Nick writes, "Mama and I have been in the battery business here in Idaho since 1963. Before that my wife Jo put 20 years in at the Idaho First National Bank. I put three years in the USMC from 56 to 59 and then 3 years at the Ada County Sheriff's Office and then a short stint at Boise Jr. College..."
Traci (seated) is Vice President of Sterling Battery Company. Shannon (far right) and her husband Jim have recently joined Nick, Jo and Traci in the family battery business.
Business took me to Vancouver, CA with the opportunity to stop along the way and visit with the Sterlings, the owners of Faulkner when it used to be "The P". Nick met me at my motel, and took me on a grand tour of Boise town and environs. The natural beauty of Idaho simply blew me away.
Nick also gave me the cook's tour of his plant, where Traci and I met for the first time, along with Shannon's husband Jim. Nick also showed me the fenced area out back where "The P" once stood. I thought about how his misfortune with the vandals resulted in a happy ending for "The P" (and for me!), but also in this encounter between strangers, bound by common affection for a piece of classic Americana...
Next, on to Nick's home where I met Jo and Shannon. I was greeted like family! And then off to dinner where the Sterlings treated me to fine fare and great conversation.
And then back to Nick's house, for more stories, pictures, and laughter. Soon it was time to leave, and I wondered where the hours had gone... And we parted ways, no longer strangers, but now friends indeed.
A cherished gift, a Sterling Battery beer mug emblazoned with the Marine Corps emblem and the words, "Sterling Battery Company: All our Competitors are Bastards"
Recently, Robert Austin Jr. from the Forward Look Facebook group shared with me some photos of the Hessing-Thurber dealership, where Faulkner was sold to David Sterling. Robert also has an old sign for Hessing that is now affixed to his garage door. And, he also has a dealer-installed trunk emblem for Hessing-Thurber! I hope to receive a good quality photo of the emblem from Robert, so that I can attempt to reproduce it.
Looks like a '59 Plymouth wagon on the lot. I'll take it! Is that a '57 or '58 next to it?A '60 on the used car lot! Robert says the picture was taken about 1961. What's to the left of it?
Neat pictures Dan! I love how you know so much history of Faulkner. Do you know what the address or cross roads these were taken at? I would love to compare the "then" photos to what google street view is like now.
I just googled the dealership name and found a thread Dan that you had posted on (city-data.com) and answered the address question haha. Any luck reproducing the dealer emblem?
Will, I had a subsequent conversation with Robert Austin (who supplied the photos) - these were taken at the used car lot at Capitol Blvd and Idaho Street (You can see the capitol in one shot). According to my invoice, the dealership itself was at 1109 Idaho, which puts it at 11th and Idaho. Post some pix if you find 'em!
A Christmas miracle! Someone happened to see my post on the Boise community forum, asking about a Hessing-Thurber deck lid medallion. He had removed one years ago from a car he no longer owns. I shared with him Faulkner's story, and he decided the medallion belonged with me! We negotiated the price, and today the piece is mine:
Soon to be placed on Faulkner's deck. I'm a lucky man!
Faulkner's been in hibernation - in a rental garage, some miles from home - while Martha received a wiring transplant. The operation was a success! And today, I brought Faulkner home, after several months.
A cheesy video - blame the photographer. But Faulkner ran like a champ, after nearly a year in storage!Faulkner waits patiently to reclaim his throne, after Martha gets kicked outTo the curb, Martha!Faulkner ensconced, back where he belongsBanished to the driveway, again......but this time, sporting a freshly painted dash and steering wheel, and all new wiring!
Faulkner is really looking sharp in that fresh bronze paint & Martha is cute as a button and the fresh paint on the dash and white steering wheel look great!
Riding shotgun in Faulkner is still one of my favorite memories of Carlisle last year! Glad to see him out and about.
