alsancle Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 We need a thread on Classic era Stearns-Knight which was a luxury building in Clevland using the sleeve valve Knight engine. According to the Stearns guys there are about 96 Stearns-Knight cars known to exist in all body styles for the years 1912-1929. Of these, there are only 23 eight-cylinder. I'm particularly interested in the very last model 8 cylinder cars: Model # H8 90 meaning an 8 cylinder with a 137” wheelbase. There is a J8 90 which is also an 8 but has the 145” wheelbase. Attached is a couple of pictures of Lilian Roth with one of the final H8 90 Convertible coupes. This car exists and is very cool (although the whitewalls ruin it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 25, 2016 Author Share Posted November 25, 2016 This is the coupe version which lives in NY currently. My understanding is that there are actually 3 of these know although I have never seen any pictures of the other two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 25, 2016 Author Share Posted November 25, 2016 8-cylinder, 385 cubic-inch sleeve valve engine produced 120 horsepower . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Here is a 29 6cyl model sport coupe I pulled from a 50 year plus slumber last year. Ive known about the car about 15 years but things changed with the family that they decided to sell. Its in great original condition and the motor isn't stuck. The tool roll was still under the seat. It was last on the road in 1948. The car has landau irons in the rumble seat area that had been removed as well the bumpers. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 When I was a kid ,45 years ago my dad dragged me around to bring home these cars. The garages and barns still had cars ...great cars , not rotted out Fords and Whippets but desirable antique cars. Today these garage finds are getting few and far between. I have my eye on a original 41 Cad convertible coupe that I haven't been able to make a deal on but Ill keep trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 26, 2016 Author Share Posted November 26, 2016 That is really cool Mike! Have you been able to get it running? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 26, 2016 Author Share Posted November 26, 2016 Is it a Phillips body like the H8-90 I posted? They look very similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 No I never tried to start it . I never had time to get the oil pan off to clean out the sump.so left it alone Its either a Phillips or Murray body, I don't remember . It has a badge on the cowl . I think Murray ................ Ill check, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 The whitewalls don't bother me but the landau irons appear to be installed upside down. Now that really bugs me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 26, 2016 Author Share Posted November 26, 2016 Interesting. The S curve matches but the break looks to be on the opposite side of the original pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe in Canada Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 From the Hershey show field 2013 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Hi AJ I copied these photos of a 1929 J8-90 seven passenger sedan offered on eBay a few years ago. Presumably it was their factory sedan body, the maker wasn't identified. Someone should have photos of the Brunn convertible Victoria bodied J8-90 that has been featured in various articles including Special Interest Autos magazine at one time. Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 26, 2016 Author Share Posted November 26, 2016 I think the gray long wheelbase sedan was back on eBay not too long ago. Here is the Brunn. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 26, 2016 Author Share Posted November 26, 2016 I'm wondering if the mesh grill was an accessory or something added later? The period photos do not show it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 (edited) One of my dad's very first employees (a good friend and avid model railroader too), Dave Bell, drove a 1929 Stearns Knight 6 Cylinder Coupe - I believe it had a Robbins body and was very similar to the green 6 cyl coupe pictured above (excepting wooden wheels and a rear mount spare). The body was mostly aluminum. And, it was maroon with black fenders and natural wood wheels - original interior. Black long grain top - with landau irons. He drove the car everywhere and it was weekend regular in our driveway in the late 60's and early 70's. Edited November 26, 2016 by John_Mereness (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 26, 2016 Author Share Posted November 26, 2016 John, any pictures? I would assume the car is still around since it made it into the 70s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K8096 Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 (edited) Hey John, back in the mid 1990's on one of my many visits to Bob Agle's farm he had a Sterns Knight 6 coupe there once. I thought it was brown in color. It wasn't his, but he was trying to get it running better for the owner who I believe was a woman. The fuel line was plugged up and it wasn't getting enough gas to the carb. We disconnected the fuel line at the vacuum tank and I blew in it while Bob held his ear to the gas cap opening to listen for the gas bubbling. We reconnected the fuel line and the car ran great. Bob then took me on an hour long drive in the car and drove it hard like he did all his cars. Who's car was that and where is it now? Maybe it's the same car you just mentioned. Edited November 27, 2016 by K8096 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K8096 Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 OK, I found a couple pictures of it. I believe John & I are talking about the same car. The one I rode in was dark maroon after all. These photos were taken in the summer of 1996. These are pictures of pictures, so forgive me for the poor quality. Digital cameras weren't available in 1996. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 27, 2016 Author Share Posted November 27, 2016 Nice. Looks very similar to the car Mike has. Seems like most Sterns have the single horn under the left headlight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 (edited) Jason, that is the car- Bob Agle was getting it running for Ann Bell (Dave's Wife) after Dave's death. Dave was like glue for the Willys Overland Knight Registry - President for years and also held all the factory drawings, plus a host of cutaway display engines. And when he died also had a 1925 Touring (yellow an black) and an incomplete/project yet spectacular 1929 Stearns Knight 8 Cylinder Murphy Boattail Speedster (a match in body to several surviving Duesenbergs). The Coupe was a Dark Maroon that could have been easily mistaken for a very rich brown. The Coupe was from Los Angeles and pretty outstanding original car. He was very fortunate that he had a second engine for it - this Coupe was and one of the most successfully driven Stearns Knight cars known. Ann Bell sold it and I have no idea where it is now, nor the 1925. Dave Bell also had a 1930 145 Series Franklin Sedan and a 1931 153 Series Franklin Sedan - aka why we had the 1930 147 Dietrich Speedster 4 Door Convertible Sedan. And, Dad and I took Bob Agle to his first Franklin meet - I am thinking 1979. By the way, Dad will always speak of thew quests for alcohol based antifreeze for the Coupe (allowed evaporation if leaked into cylinders) and I remember a few late evening engine disassembly/reassembly, as well as many a rumble seat ride. Polished it a few times too. Edited November 28, 2016 by John_Mereness (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 28, 2016 Author Share Posted November 28, 2016 10 hours ago, John_Mereness said: an incomplete/project yet spectacular 1929 Stearns Knight 8 Cylinder Murphy Boattail Speedster (a match in body to several surviving Duesenbergs). John, was this a period built car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagerodshop Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 On 11/28/2016 at 6:34 AM, alsancle said: John, was this a period built car? AJ's getting EXCITED! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 29, 2016 Author Share Posted November 29, 2016 Kirk, am I that obvious? I'm pretty sure it is not period coachwork but when I was at Hershey I had 4 coachbuilt design sketches for 29 Sterns-Knight in my hands. I put them back thinking I was going to regret not grabbing them later on. No Murphy, Brunn, Derham, and I forget the other two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagerodshop Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 1 hour ago, alsancle said: Kirk, am I that obvious? I'm pretty sure it is not period coachwork but when I was at Hershey I had 4 coachbuilt design sketches for 29 Sterns-Knight in my hands. I put them back thinking I was going to regret not grabbing them later on. No Murphy, Brunn, Derham, and I forget the other two. AJ NEVER EVER put them back! you have to buy them so no one else gets them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted December 1, 2016 Author Share Posted December 1, 2016 Here is the Brunn 8-90 with the top down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 (edited) On 11/28/2016 at 9:34 AM, alsancle said: John, was this a period built car? I assume something Art Aseltine found him - Dad and I saw it at midnight by flashlight one night. Edited December 3, 2016 by John_Mereness (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 (edited) One of the first cars dad ever looked at in about mid 1960's, was a 1929 Stearns Knight Landaulet (or it could have just been a Town Car) by I want to say Brunn - I recall seeing pictures of it years ago - I was told it disappeared off the face of the earth and then showed up for a Leakke Auction or ... Auction some time in perhaps the late 90's (I want to say it was painted light green) to disappear again. Again. a car that was sourced by Art Aseltine and Dave Bell. Any idea where it is now ? Edited December 7, 2016 by John_Mereness (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted December 3, 2016 Author Share Posted December 3, 2016 This one perhaps? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted December 4, 2016 Author Share Posted December 4, 2016 These are two of the Derham drawings I had in my hot little hands at Hershey but didn't buy. Sigh... Anyways, I don't know that either was every built. Thoughts? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 On 12/3/2016 at 5:22 PM, alsancle said: This one perhaps? Yes, this is the one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_a Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 Really like the Brunn Town Car. If that's not a Classic Car, I don't know what is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Man Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 I currently own the Town Car by Brunn. It is being restored slowly. the car is located in New Orleans. I will try to post a picture. Darryl Sorensen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Man Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagerodshop Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 ooohhhh! me likey! Thanks Cookie Man for posting pictures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Man Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 1928 Town Cabriolet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted December 5, 2016 Author Share Posted December 5, 2016 Awesome Darryl. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pughs Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 Here is a very nice photo of a 1927 Stearns-Knight that I found online. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pughs Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 This is a photo of my 1927 Model F 4 passenger coupe on the day it arrived at my shop. It came from Illinois although it seems to have spent a lot of time in Boyertown PA before going to Illinois. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted December 6, 2016 Author Share Posted December 6, 2016 Thanks Steve! Have you started on it yet or is the Pierce taking up all your time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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