Last of His Kind. It’s been a dozen years since I sat down in Ray White’s garage. The Korean War veteran drank a beer and looked out the bay door at his fleet of 200-or-so vehicles along Highway 157 in West Point, Alabama. Passersby often stop to gawk, chew the fat and waste Ray's time. I did all of the above but I had an agenda. I was soon-to-be unemployed from my job at The Birmingham News in Birmingham, Alabama and I was scrambling to find a new career path. My hobby, fooling with old cars, buying/selling along with writing stories and photographing crusty junkyard survivors of neglect. I had hopes that I could turn my hobby into a career. Building a junkyard roadside attraction might be the perfect formula for success. Ray shot straight and didn't pull punches. If I was gonna do it. Do it! Put up or shut up. I sat down with Ray, then 80 years young, and talked old cars, and my future. I was desperate for sage advice on a sweltering summer day in 2012.
 |
| Hundreds of old cars along Highway 157 in Alabama belong to Ray White in West Point, Alabama. |
My question to Ray: How did you make a career with old cars?
Background Story
Ray White's family farmed this 25 acres of land purchased in 1941. His parent's, Udores and Nannie Lou, raised six kids here. Tax records show that Ray took ownership of the property in 1964 after his dad died. Ray continued to run his father's business, U.D. White's General Store and gas station, next door to the family home. The store closed but the mechanic garage that fed Ray's automotive love stayed open. Ray kept busy. He cut hay, raised cattle and collected old cars.
 |
| Ray White stands beside his dog “Brownie” in the doorway of his garage. |
Cars Multiply
Ray began by putting a few extra cars aside for parts. Their numbers grew and grew, turning the farm place into a junk car lot. Ray would sell whole cars, parts, and scrap out a few hundred here and there. He didn't go looking for old cars, people brought them to him. He laughed when he said it but it was true.
Price for All?
My request for Ray to put a value on his car collection and property were met with brusk replies. He knew what he had, and just because he got a good deal on most of the rusty relics didn't mean he was gonna sell them cheap. What's the storage fee on 50 years? I tossed out a $200,000 figure that he rebuffed with a "I got that much scrapping the last lot of cars I junked out." A million dollars was his final answer. We were not even close.
Ray's figure was closer to right than mine. Scrap values for metal were up in 2012. A car could bring $500 scrap price, vans or trucks as much as $700+.
Goodbye and Thank You Ray
It was hot. The dog tried to bite Ron. We said goodbye and went on our way. I'm sure Ray had seen many more just like us. All talk, no sale. It's been a dozen years since our talk. I found this video of that summer day long ago in my collection. It was good to revisit him and remember our day. There are so many other stories we could have learned from Ray.
 |
| A 1957 Chevy is engraved on Ray White’s tombstone. |
Ray U. White passed away two years and two months after we met him, on October, 22, 2014, in the same house where he was raised.
 |
| Ray White’s cars are all gone. |
What Did I Do?
I didn’t buy 25 acres along a busy highway to buy and sell old cars. Didn’t buy a junkyard, or hit the lottery either. But I did find another job and I learned that I could continue my old car adventures by making videos and writing stories about the people and the stories beneath the rust.
Thank you for reading and watching! Your comments and support is appreciated and drives us towards more adventures.
 | |
Watch Our Visit with Ray White |
Send us details and we’re on the way!
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com
