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STERLING CCC #309

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I thought that the purchase of this sculpture in 2016 would be the end of my addiction,
BUT on March 17, 2018 I purchased from Rodger Cleye:
Sterling #101
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and
Sterling #309.
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and now the fun begins again...

The following is my Sterling Story

1964 College Tom with his first joy.
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#101 and #309 are the fourth and fifth Sterling that I have owned.

The first was in 1975 while living in Erie, PA working for my father-in-law who had a successful machine shop with two locations. A friend and I each bought Sterlings from the mid-west Sterling location. We rented a U-haul moving truck and put both cars in the back and drove it home. Mine was yellow gel-coat and if I remember his was either red or blue. This was the beginning of an addiction that I have not been able to overcome. My life in the machine shop did not last long and we (wife and two small kids) moved to Southern California in 1977 along with the pretty much stock Sterling with no options. I can't remember why I sold it.

Saw an ad for a partially completed orange gel-coat Sterling with a stock 1600cc and auto stick shift. My next fix. I was not very discriminating. I worked with a local company in Santa Ana, Calif who sold and worked on Sterling's. Had the panels glassed in and ended up with a two tone pant job, orange over magenta and added 6 Chevy Vega taillights to the rear-end eliminating the Triumph taillights , and kept it pretty much stock. Looked good but a dog, and I can't remember why I sold it.

Getting cars smogged in California is not very pleasant. More on that latter. The solution is usually two engines.

Not to much later I saw another ad for a partially completed Sterling painted Honda Maroon

sterling open.jpgView attachment 9223, how could I turn this down. I finished the inside, flat dash, center consul, and completed the popup headlights and flat hood and large engine cover which housed the 2074cc engine and stock 4speed. I moved to New Jersery in 1989 and the car went with us. 10 years later we headed back to Southern California and the car was sold to someone from the New York City area. I can remember selling it; but for the life of me, I can't remember why.

So here we are back in California for 17 years and I see an ad on Ebay...
 

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Great to have the site up and running again. It contains so much valuable information.
NOW, How do I edit my initial post? I want to add an original photo of #309 on the day I bought it. I want the photo to appear on the journal list.
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
At the moment there are a few modules that aren't working, Tom. Photos and editing are among those. Hang in there.. the webmaster will get to it.
 
Rear valance

If you see this let me know what you think. image.jpg
This the rear valance from a Scion FRS.
 
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Rear valance

I will be attempting to shorten and fit to the Sterling tail. I have thought about only the black part, but I think I need some of the FRS to get the fit correct. Will need to relocate exhaust exits and fill voids. Will be adding vent mesh to assist with heat dissipation. Have external oil filter and electric cooler hidden on right side of engine compartment. May also use part of the original Sterling license plate trim. Will continue to attempt to post pictures as I proceed.
Because I have limited fiberglass skills I will not be making a part from a mold, but will "cut and past" as best I can.
 

sector

Member
This looks awesome. How are you planning on joining it to existing fiberglass? Taking a mold of it and making a fiberglass part would have been ideal.
 
The part is urethane and will be installed with California skyhooks, along with screws and kitty hair.
I will be incorporating an existing modified black Sterling license plate section along with black metal mesh to complete the look I am hoping to achieve. Subtlety moving from the "70's" toward today.

What are the thoughts regarding the spoiler louvre panel above *hmmm*?
 
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