Last Sterling Truck

aileron · Mar 9, 2009

The last Sterling truck rolls off the assembly plant in St. Thomas.
More here:
The End of An Era - St. Thomas Times-Journal - Ontario, CA

Sad, but I think we will hear more stories like this in the future.

Moot · Mar 9, 2009

aileron said:
The last Sterling truck rolls off the assembly plant in St. Thomas.
More here:
The End of An Era - St. Thomas Times-Journal - Ontario, CA

Sad, but I think we will hear more stories like this in the future.

Just like we did in tn the past: The last Ford "L" series truck rolls off the assembly line in Louisville.

aileron · Mar 10, 2009

Moot said:
Just like we did in tn the past: The last Ford "L" series truck rolls off the assembly line in Louisville.

I don't know moot, but I see it differently. Ford still makes trucks. This would be more in line with 'Lincoln rolled off last car', or Saturn, or Pontiac, or Cadillac.
I don't know, to me it is sad to see a Brand name go.

Moot · Mar 10, 2009

aileron said:
I don't know moot, but I see it differently. Ford still makes trucks.

But Ford doesn't make class 7 or 8 trucks anymore. The "L" series was sold to Daimler and rebranded as Sterling.

Sterling was an independent truck manufacturing until White bought the company in the 1950's along with Freightliner and others. White discontinued using the Sterling name and Daimler resurrected it when they bought Ford's heavy duty truck line.

For all of you Freightliner owners, that truck maker got its start in a Consolidated Freightways shop in Portland, Oregon. CF could not find an existing manufacturer to build its weird cabover. Eventually CF began mass producing Freightliner in Salt Lake City to mostly supply their own needs. It grew and was sold to White Motor Company. It became White Freightliner.

For anyone interested in old trucks check out the link below.

Hank's Truck Pictures Web Site

redytrk · Mar 10, 2009

I delivered a load of doors to that plant last week. Probably for the last produced. Even so I found the dock people friendly and upbeat.

ATeam · Mar 10, 2009

Thank you for sharing the story, aileron. I shared the link on Hank's Truck Pictures Forum where a bunch of truck history buffs and truck enthusiasts hang out. They will appreciate the story too.

Moot · Mar 10, 2009

Never Stand Still: A History Of CNF Transportation Inc. Written by Kenneth D. Durr and Philip L. Cantelon. This is an interesting book that not only showcases the history of CNF (now ConWay) but depicts the history of the trucking industry and truck manufacturing in America.