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STUTZ

a brief overview

The Stutz motor car was a product of Indianapolis, America. The first cars to use the name were actually racing vehicles and made by the Ideal Motor Car Company from 1911 to 1913. The name of the Company being changed to The Stutz Motor Car Co in 1913.

Harry C. Stutz was born in 1876 and his most famous passenger automobile has to be "The Bearcat Speedster" of 1914, this is undoubtedly the best known of American Sports cars to those interested in older vehicles, the younger generation would no doubt answer the Chevrolet Corvette or Shelby Cobra.

The Bearcat consisted of a low slung chassis fitted with a large slow revving proprietary engine (made by Wisconsin), this produced around 60 brake horse power at only 1500 revolutions per minute. The rest of the car consisted of just a bonnet, wings, steering column, a couple of bucket seats and a fuel tank. The 3 speed gearbox was within the rear axle and made by Stutz, this basically comprised the complete car.

This car was most popular among is contemporaries even when taking its high purchase price into consideration, its magic was no doubt boosted by the successes of the overhead cam 16 valve racing cars manufactured by the firm. It greatest rival at the time would have been the Mercer, famous for its raceabout.

In the early 1920`s Stutz commenced making their own power units , a side valve 4 cylinder which gave around 88 bhp and a six cylinder ohv unit producing 75 bhp. This was modified to give 80 bhp in the Speed Six of 1924.

1926 saw a change of management, Paul Bastien who had been responsible for the 2 litre Metallurgique was produced the model AA. This was a fast touring car in the European mode with a 4.7 litre straight eight single ohv camshaft, dual ignition with two plugs per cylinder. In American tradition it still had a 3 speed gearbox but with excellent hydraulic brakes. Fitted with the new safety glass it was advertised as "The Safety Stutz". For 1927 the engine capacity was increased to 4.9 litres.

The monochrome picture is of the 1933 Special Saloon type EB with English Coachwork and interior trimmed in the finest leather or cloth to customers choice. Powered by an SV16 Stutz 8 cylinder ohv engine with a displacement of 322.1 cubic inches. three speed synchromesh gearbox and with the option of a free wheel. Rear axle was Timkin worm drive. Four wheel hydraulic internal expanding brakes with B.K. variable vacuum brake assistor as standard. Customers could have a choice of chassis lengths, either 134½ or 145 inches. This car was available in England through the Companies Sole Concessionaires, Warwick Wright Ltd of 150 New Bond Street, London W.1.

With the years of the great depression sales fell and a cheaper rage of cars were produced, called Black Hawks not Stutz. 1931 saw the top of the range upmarket DV32 (dual valve), this was to compete with the multi cylinder models now being offered by the likes of Lincoln, Cadillac etc. Unfortunately the market for expensive high quality automobiles had all but gone and Stutz suffered the fate of so many other great names, by 1935 it ceased to exist