Stearns Knight

[Peterwoyen]

10 minutes ago, alsancle said:

I don't think that is the right place to sell that car.  When it gets bid to 35K no sale it will devalue the car.

Ed was trying to private sale it by word of mouth for several years.  I don't think he talked to very many people though.  Maybe it needs to be campaigned by one of the bigger auction houses?  

[alsancle]

29 minutes ago, Peterwoyen said:

Ed was trying to private sale it by word of mouth for several years.  I don't think he talked to very many people though.  Maybe it needs to be campaigned by one of the bigger auction houses?  

Special, unique thing needs to be hand sold by somebody that really knows what they’re doing. There are 6 to 12 guys that are the buyer for that car. But they’re not gonna buy it on Hemmings or eBay or craigslist.

[edinmass]

1 hour ago, Peterwoyen said:

Ed was trying to private sale it by word of mouth for several years.  I don't think he talked to very many people though.  Maybe it needs to be campaigned by one of the bigger auction houses?  

 

43 minutes ago, alsancle said:

Special, unique thing needs to be hand sold by somebody that really knows what they’re doing. There are 6 to 12 guys that are the buyer for that car. But they’re not gonna buy it on Hemmings or eBay or craigslist.

 

Well they did accomplish one thing.......they are ruining the market value of all the good sleeve valve cars. A off the radar dealer could hand sell that car easily, and with a private sale.....even if you need to adjust price, it keeps the market intact. Unless they are smart enough to shill bit it to just below the reserve..........which I doubt.  

 

 

[Peterwoyen]

4 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

 

Well they did accomplish one thing.......they are ruining the market value of all the good sleeve valve cars. A off the radar dealer could hand sell that car easily, and with a private sale.....even if you need to adjust price, it keeps the market intact. Unless they are smart enough to shill bit it to just below the reserve..........which I doubt.  

 

 

The owner of the car probably doesn't have the connections that he should.  Ed should have been introduced to you guys.   

[edinmass]

26 minutes ago, Peterwoyen said:

The owner of the car probably doesn't have the connections that he should.  Ed should have been introduced to you guys.   

 

Problem is now it’s too late…….the numbers never disappear from the internet. Too many people learn this lesson thr hard way………..

[Peterwoyen]

9 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

Problem is now it’s too late…….the numbers never disappear from the internet. Too many people learn this lesson thr hard way………..

You should be high bidder then negotiate a purchase after the auction ends. wink  Its a beautiful car.   

[edinmass]

I need a place to park it first……..

[Peterwoyen]

3 minutes ago, edinmass said:

I need a place to park it first……..

minor details...

[edinmass]

54 minutes ago, Peterwoyen said:

minor details...

 

In my area, it's 800 dollars a month for an inside parking spot. I don't mind paying for the car when I purchase it, but making a never ending payment is a bummer.......it's basically 10k a year for a toy down here. I have a very nice house, but no garage..........just the insanity of Southern Florida. 

[Peterwoyen]

2 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

In my area, it's 800 dollars a month for an inside parking spot. I don't mind paying for the car when I purchase it, but making a never ending payment is a bummer.......it's basically 10k a year for a toy down here. I have a very nice house, but no garage..........just the insanity of Southern Florida. 

I guess I could offer to store it for you  ....  You might need a "shouse" instead of a house.  People build those on acreages around here.  We're residential on a 1/2 acre lot that backs up to fields and trees.  Ideally I'd have 2-3 acres but that's very high priced around here.  I'm finishing a 30 x 50 shop in our back yard.  I'm working on the paint booth portion now.  During the summer I can keep a couple of collectors in it so we have easy access for cruising.  However in winter just projects in there is my intent.  I have way too many of those and should cull a few.   

[Peterwoyen]

2 hours ago, Peterwoyen said:

I guess I could offer to store it for you  ....  You might need a "shouse" instead of a house.  People build those on acreages around here.  We're residential on a 1/2 acre lot that backs up to fields and trees.  Ideally I'd have 2-3 acres but that's very high priced around here.  I'm finishing a 30 x 50 shop in our back yard.  I'm working on the paint booth portion now.  During the summer I can keep a couple of collectors in it so we have easy access for cruising.  However in winter just projects in there is my intent.  I have way too many of those and should cull a few.   

 

2 hours ago, edinmass said:

 

In my area, it's 800 dollars a month for an inside parking spot. I don't mind paying for the car when I purchase it, but making a never ending payment is a bummer.......it's basically 10k a year for a toy down here. I have a very nice house, but no garage..........just the insanity of Southern Florida. 

Well, its not my place to say what you should do anyway.  Different regions have their pros and cons.  The cabriolet is a beautiful car.  I'd buy it myself if I felt I could afford it.  Hopefully it finds a good home regardless.    

[edinmass]

 

Peter, my plan....Have AJ buy it.....then send it to me for 24 months like the Brunn. Makes me a happy guy, I fix it, drive it, show it a little......and get PAID. Although, I must admit, Aj is kind of stingey in the money department. 

 

 

[edinmass]

It’s a great car………I would absolutely love to own it. So many cars, so few parking spaces, and even less money.

[jcrow]

I would wait to see how the bidding goes. Long time left. Just brought home

the smaller version today.

[edinmass]

2 minutes ago, jcrow said:

I would wait to see how the bidding goes. Long time left. Just brought home

the smaller version today.

That, is a very nice automobile. This is where AJ says paint the wheels and put black walls on it. Body by Phillips?

 

 

 

[jcrow]

Well, I am no expert, but I have a lot of era photos from the twenties. Most seem to

show new cars photographed in the Oakland area. A surprising number not only have

white walls, but have double whitewalls, that being white on the chassis side.

 

I suppose that the cars photographed tended to be the flashier ones..... but they 

often have whitewalls.

[edinmass]

 

White walls are certainly appropriate………it’s a long running joke between AJ and a handful of us about white walls vs black walls. Here is the wheel and tire change up we did on the 29 Brunn Auto Show Car, It went back to how it was on the floor of the show. I think it was a great improvement, and also the change up to factory delivered condition makes the car more his now……….

 

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history)

[alsancle]

As built.

[Peterwoyen]

12 hours ago, jcrow said:

I would wait to see how the bidding goes. Long time left. Just brought home

the smaller version today.

That is a stunner.  Its as beautiful on the bottom as it is on the top.  Pat Barnes owned it and he considered it to be his wife Annes car.  Anne was F.B. Stearns grandaughter.  At a later point Pat decided he needed to sell it.  Al Giddings bought it from him and kept it for a little while.  He sold it and it ended up in CA at a University I think?  Institute of Design was it?  They must have elected to sell it?  

[edinmass]

 

Funny how cars with names on them end up leaving the family that built them after a few generations. Especially since they built such fine autos, and they had one of the best examples that was well restored. To many people....."history is bunk".

[Peterwoyen]

13 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

Funny how cars with names on them end up leaving the family that built them after a few generations. Especially since they built such fine autos, and they had one of the best examples that was well restored. To many people....."history is bunk".

Like any of us its hard to say if the kids will want our cars.  The Barnes kids have some S-K cars though their interest is more limited.  Pat Barnes set up something with the AACA museum in Hershey.  The Stearns cars in the museum belong or belonged to Pat.  

[alsancle]

13 minutes ago, Peterwoyen said:

Like any of us its hard to say if the kids will want our cars.  The Barnes kids have some S-K cars though their interest is more limited.  Pat Barnes set up something with the AACA museum in Hershey.  The Stearns cars in the museum belong or belonged to Pat.  

When I was a teenager, my dad would let me take any of his cars out for a ride. These were some pretty big level classics.  I’ve tried to do the same thing, and my son worked in a restoration shop when he was in high school. But it’s completely hit or miss with your kids having  any interest in the same hobbies as you, no matter how hard you try. My dad was very lucky he had me following him around, I guess I was pretty lucky to have a dad interested in cars and not golf. 

[Peterwoyen]

24 minutes ago, alsancle said:

When I was a teenager, my dad would let me take any of his cars out for a ride. These were some pretty big level classics.  I’ve tried to do the same thing, and my son worked in a restoration shop when he was in high school. But it’s completely hit or miss with your kids having  any interest in the same hobbies as you, no matter how hard you try. My dad was very lucky he had me following him around, I guess I was pretty lucky to have a dad interested in cars and not golf. 

That was smart on your dads part.  My influence was much lower brow.  I didn't come from an old car family but there were some old cars in the family.  The big influence was when a neighbor gave us a ride in his Model T touring when I was about 5.  I was hooked.  Later I discovered two 1920's Dodge bodies standing in our tree grove.  I played in them.  At my grandparents when I was about 10 I "discovered" a Model T sitting in their trees.  It had been my great-grandfathers.   I played on it, in my mind I dreamed of starting it and driving it out of there.  21 years later I drove it restored in our towns centennial parade.  Later on I received Jr, Sr and Grand National awards with it.    

[edinmass]

Nothing better than long time family cars……..

 

As far as letting kids drive…….it’s the best way to get them interested……….

 

My 1917 White that was the subject of the Covid era thread…….that car has been driven by at least 30 different people, 20 of them from the AACA who decided to stop by and get a ride.  Share your pre war car…..it’s good for the hobby, and your resale when you are finished. When I first started in the hobby I wouldn’t let anyone drive my cars………that was a big mistake. Now I’m happy to let anyone who is interested try it………..and have made lots of new friends as a result.

Edited April 28, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Peterwoyen]

36 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Nothing better than long time family cars……..

 

As far as letting kids drive…….it’s the best way to get them interested……….

 

My 1917 White that was the subject of the Covid era thread…….that car has been driven by at least 30 different people, 20 of them from the AACA who decided to stop by and get a ride.  Share your pre war car…..it’s good for the hobby, and your resale when you are finished. When I first started in the hobby I wouldn’t let anyone drive my cars………that was a big mistake. Now I’m happy to let anyone who is interested try it………..and have made lots of new friends as a result.

You're right.  Good for the everybody I think.  

[West Peterson]

On 4/26/2023 at 8:45 PM, alsancle said:

Very quiet without Mark here.   

 

Mark recently purchased a trip diary, which talked about a trip from Duluth, Minnesota to Chicago, then back. The trip was taken in a 1913 Stearns. Mark sent the digital material to me a few months ago. I wasn't able to publish the story before he died, but it will appear in the May/June issue, as will his obituary. Godspeed, Mark. I still remember first meeting Mark (with Peter) at a rest stop on the way to Hershey. Must have been at least 10 years ago... maybe more.

[Peterwoyen]

1 hour ago, West Peterson said:

Mark recently purchased a trip diary, which talked about a trip from Duluth, Minnesota to Chicago, then back. The trip was taken in a 1913 Stearns. Mark sent the digital material to me a few months ago. I wasn't able to publish the story before he died, but it will appear in the May/June issue, as will his obituary. Godspeed, Mark. I still remember first meeting Mark (with Peter) at a rest stop on the way to Hershey. Must have been at least 10 years ago... maybe more.

Hello West,

Thanks for your note and upcoming article, obit.  Mark had an active interest in travel journals.  His own grandparents traveled during the winter months of the 20's-30's in  "house" cars, one being built on a Federal-Knight truck chassis.  He remembered playing in one in the early 50's.  He put two and two together decades later when he inherited the picture album of their travels.  One house car is now owned by a family near Fergus Falls MN and the other is in Roy Bernicks collection near St Cloud MN.  I believe his discovering those ancient adventures helped inspire Marks involvement with the Great American Race.

        

[West Peterson]

Mark wrote a story for AACA in regard to the house cars of his grandparents. I cannot remember how long ago that was, but it was at least a few years ago.

[Peterwoyen]

13 minutes ago, West Peterson said:

Mark wrote a story for AACA in regard to the house cars of his grandparents. I cannot remember how long ago that was, but it was at least a few years ago.

Ok, I couldn't remember if he had done that.  He showed me the album once.    

[Peterwoyen]

On 4/27/2023 at 8:03 AM, Peterwoyen said:

Bar none, this 27 G is one of my very favorite Stearns-Knights.  It wears a very high quality restoration.  Anybody should be proud to own it.  It should command 6 figures but I wonder what it will bring?  The G has a 385 cid inline 8.

I see the Hemmings listing for the Model G Cab-roadster has changed to an asking price.  

[alsancle]

16 minutes ago, Peterwoyen said:

I see the Hemmings listing for the Model G Cab-roadster has changed to an asking price.  

88k feels like a bargain.

[Peterwoyen]

1 minute ago, alsancle said:

88k feels like a bargain.

No doubt its a bargain

[alsancle]

This is a cool piece.   I bid it to 150 bucks, which is 180 all in.   I'm out now.

 

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/151919607_early-stearns-knight-motor-working-model-display

 

[Peterwoyen]

On 5/12/2023 at 7:20 PM, alsancle said:

This is a cool piece.   I bid it to 150 bucks, which is 180 all in.   I'm out now.

 

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/151919607_early-stearns-knight-motor-working-model-display

 

They're pretty neat.  Thanks for the forward.  

[edinmass]

AJ, you’re too cheap. Even though you have the worlds best auto show cutaway………for a sleeve valve.

[alsancle]

46 minutes ago, edinmass said:

AJ, you’re too cheap. Even though you have the worlds best auto show cutaway………for a sleeve valve.

 

I spent 200 buck on 100 negatives in the same auction.   You think the cutaway would have been a better investment?

 

And I thought I had the best cut-away until I saw one of Mark's.

[Peterwoyen]

10 minutes ago, alsancle said:

 

I spent 200 buck on 100 negatives in the same auction.   You think the cutaway would have been a better investment?

 

And I thought I had the best cut-away until I saw one of Mark's.

The cutaway at Marks was underwritten by Pat Barnes-Ed Soltis did all of the work on it.

  

[Peterwoyen]

On 4/26/2023 at 7:45 PM, alsancle said:

Very quiet without Mark here.   

 

34LaSalleClubSedan pointed this out to me.  I wish Mark was here to answer this but I believe the same 385 that is in the later H & J cars.

 

https://www.hemmings.com/auction/1927-stearns-knight-other-east-orwell-oh-999748

 

This CCCA Full Classic, fully restored, award winning 1927 Stearns-Knight G-8-85 Cabriolet is believed to be the only surviving example of this chassis, engine, and body combination in existence, and was formerly part of the legendary Harrah’s Automobile Collection in Reno, Nevada. The F.B. Stearns Company of Cleveland, Ohio, manufactured its first automobile in 1898. In 1911, Stearns acquired the first American patent for the sleeve-valve engine invented by Charles Knight, and all Stearns-Knight automobiles henceforth used engines of that design. Stearns produced the engine in both four and six cylinders prior to 1927, when the G-8 inline-eight cylinder was added as the top of the line. Stearns-Knight automobiles competed directly with Packard and Cadillac at the highest end of the American market.

 

 

[Peterwoyen]

I just heard a little more  of the back story regarding the G cab-roadster.  A friend of mine from North Dakota Rudy Rathert and his dad Jim used to scout cars for Bill Harrah back in the 60's.  About 1965-66 they had been to Brookings SD to view some cars that were stored in an airplane hanger.  This G  was one of the cars.  He had reported his findings to Harrah and  Harrah apparently had bought it.  (that fits the Harrah connection) Rudy had noticed the auction ad and commented to me about it.  Rudy and Jim had been collecting cars-mostly early cars and other machinery since the late 40's.  As an aside Rudy just finished replacing 10' oak beams under a wooden threshing machine that got damaged from a roof collapse this winter due to snow load.  He is turning new wooden axle hubs in his lathe for it.  Oh, and he just had a birthday on Saturday.  He was born in 1933.                

[pughs]

AJ,

$150 is way too much for the cardboard Stearns-Knight model engine (see below).

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by pughs (see edit history)