1928 Stearns-Knight Model H

Frank Ballou Stearns of Cleveland, Ohio, built his first car in 1897 and formed the F.B. Stearns Co., just prior to 1900. During its production lifespan, the company would produce over 33,000 cars before succumbing to the economy of the Great Depression.

The vehicles built by the F.B. Stearns Co. were powerful, advanced, and catered to wealthy motorists. By 1902, the company was producing a 20-horsepower model with sliding gears and a steering wheel. By the early teens, his large four- and six-cylinder models were among the largest in the industry, and in 1911 they acquired the first American license to produce Charles Yale Knight's sleeve-valve motor. From then on, the Stearns automobiles featured quiet and valve-less motors.

The 1928 Stearns-Knight models included the Model F resting on a 137-inch wheelbase and equipped with a six-cylinder engine offering 82 horsepower. The Model H had a slightly larger wheelbase, measuring 137.25 inches, and was powered by an eight-cylinder engine with 112 horsepower. The Model J used the engine of the Model H but with a 145-inch platform. The Model F was priced from $3,250 to $3,950, and the Model H listed in the mid-$5,000s. The Model J pricing was in the mid-to-high $5,000 range.

Stearns-Knight annual production remained exclusive throughout its production lifespan, with its best year being 1917, when 3,718 units were built. The company built 1,081 vehicles in 1928.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2021