed everyone delicious dinners during the week. It is a case of the “loaves and fishes” because they welcome everyone, and somehow there is always enough. In fact, it was back at Hershey where Brian and Trish acquired their 1914 Bearcat, decades after Brian first saw his dream car. The only difference was that this car needed a full restoration.
The 1914 red Bearcat, which is also on the show field, won Best of Show here at Hilton Head in 2016. This is particularly impressive, considering Brian does most of his own restoration work. But, of course, those of us who are avid drivers understand that we have to know how to fix our cars! In another case, Brian decided to restore his father’s 1911 Cadillac. But since that car was his dad’s and Brian was sentimentally attached to it, he first chose to purchase and restore a 1909 Cadillac, to be sure he got the 1911 exactly how it should be. Well, the “practice car” was invited to several major concours events and won an AACA first place!
The Whites brought the 1911 Cadillac here for the show, and this car has also done countless HCCA tours.
Brian’s hands-on experience and knowledge, particularly of early Stutz automobiles, has made him a recognized expert on the marque. This is an unofficial title that he modestly demurs, but it’s a fact within the Stutz Club. Brian is always the first to help, offer support, get a part, give advice or crawl under a car to get someone else back on the road. But always being the first to help is simply who Brian and Trish are.
While the sporting Stutz autos are a favorite, there is definitely an appreciation of the 1923 Locomobile, also on the show field this weekend. Brian restored this powerhouse after it was rolled in a trailer. The Whites have also enjoyed touring in this car, largely because it allows them to fill the car with friends! In fact, the photo here shows the Whites with four friends wrapped in blankets and a lot of laughter at last year’s Hilton Head Concours tour.
