1912 Stearns-Knight Toy Tonneau Runabout Toy Tonneau Runabout

The F.B. Stearns Company of Cleveland, Ohio, was the first U.S. Company to embrace the Knight sleeve valve technology, beginning in 1911. They were the only company to use them exclusively to the marque's end in 1929. However, it is the Willys-Knight company that is the best-known American car to utilize this technology.

This particular example was part of the Barney Pollard Collection in Detroit. At the height of his collection, he had around 1,200 cars. To utilize space, he stacked them vertically, then built buildings over them. During the 1970s, he had several auctions which resulted in many rare cars being dispersed for restoration. Cars stored nose up often rusted out at the back; others had bent fenders.

This Stearns was purchased by Bruce Replogle in New Jersey from the Pollard Collection, where it had remained undisturbed since discovery in 1940. Mr. Replogle later sold it to Mike Kaltenecker in Idaho, who corrected a few minor modifications that had been made and returned it to a complete and original state.

Harold Coker acquired the car from Kaltenecker in 2011. It was given a 'barn find' cosmetic restoration while fully restoring it mechanically. The body required new wood and some metal repair. The upholstery is new black leather, there is a new black canvas, and a mix of brass and nickel brightwork has been left in a dull state. The headlights are Vesta bullet-shaped electrics, while the side lamps are Adlake oil units, all of them original to the car. There are two horns, an electric Klaxon on the left and a bulb horn on the driver's side splash apron. The windshield was manufactured by the Banker Wind Shield Company, of Pittsburgh, 'expressly for F.B. Stearns Co.' Other equipment includes an exhaust cut-out and an electric starter. The engine features the Charles Knight sleeve valves and a Bosch dual-coil ignition. It has a white-line radiator and rides on 36x4½ all-white Firestone Non-Skid tires.

Currently, there are only two known surviving 1912 Stearns Toy Tonneau Runabouts.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2015