Hey Everyone. I may have posted this last year but I figured I would do it again as an update. The Sterling Sports Car Company for Sale . As most of you know the Sterling is an Icon in the kit car industry. The Car has been around for about as long as I have been alive and has been marketed by a few companies over those years. It was also sold in other companies under names like the NOVA, and Eureka to name a few.
Sterling Sports Car Company for Sale
From what I understand David Aliberti has been trying to sell the Sterling Sports Car Company for some time. Last year another website mentioned the company was for sale at $139,000 asking price. This is about in line with a few tips I had gotten about the sale and the price.
From what I understand that the sale includes the main body molds, interior molds, misc hardware, wiring, tubular chassis, and engineering plans for manufacturing. Also included is a list of current global customers, as well as a list of potential customers. They say they ship parts all over the world but I do not know to what extent.
While I like the Sterling my feelings towards this sale are quite a bit like I felt with the sale of the Valkyrie molds. I personally do not think taking an old and outdated kit car company and attempting to make it a viable business is reasonable. If it was everyone would be doing it…..SUCCESSFULLY !!!
Before anyone chimes in I do understand that certain parts such as the windshield for the Sterling is a specialized item and finding them is not easy. I get that there can be a potential to sell new parts for old sterlings, novas, etc.The real question is how many people are buying a new sterling/chassis at a $15-$20k price tag(same with the Valkyrie) when an unfinished project can be had on craigslist for much less.
I think this could be a good addition to an existing fiberglass or aftermarket parts business at the right price. But what price is that? I have no idea how much revenue the current operator is making so I wont just say “its not worth the asking price” It very well could be making enough money a year to justify the asking price. But then again it could be making next to nothing.
I just noticed their website is not longer functional and just points to another business that Dave owns. Seems to me if you are attempting to sell the business you would at least keep the website active. I cant think of any other way a potential customer would reach them today. ***The website is back up and functioning as it was***
Lets see your comments below on the Sterling Sports Car Company for Sale
His website is up and running again. It was just a glitch and was quickly corrected.
It took a day or two for it to get corrected but it is up again.
Man,
I agree totally with your comments. I would also like to add a few more myself.
I have owned three of these myself; or to be more precise, I owned two Purvis Eurekas and one Scorpion (in New Zealand). I currently own two.
I truly love these cars, and the original design from the UK.
However, I have many issues at the price of the business.
Firstly, (and minorly) the last time I tried the main website it seemed to be fine. Not sure about right now.
Secondly, The price for the business is waaay too high. I know the Australian business (the Eureka) was for sale for many years for $50,000 AUD. The NZ business was for sale for much less, many years ago.
Thirdly, the price for the body and chassis are way too high. If you go to factory five, they can offer a body and chassis for the 818 roadster for around 10 grand. The total cost to finish a car is around 25 grans, including buying donor car. That is much less than the cost of the Sterling body and chassis kit alone! The prices are f___ing ridiculous.
Finally, the boy styling is old, and aged. The swoopy style is cool, and I love it, but the area around the wheels and other areas are out of date. I also want to see a body kit options but it seems the company just wants to churn out old designs.
Also, the company seems to want to get new investors for a new model sterling (according to my last view of their site) so not sure how this fits into the selling of everything
Anyway, that is my rant. I want to thank you for your wonderful site, the source of many pleasant viewing hours.
Thanks for the comment. You are correct in everything you said. I have seen molds for “Former” kit car companies come up for sale for years. The sellers always seem to use lines like “Rare” “Would make great electric vehicle” etc. The fact is they made a lot of Sterlings, Fiberfab Cars, CMC cars, Bradleys, and so on. There are so many of them out there still in various states of completion.
Lets take the Fiberfab Valkyrie for a minute. Years ago when people found a set of valkyrie molds and Dan bough them Im sure he really thought he would be able to make a profitable business out of it. 10 or so years later he was looking for a buyer for over $150k . The molds and everything else he had ended up sold for MUCH MUCH less last year. Now the new owner has done nothing to update the website or even advertise . But for the average person what would make them spend $17,000 for a chassis and body when I can go on craigslist and there are 2 or 3 avenger/valkyrie projects on tube chassis for sale at a reasonable price? There are usually a few really nice examples of complete ones as well for MUCH less than the $17,000 they sell the “New” chassis and body for.
With all that being said I will maintain that the vintage “kit car” market has to small of a market for complete cars. The market lies in being able to manage an inventory of parts to keep the old ones that are out there going. From doors, windows, windshields, etc. This does for any of the above manufactures.
sir, when i was growing up in ventura, california there was an office on the 1200 block of main st. for a kit car company. i do not know the name of the car or the owner except that i crashed my bicycle into his office window which threw me into and onto and pst him as he sat at his desk full of engineering blueprints. he was mad real mad. he walked me out the door and out to where my bicycle was crashed he never said a word just turned and went back to his office. would you happen to know the name of the car and company?
There were a bunch of kit kit car companies in California. I will look around and see if I can get you better info. Fiberfab, Autokit are just a few that were out there.
Everyone is; of course, entitled to their own opinions. Here is mine. The Sterling is not old in the sense of being outdated. The design today is as beautiful as it was when it first began as the Nova in England. It doesn’t need any updating at all. People still flock to it like moths to a flame. Now, you can complain about it being based on a lowly VW Beetle, I don’t mind that. Saying that will naturally bring forth many comments from people complaining about me saying the Beetle is “lowly”. Again,different opinions. Just because something is old doesn’t make it outdated. Especially when it was decades ahead of its time and way outside the box to begin with.
Well in my opinion it is Outdated. Sure some people flock to it, mainly because it is a curiosity. People may want to know what it is, but that does not equate to them buying them. As far as the VW platform goes….well that does not bother me in the least bit.
The problem with the sterling kit is it is (was?) way overpriced. Make it reasonably priced and largely single donor ( civic?) and people would buy them. Because it still looks good. Yes it could do with some updating, but it’s still striking and well proportioned. The Valkyrie? Always dead in the water, it’s hideous. I can’t believe they sold any, It looks sort of like like a GT40 but clearly isn’t, like a Countach on a fiero wheelbase it looks just wrong on so many levels.
I wish him luck on selling the business – I very seriously looked at the kit, but flinched over the price. Glass is always a problem, solve that for all the old kits and you have a business.
Wish I had one! Maybe sell Porche and corvette and find one all complete.That is a great solution to problem. Sell car fully built!!! Get with other component companies and build WHOLE cars like Delorian did.Can Be Done,Anything can be done! I have cancer for 7 years now,going through hell but Im fighting and trying to kick 9it’s ass!!! See Anything can be done!Would like any Info I can get set to me somehow.
I’m looking for a sterling kit to put on my vw chassis. Or Nova really good price
Dear members
I’m looking to buy sterling car on Canada or USA if can transport to Vancouver, looking for orange colour, currently living in Australia Sydney but plan move to Vancouver, any help to let me know where can I buy sterling car up running will be much appreciated. Kind regards Shaun
Shaun, hope you made it to Vancouver. I’m currently in New Westminster. The good news! Getting a u-built on the road in BC is pretty easy. The bad news, you can’t import a kit car into Canada. Period. You can import parts however. So you could bring a body in no sweat, but not a whole car.
Looking for any info,boDies,brochures, etc on trike called TriVator seen on this site. Please Help. Have MET KYLE WICKWARE, who was builder of this trike. I OWN a trike now….. PLEASE help, or pass this info on to someone else who might. 71 years old, looking to get into this trike to stay out on the roads. THANKS ! ! ! ! ! Bill Fidler, Reading, Pa.