Willys Overland Knight Registry
Stearns Knight History
When the F.B. Stearns Co took on the sleeve valve
Knight engine they were on a winner! In the first year of Knight
engined vehicles, sales were double those of 1911 and they were able to
announce a 24% dividend. This return leapt to an incredible 81% in
1913. Dividends over the next few years weren’t so good due to a
huge capital investment program to expand manufacturing facilities but
presumably shareholders were happy with this as their share prices would
have increased. In addition to their high quality cars, trucks up
to 5 ton capacity were built in the 1911 - 1914 period. The second
world war put a stop to the trucks because Rolls Royce needed help in building
aircraft engines. The F.B. Stearns Co was chosen to help build these
engines because of their demonstrated abilities in the areas of precision
and close tolerance machining demanded in building Knight engined cars
and trucks.
Even though the F.B. Stearns Co engineering abilities
were world renowned, it still came as a surprise when they introduced the
first sleeve valve V8 to the public in Aug 1915. Sure, other manufacturers
were offering V8’s at around that time but this was a sleeve valve V8.
J.N. Willys must have been green with envy as it took till Aug 1917 for
him to come up with his V8 sleeve valve equivalent, the Willys Knight 8-88.
The F.B. Stearns Co seemed unstoppable but in
1917 Frank Stearns had to retire due to ill health. Now under the
leadership of George Booker, a former Stearns Knight dealer and banker,
the company came under close financial scrutiny. It was decided to
drop the expensive V8 and instead concentrate on the cheaper 4 cylinder
model. Most of the senior managers were replaced. The Chief Engineer responsible
for the V8, James Gilman (Pete) Sterling, resigned in April 1920 taking many engineers
and production staff with him to build his own car - the
Sterling
Knight.
For a time the strategy to concentrate on the
L4 model seemed to work. In fact production figures were at record
levels of 3,849 and 3,046 for 1920 and 1921 respectively, but these were
boom years for many manufacturers. Suddenly the market changed to
a buyers market and only 693 were made for 1922. The one model (Light
4) policy wasn’t working and the market wanted something new. A six
cylinder S model was brought out along with a B (Big 4) and another six
cylinder C model. However all this investment in new models cost
money and in Dec 1925, J.N. Willys and his backers were able to acquire
150,000 shares for $2.5 million. This was the second takeover since
F.B. Stearns had left. Once again, a new management team was announced.
In spite of the announcement that the F.B. Stearns
Co would retain its identity as a separate corporation with its own manufacturing
facilities, it seems as though some joint cooperation between Willys Knight
and Stearns Knight engineers was going on. This was the 6 cylinder
sleeve valve engine with 3 3/8 x 4 3/4 bore and stroke. Although
built at Willys Knight plants it was used in the Stearns Knight Models
M & N along with the Willys Knight 66A.
The F.B. Stearns Co seemed to be getting back on it’s feet when
along came the 1929 stock market crash. J.N. Willys had sold his
stock in Stearns in the summer, just months before, in preparation for
his position as ambassador to Poland. The end was short and swift.
On Dec 20 assembly lines had stopped and by Dec 30, 1929 all operations
had ceased.
J.N. Willys returned at the request of President
Hoover to salvage what he could of Willys Overland, but unfortunately it
was too late to save the F.B. Stearns Co, which although just a small company,
had produced some of the finest automobiles of the pre-depression period.
Total Stearns Knight production was 31,907.
Interested readers should also refer to W.O.K.R.
STARTER number 134 (Jan - Mar 1996) & number 135 (Apr - Jun 1996)
for more detailed accounts of Frank Stearns and his company.
Also check W.O.K.R. LIBRARY
for information.
Stearns Knight models can get a bit confusing, but the following
information extracted from the W.O.K.R. Roster
(with permission) can help with identification;
Stearns Knight Models & Serial Numbers
| Year |
Model |
Series |
Serial No's |
Introduction
Date |
Cyl |
Bore x Stroke |
Wheelbase |
| 1912 |
"Four" 40 28-9 |
SK-4 |
5000-5875 |
Jul 1911 |
4
|
4 1/4 x 5 1/2 |
116, 121, 127 |
| 1913 |
"Four" 40 28-9 |
SK-4 |
6000-6412 |
Jul 1912 |
4
|
4 1/4 x 5 1/2 |
116, 121, 127 |
| 1913 |
"Six" 42-8 |
SK-6 |
8000-8327 |
Aug 1912 |
6
|
4 1/4 x 5 3/4 |
134, 140 |
| 1914 |
"Four" 40 28-9 |
SK-4 |
6500-6800 |
|
4
|
4 1/4 x 5 1/2 |
116, 121, 127 |
| 1914 |
"Six" 42-8 |
SK-6 |
8328-8727 |
|
6
|
4 1/4 x 5 3/4 |
134, 140 |
| 1915 |
"Four" 40 28-9 |
SK-4 |
7000-7039 |
|
4
|
4 1/8 x 4 1/2 |
116, 121, 127 |
| 1915 |
Light 4 32 |
L-4 |
L1-L702 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
119 |
| 1915 |
"Six" 42-8 |
SK-6 |
9000-9109 |
|
6
|
4 1/4 x 5 3/4 |
134, 140 |
| 1916 |
Light 4 32 |
L-4 |
L703-L2799 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
119 |
| 1916 |
"Eight" 33 |
SK-8 |
10001-10900 |
Aug 1915 |
V 8
|
3 1/4 x 5 |
123 |
| 1917 |
Light 4 32 |
L-4 |
L2800-L4720 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
119 |
| 1917 |
"Eight" 33 |
SK-8 |
10901-12078 |
|
V 8
|
3 1/4 x 5 |
123 |
| 1918 |
Light 4 32 |
L-4 |
L4721-L5992 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
119, 125 |
| 1918 |
"Eight" 33 |
SK-8 |
12079-12404 |
|
V 8
|
3 1/4 x 5 |
123 |
| 1919 |
Light 4 32 |
L-4 |
L5993-L7433 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
125 |
| 1920 |
Light 4 32 |
L-4 |
L7434-L10467 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
125 |
| 1921 |
Light 4 32 |
L-4 |
L10468-L13197 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
125 |
| 1922 |
Light 4 32 |
L-4 |
L13198-L14693 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
125 |
| 1923 |
Light 4 32 |
L-4 |
L14694-L14932 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
125 |
| 1923 |
S |
S-6 |
S1-S1753 |
Mid 1922 |
6
|
3 3/8 x 5 |
130 |
| 1924 |
Light 4 32 |
L-4 |
L14933-L15003 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
125 |
| 1924 |
B (Big 4) |
B-4 |
B1-B1213 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
119 |
| 1924 |
S |
S-6 |
S1754-S2692 |
|
6
|
3 3/8 x 5 |
130 |
| 1925 |
B (Big 4) |
B-4 |
B1214-B1315 |
|
4
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
119 |
| 1925 |
C |
6-75 |
C1-C1249 |
Oct 1924 |
6
|
3 1/4 x 5 |
121 |
| 1925 |
S |
6-95 |
S2693-S2905 |
|
6
|
3 3/8 x 5 |
130 |
| 1925 |
S |
6-95 |
S2906-S3399 |
|
6
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
130 |
| 1926 |
B (Big 4) |
B-4 |
B1316-B1393 |
|
6
|
3 3/4 x 5 5/8 |
119 |
| 1926 |
C |
6-75 |
C1250-C1808 |
|
6
|
3 1/4 x 5 |
121 |
| 1926 |
S |
6-95 |
S3400-S4460 |
|
6
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
130 |
| 1926 |
D |
6-85 |
D1-D433 |
Sep 1926 |
6
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
137 |
| 1927 |
F |
6-85 |
F602-F1089 |
|
6
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
137 |
| 1927 |
G |
8-85 |
G1-G338 |
Jan 1927 |
8
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
137 |
| 1928 |
F |
6-85 |
F1090-F1541 |
Oct 1928 |
6
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
137 |
| 1928 |
G |
8-85 |
G339-G641 |
|
8
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
137 |
| 1928 |
H (Deluxe) |
8-90 |
H15650-H15695 |
Jan 1928 |
8
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
137 |
| 1928 |
J (Deluxe) |
8-90 |
J11650-J11772 |
Jan 1928 |
8
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
145 |
| 1928 |
M |
6-80 |
M21550-M21571 |
Apr 1928 |
6
|
3 3/8 X 4 3/4 |
126 |
| 1928 |
N |
6-80 |
N51550-N51594 |
Apr 1928 |
6
|
3 3/8 X 4 3/4 |
134 |
| 1929 |
H (Deluxe) |
8-90 |
H15696-H15976 |
|
8
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
137 |
| 1929 |
J (Deluxe) |
8-90 |
J11773-J12037 |
|
8
|
3 1/2 x 5 |
145 |
| 1929 |
M |
6-80 |
M21572-M22610 |
|
6
|
3 3/8 X 4 3/4 |
126 |
| 1929 |
N |
6-80 |
N51595-N52127 |
|
6
|
3 3/8 X 4 3/4 |
134 |
Notes: J models have H motor numbers
N models have M motor numbers
