Nobody can forget the first time they saw a Sterling—your editor included. I came across one at a car show sponsored by the Association of Handcrafted Automobiles decades ago, back when it was held at Knotts’ Berry Farm, and was stunned by its lithe lines and lift-off canopy. The styling still captivates today.

For those with similar reactions to this evergreen design, here’s an opportunity to own the company and tooling. According to Dave Aliberti, current owner of the company, the Sterling is the most successful component car in the world. Sold globally for over 40 years under different names depending on the country in which it was offered, it has also been known as the NOVA, Eureka, Puma, and Eagle. 

Currently Aliberti ships replacement and performance parts all over the world. Based in the United States, he has sold parts to customers in Europe, Italy, Spain, France, Australia, Amsterdam, South Africa, and South America.

“We make and assemble a kit of parts for car builders and customizers to build their own Sterlings,” he says. “Customers have the option of adding our bodies to a classic VW chassis or using our mid-engine tubular chassis.”

Aliberti’s chassis is designed to hold a variety of engine options, including electric motors and batteries. The company ships many tube chassis to existing owners of classic Sterlings and other similar component cars as a retrofit. This company can be run as a home-based business or as full manufacturing operation, depending on your skill set and sales growth goals. It has taken years to build this company to its current level, and Aliberti says he will train the new owners for this global business and provide a business operations binder.

Included with the sale of the Sterling Sports Car Company is a full set of body molds (said to be interchangeable with all other versions sold worldwide), interior molds, hardware, wiring, tubular chassis, and engineering plans for manufacturing. Along with that is a list of 550 current global customers served by Sterling, plus a list of new potential customers who are interested in building their own hand-built Sterlings. The new owners can have the current fiberglass shop continue to make the parts or move parts production to a local shop or their own shop. 

Other manufacturing options include a rolling chassis and the plans for making tubular chassis, including suspension, brakes, and shocks supplier contracts. The new owner can have the current chassis shop continue to make the frames or move parts production to a local shop or their own shop. The classic VW donor chassis will also fit the Sterling body.

Other assets are available, such as website, hosting and web design software, the online web store with integrated QuickBooks parts supply and pricing sheets, along with a contract for discounts from over 500 performance parts suppliers. The current owner will train new owners. This business is currently running and must continue to run during transition to new ownership. Sterling Sports Cars is offered at $139,000, based on similarly structured companies.