Who is Kirk F. White? | FerrariChat

Who is Kirk F. White?

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by Teenferrarifan, Sep 27, 2006.

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  1. Teenferrarifan

    Teenferrarifan F1 Rookie

    Feb 21, 2003
    3,098
    Media, PA
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    Erik
    The thread title says it all, who was this man? Where was his dealership if he had one? It appears a huge number of historic ferrari's passed through his hands. Is he still around?
    Erik
     
  2. URY914

    URY914 Formula Junior

    Feb 17, 2004
    608
    Temple Terrace FL
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    Paul
    I believe he was the dealer in Philly.
     
  3. whart

    whart F1 Veteran
    Honorary

    Dec 5, 2001
    6,485
    Grandview NY
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    Herr Prof.
    He was around a few years ago, selling old hot rods. used to be a ferrari wheeler-dealer- i think the daytona that ran in the first cannonball was his.
    Has he passed on?
     
  4. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
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    Brian Crall
    Don't I recall his name on some race cars of the 70's, car owner or sponsor or something? In my memory bank I can picture that name on some 512's in big white letters.


    Either that or it was the character in a James Bond movie played by Jimmy Dean.
     
  5. Tom Glowacki

    Tom Glowacki Rookie

    May 9, 2004
    25
    He was the sponsor of the Penske 512M. Your memory is color blind, his name was in Sunoco yellow.
     
  6. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Erik.

    Kirk F. White is living in Florida now. Probably in his late 70's at this point.

    In the 70's he was a big time exotic car dealer in Philly used and gray market as I recall.

    Actually ran the first classic and exotic car auctions in the early 70's, they were a combination of profit and charity.

    I have pictures from the 1st auction, and a catalog of the cars he sold from either the 1st or second auction buried in the basement somewhere. I'll try to dig them out for you.

    They were held 1st at St. Martin's Church in Radnor, and later at Cabrini College. He had all kinds of cars there, McLarens, Ferraris, Cobras, he may have had a Shelby car or two. There were WWI tanks, all sorts of cool stuff.

    He lived up the street from me when I was growing up. He still sells stuff on ebay now and then. He's who inspired my lifelong desire for a Dino. Drove one past the house for a while in '71 or 72, when I was an impressionable 16 year old. Wanted one then, just took a while to find the right one, I guess.

    I think I have his email address. I'll root around for that too.

    Dave
     
  7. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
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    Brian Crall
    Thats why I remember it. My old boss owned it. It used to sit around in the back of the restoration dept.



    Duh.
     
  8. Teenferrarifan

    Teenferrarifan F1 Rookie

    Feb 21, 2003
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    Erik
    Cool dave!!! Anyone know anything about Bill Rearden? Another main line car guy that owned a lot of f-cars?
    Erik
    PS Let me know about friday Dave?
     
  9. Bertocchi

    Bertocchi Formula 3
    Consultant

    Jan 28, 2004
    2,176
    Austin, Texas
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    David Castelhano
    Kirk was one of the first guys to advertise used Ferraris for sale. Now lives in New Smyrna, FL right on the beach. Buys & sells Hot Rods and has a great collection of the tin model cars. Interesting character.
     
  10. Randy Forbes

    Randy Forbes Formula Junior

    Jul 14, 2006
    741
    Sarasota, FL
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    Sports Cars Plus,LLC
    Last picture: guy in yellow shirt; could that be Luca? Or just another guy w/long hair?
     
  11. tx246

    tx246 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 4, 2003
    6,467
    Texas
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    Shawn
    sadly, kirk white was, and still is, a hell of a lot better guy to the ferrari world than has been made light of here.
     
    V12addict likes this.
  12. Teenferrarifan

    Teenferrarifan F1 Rookie

    Feb 21, 2003
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    Erik
    What about bill rearden guys? WSPEER What are the others leaving out care to share please? :)
    Erik
     
  13. Willis360

    Willis360 F1 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2001
    3,928
    Redmond, WA
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    Willis H
    #14 Willis360, Sep 27, 2006
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Here are a couple of pictures of the CannonBall Run Daytona from a local concours about two years ago. It's in the McCaw Collection.

    A rather weird setting in the lower parking lot of the venue. It had to be done this way because of heavy rains all morning.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  14. Teenferrarifan

    Teenferrarifan F1 Rookie

    Feb 21, 2003
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    Willis I saw that car at the 05 radnor concours it was awesome to see!!!
    Erik
     
  15. Willis360

    Willis360 F1 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2001
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    There are a few interesting cars in the second photo I posted. To the right of the picture, next to the Daytona, is a partial view of a 166MM Spyder Corsa owned by a local club member. Behind the Daytona to the right of photo is Jon Shirley's yellow alloy 275 NART Spyder. Next to the NART Spyder is a black 250 GT California Spyder LWB.
     
  16. Teenferrarifan

    Teenferrarifan F1 Rookie

    Feb 21, 2003
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    #17 Teenferrarifan, Sep 27, 2006
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  17. kare

    kare F1 Rookie
    Consultant

    Nov 11, 2003
    3,627
    That is a Series 1 Pininfarina Cabriolet 1181/GT.
     
  18. Willis360

    Willis360 F1 Rookie

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    LOL! Your eyes are better than my memory. Yes, it's a PF Cab. Had to dig out the event program to see if you're right.
     
  19. Bryanp

    Bryanp F1 Rookie

    Aug 13, 2002
    3,799
    Santa Fe, NM
    as far as anyone knows, were Kirk White and Al Garthwaite ever in business together?
     
  20. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 3, 2006
    25,447

    In the 1971 Le Mans programme Kirk White was described as "US West Coast Ferrari distributor", while Chinetti was "US Ferrari importer and East Coast distributor". Roger Penske was racing the 512M heavily reworked by Donohue in immaculate dark blue/yellow SUNOCO livery, the only Ferrari able to challenge the Porsches.
     
  21. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    I don't recall ever hearing that Kirk had any formal relationship with Al Garthwaite.

    They were lving in the same area for some time, and I'm sure ran into each other at the tennis club or whatever, but I don't think they had any formal relationship. (As I recall, the Garthwaite family owned an indoor tennis club/restaurant around that time.)

    The 70's was the period of time when Garthwaite was running East Coast importing for Ferrari, right? Had a big facility in King of Prussia, a Philly suburb, where he ran the cars in. Later, I think that was moved to another area of the suburbs. He partnered with Chinetti on this. I think it was Chinetti-Garthwaite Importers, or vice versa.
     
  22. bigodino

    bigodino F1 World Champ
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    Apr 29, 2004
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    Peter den Biggelaar
    I have a note on the back of a picture of 412 P spider s/n 0854 stating that it was "sold by Kirk White". The picture was taken at Lime Rock, July 11th, 1970.

    Best, Peter
     
  23. Ken

    Ken F1 World Champ

    Oct 19, 2001
    16,078
    Arlington Heights IL
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    Kenneth
    That was Willard White.

    Ken
     
  24. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,143
    Houston, Texas
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    Bubba
    Kirk F. White was a HUGE player on the East Coast in the '70s......as noted he was involved as a Sponsor in:

    Cannonball Run Daytona driven (across a bridge glazed in black ice at one point!) by Dan Gurney...

    512S/M of Penske driven by Mark Donahue, before his tragic death...this car alone is hugely interesting as they rebuilt it top to bottom and ran it long after the Factory had moved on to the newer 312P series......

    And many, many other fine Ferraris. IIRC the definative interview of his exploits can be found in a two part published article in Cavallino magazine.....anyone have the two Issue numbers at hand?

    He deserves a beach front house! Best wishes to Mr. Kirk F. White.
     
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