Sterling Kit Car

[Christopher Jordan]

Originally Posted by JerkOfAllTrades

But, finding a new one could prove difficult
as the entire kit car industry took a hit when the dot com bubble burst.

I hadn't thought about that. I looked for a kit car body for my '95 Aspire, but didn't find any at all! The Aspire sits most of the time although very useful. Admittedly; getting 40 mpg makes it a 'keeper'- but sleek aerodynamics are not what this car is all about! Great explanation - I didn't want to go over the hill to silicon valley anyway!

countersTrike

[cfg83]

JOAT -

Originally Posted by JerkOfAllTrades

Don't get all hot over various kit cars. Aerodynamics is not something
you can judge by eye. The Sterling, or Nova, or one of several names
this kit has been sole under was originally designed back in the early
seventies and the looks are nicer than the aerodynamics.
However, if someone is looking to create an EV one of the lightweight
kit cars would be a good start. But, finding a new one could prove difficult
as the entire kit car industry took a hit when the dot com bubble burst.

I didn't know that. I thought they just got more $$$ over the years with the emphasis on custom tubular chassis + V8 engines. I prefer the kit car designs that are based on VW belly pans because the implication is that the car is easier to build.

(say with "when I was a kid" voice) Way back when, you could get a basic 550 Beck Spyder kit for $6K, *with* the tubular chassis. Today it's in the $20K+ range.

CarloSW2

[JerkOfAllTrades]

Yeah, I remember the beck cars from before they moved to Brazil.
The kit car industry eventually became a nightmare of good companies
and scammers. Unfortunately, it seems only the scammers and the
uber priced kits are left.

Personally, I was looking to get something sporty I could build that wouldn't break the bank. Now, I just look and try to figure out who is scamming who.

[wmjinman]

Just spotted this thread.

I actually have a Sterling kit car!!!

[arcosine]

The Sterling is a cool looking car. I gave up on my Bradley GT I, though the GT II is a better car for normal driving but rare. They are very light cars, 1500 lbs. I towed it home no problem with the Saturn( except for the front wheel coming off on the road). If you get one I would recommend get a 69 or later chassis, with the double jointed independent rear end suspension (IRS).

Welcome to BradleyGT2.com! The Bradley GTII kitcar resource. Construction, History, Gallery

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...qbnX6KtzaVEA2g

[aerohead]

I've never seen drag numbers published for the 'car'.I agree with Frank that there will be an advantage with respect to frontal area.
I suspect that the Cd is no better than that of the bug,around 0.5 since it loosely resembles a mid-70s Corvette,which was about 0.50.
I'd hold out for a FIBERFAB Valkerie,and then take a Sawsall to that.

[freebeard]

Why not the 1977 Fiberfab Scarab STM?


Reverse tricycles are in right now.

And I like the lines of the Amante/Gazelle:

[wmjinman]

Found some pictures of my Sterling. (thumbnails attached)

[arcosine]

Where is the cooling air inlet?

[wmjinman]

Originally Posted by arcosine

Where is the cooling air inlet?

The way the makers of the kit designed (and manufactured) it, there were 2 holes, one in the top front of each rear fender behind the side windows. In my 20-something year old brilliance at the time, I fiberglassed them shut, thinking it would give it a "cleaner" look. My idea was to do more like the stock VW with the louvered vents in the engine cover. I was in the process of making a new engine cover that I had intended to put louvered vents in.

I never got this thing on the road. Probably from "biting off more than I could chew". In addition to the job of building (assembling) the kit car, I added the additional difficulties associated with customization - it has a Covair 180 hp Turbocharged engine and a Porsche 5-speed transaxle. I got those installed, and even had the engine running once, but the project lost steam and languished since about 1980...