Old Sterling back from the dead

RedMF40 · Sep 14, 2018

Yesterday I was at the Arcadia tractor and steam show here in Maryland. Saw lots of stuff mostly everyone here has seen before. What stood out was an old Sterling road tractor from 1930--used until the 1960s. I like its originality, how you can see where it was sitting back in the woods, sinking into the ground from the dirt lines on the tires. I guess if you drove that thing all day you'd really know you did a day's work. Looks primitive, even by 1930's standards. Not sure if it was an over-the-road truck or something used strictly for city or yard driving.

880DB · Sep 14, 2018

Now that's a beast of a truck! Thanks for sharing!

37chief · Sep 14, 2018

Glad someone saved it. When this old stuff is gone, it's gone forever. It probably had a hard life by the looks of it. Stan

just for fun · Sep 14, 2018

Not a bad looking truck for setting in a woods for 50+ years. I see that it is a chain drive. My grandpa used to talk about
driving a chain drive truck, though I think it was a straight truck, in Illinois. Drove on roads that took 8 to 10 hours to make a
round trip, can do it in 2 to 3 hours now days.

Dune Country · Sep 14, 2018

back in the day that was some drivers pride and joy

ed will · Sep 14, 2018

(quoted from post at 15:14:23 09/14/18) Yesterday I was at the Arcadia tractor and steam show here in Maryland. Saw lots of stuff mostly everyone here has seen before. What stood out was an old Sterling road tractor from 1930--used until the 1960s. I like its originality, how you can see where it was sitting back in the woods, sinking into the ground from the dirt lines on the tires. I guess if you drove that thing all day you'd really know you did a day's work. Looks primitive, even by 1930's standards. Not sure if it was an over-the-road truck or something used strictly for city or yard driving.

jeffcat · Sep 14, 2018

Well you have an elctric starter! Chain drives make a buzzing rattle
as you drive down the road. Armstrong steering and most likely you
have to put quite a few turns on the wheel. It is actually better if
you learn how to slip shift the transmission. Really neat once you
learn how. Manual brakes...no someone actually put hydraulic brakes on
it! These old beasts are really cool to drive if you don't want to go
too fast. My dad had a 1929 bulldog Mack till he sold it.

jm. · Sep 14, 2018

I would say you are right on the "used till the 60s" because the fender mounted signal lights were an add on late 50s early 60s. Those are actually about the first ones that showed up.

showcrop · Sep 14, 2018

I saw a Sterling dump truck actually working back in the early seventies in the Boston area.

sms · Sep 14, 2018

I'd like to have it.

RedMF40 · Sep 14, 2018

Ja I really like this old truck--and I've seen a lot of trucks LOL. Might have a chance to talk to the owner this evening--going back to see the steam engines blow sparks out of the stacks, something I've never seen before. The freight line runs a few feet from the show grounds, and the locomotive driver and the tractors got going back and forth with the steam and air horns. Quite the racket but fun.

Dan in North Houston · Sep 14, 2018

I understand that the steamers throw in a shovel of sawdust to get the "sparks" at night. If you can get more photos of the Sterling, please post. That's about the most patina I've ever seen on one piece of equipment.

730virgil · Sep 14, 2018

if that old truck could talk. what stories it could tell not bs ones either

RedMF40 · Sep 16, 2018

I'll see what other pics I have in my phone and post them when I have a minute.

Talked to the owner--it's been his since 1977, when he bought it from the man who'd purchased it at an equipment sale back in 1972. This sale was called the GROVE AUCTION, and it has taken on legendary status in my mind. I was only ten at that time, but it sounds like every truck, tracked vehicle, oddball tractor, military surplus equipment, and assorted rusted thingamajigs were offered up for sale there. Probably at give-away prices.

It's been re-powered with a White engine--another military surplus item offered up for sale back then. Don't remember what motor he said was originally in it.

Old Sterling back from the dead

RedMF40

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880DB

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37chief

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just for fun

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Dune Country

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ed will

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jeffcat

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jm.

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showcrop

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sms

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RedMF40

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Dan in North Houston

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730virgil

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RedMF40

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