[EDDIE STERLING]

HI GUYS IM NEW TO THIS SITE AND WAS READING ABOUT MY UNCLE MAX STERLING AND HIS 61 VENTURA AND 62 CATALINA SD CARS, AS YOU KNOW HE SOLD THE 61 AROUND 1968 AND BOUGHT THE 62 IN 1964 HE STILL HAS THE 62 STORED AWAY NEXT TO HIS 1971 FIREBIRD FORMULA 455 HO WHITE LIGHTING CAR THAT HE ORDERED FROM THE FACTORY BRAND NEW AND HAS ONLY 7 MILES ON IT THAT I WILL BE GETTING SOON. ALSO THE 61 IS NOW NOT TO FAR FROM ME WHERE I LIVE NOW IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND IS A COMPLETE BASKET CASE WITH EVERYTHING TAKEN OFF OF IT INCLUDING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, WHAT A SHAME THAT SOMEONE DID THIS TOO THAT CAR BUT THE OWNER OF THE CAR NOW IS GOING TO TRY TOO RESTORE IT BACK TO THE WHITE LIGHTING YEARS. AND ALSO MY UNCLE MAX STILL LIVES AROUND THE LAUREL MARYLAND AREA.

[EDDIE STERLING]

HI GUYS AGAIN, SORRY I TYPED THE NAME WRONG BUT I WAS IN A HURRY TO PICKUP MY WIFE FROM WORK. IT IS WHITE LIGHTNING, I REMEMBER AS A YOUNG KID IN THE 60s AND 70s GOING WITH HIM TO THE DRAGSTRIP AND WATCHING HIM RUN ALL THREE WHITE LIGHTNING CARS. DONT TELL MY UNCLE MAX I CALLED IT WHITE LIGHTING I WILL NEVER GET THE CAR. THANKS, EDDIE

[EDDIE STERLING]

HEY DOUG IM MAXS' NEPHEW AND I REMEMBER HIM RACING ALL OF HIS OLD WHITE LIGHTNING CARS, HE STILL HAS HIS 62 SD AND HIS 71 FORMULA 455 HO WHITE LIGHTNING CARS, COULD YOU GIVE ME THE SITE TO FIND THAT PICTURE I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE IT AND I CANT SEEM TO FIND IT.
THANKS,
EDDIE STERLING
Originally posted by Doug Fain:
Hey Don;
Thanks for the info on Max's '61. By the way he did race a 62-SD for a while. If you "Google" Max Sterling there is a website that has an old photo of him coming off at (I believe) Old Dominion. Our '61 was also not an original SD. It started life as a 425A-348HP. I picked up the bumpers from Dick Jesse (there's a story there too)and various other SD equipment, such as the heads, etc. from all around the East coast. In '68 we held Max and his car in high regard because our class was loaded. We were running against Olds 4-4-2's, Road Runners, '57 vettes and the new Z-28 Camaros. We were capable of holding our own against all of them (actually the 4-4-2's and Road Runners were pretty pathetic) but the Z-28 was a quick car. Then in mid-season Chev. announced a new set of heads and cam package that put the Z-28 over the top. It wasn't long before they had the E.T. record down in the 12.4-12.5 range, but Max's MPH record held for most of the season. Thanks agin for all the interesting info. Would love to see the picture when you can post it. Now here's another memory tweaker. How many out there saw Fred Borcherdt's '57 F.I. Chieftain run at Cecil County? I saw it a couple of times and it definitely was impressive. He had a manual timing advance/retard system that really helped out on the top end. Nice car[/QUOTE]

[sd dave]

Hi All If you want to see the 62 Sd of Max's and the 71 Car go back to page 4 of the posting and you will see them.I posted them on the site about a week ago.How I came about them is from Max himself, gave them to me.Thought you would like to see them.

[tom s]

I think Dave will come on and verify that it turns out that there was not enough of the Sterling car left to restore after Don Miller chopped it up to finish his car.Its a shame that a car with so much racing history was destroyed.Tom

[sd dave]

Well Here's the final story about the 61 white lightning of Max Sterling after several week of asking questions and checking out several tall tales about who did WHAT to the original car, asking several people that have all been mention just WHAT they did to it. I am now saying without a doubt that the original White Lightning will NEVER Strike Again !!
End of Story.

[Steve Barcak]

Sd Dave, What is your proof that the 61 White Lightning is dead? I have information to the contrarary. A friend in Prescott, Az told me he has it and is restoring it. I have seen the car in his shop. I'm not an expert on this car but, my friend is not a BSer. He's a hard core Ford guy and he will be displaying some extremely exotic Ford stuff at my race/ show "Musclecar Heaven Drags & More #2" here in Phx in 3 weeks. He also likes and appreciates 61 Pontiacs. He'll be there to answer some questions. I am supplying some parts from my yard for the restoration of the car. Steve www.pontiacheaven.org

[sd dave]

Enough is enough with all these lies about these car's I purchased what I thought was the real car from Scott about a month ago he thought or should I say was told that he purchased the real 61 of Max's but after I picked the car up and took it into Phoenix and did some research Max told me special things about the real car that he would only know I can again say that the real car is GONE! Scott should have spent more time checking out what he bought like I did.I talked to don pontiac who owned the original car and group of previously mention people. Max and I know for a fact that all that Scott has of the real car is the original trim tag,a cut up frame and a door pannel and possibly the drivers door NOW would you call that the White Lightning car!I sure as hell would not. a couple parts maybe. I would suggest that you talk to Scott! All I can say is I am POSITIVE in my answer NOT like a lot of other people who I will not mention, manage to streach the truth about a lot of these old race cars.These outright lies are going to stop! keep in mind there is NO ONE more disappointed that ME about this whole deal.

[This message was edited by Ccass on March 16, 2004 at 12:38 PM.]

[DF368]

About 10 weeks ago I started this thread with a simple inquiry as to the whereabouts of Max Sterling and his '61 "White Lightning". I never for a minute thought that I would get so much interest in a car that ran 35-36 years ago. Thanks DonPontiac, SD Dave and everyone for keeping this topic going. I'm sorry that the car ended up being parted out. It deserved better. Thanks everyone for showing so much interest. It was fun. Keep racin'.

[donpontiac]

doug, indeed this has been an interesting topic. but don't stop tuning in. after recently talking to max(md), dave(ca) and scott(az), believe me, there is more to come. a TON of money has been spent on this car in just the last couple years. unfortunately for certain parties, somewhere along the line it was apparently represented as a super duty car (wich it is not). but i DO believe the car will live again with the original number plate and title. how much of the rest of the original car will or does survive is at best uncertain. but i believe the most important thing to concider is that the car WILL exist in some form, and the legacy it and it's original driver/owner has left behind is undeniable. someday, if we are both lucky, we'll see a super clean 61 bubble top ventura on a showfield and after learning from the old guy in the lawnchair behind the car that it's the "white lightning car" you and i will know if he's legit when he tells his story. don

[sd dave]

Ya know I am the guy that's been through this whole deal with this Max Sterling 61 race car,
and I can tell you this, I am sick and tired or reading all this s--t. DONT you think for one minute that I did not spend a lot of time thinking if I would go ahead and restore what was left of the original car but lets talk about that, what was left, the frame in 6 pieces which I have a photo of, one piece of the rear inner trim pannel one door and I think Don somebody has out back behind the barn the trunk lid.
NOW Here is the part that you all (and I think you guys know who you are) IF you change the VIN tag and re stamp numbers from one body & frame to another I KNOW that is against the LAW
NOW anyone who wants to step up and admit that, I am sure as hell DONT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So as the sun set in the old west I can put my feet up on the porch rail and know I made the right decision.

[J Brady]

Went to Norwalk in about 1995. a 62 grand Prix was their that was suppose to be one of only a few 421 SD cars. If you knew anything about the SD cars it was quite obvious that it was not an original. I dont see anything wrong with a retag if it is represented as that, but to claim that it is the real thing is a different story!

[sd dave]

Just another logical answer!! About maybe 15 people in the country know a real SD car from a fake. What we are talking about here is the vin tags and the trim tag here, changing them is ILLEGAL people are doing it, and are trying to pass them of as something that they are not. How would you like it if this happen to you, all we are saying is BEWARE of this. If someone is admitting it's a clone car anyway why go through all this, for what! As for seeing a nicely restored old race car that's cool, everyone enjoys that.Well what's next?

[tom s]

how can you tell a rebody car in 62 or 63?What do you look for.ALL 61s were clone cars so a lot harder to catch a rebody job.Tom

[Brian Baker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by j brady:
Went to Norwalk in about 1995. a 62 grand Prix was their that was suppose to be one of only a few 421 SD cars. If you knew anything about the SD cars it was quite obvious that it was not an original. I dont see anything wrong with a retag if it is represented as that, but to claim that it is the real thing is a different story! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Was that Gartzman's car? I understand that was a "rebody" or "retag" job. The restorer that restored it made a statement in a Pontiac publication a few years ago about restamping engine blocks and how he viewed it as "ok" for a "correct" restoration, to which he later stated that he was "misquoted" and/or "misunderstood".

There's alot of this that goes on in the restoration business, not just with Pontiacs. Corvette's are probably the worst.

[trans am ed]

i lve about 3 miles from p.j. heck if anyone would like to see pictures of his white 62, of blue tubed 62 let me know. ed

[61man]

I'd like to see them,

[trans am ed]

P..Hecks 62

[trans am ed]

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[trans am ed]

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