To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' The Guyton
Collection event, 4 - 5 May 2019.
Estimate:
$120,000 - $160,000
- The sole surviving example on the potent Speedway Six
chassis
- Formerly owned by Joe Folladori; part of the collection since
1994
- Well-preserved restoration by marque specialist Paul
Freehill
- Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Senior Premier and Emeritus
prize winner
- Featured in Beverly Rae Kimes' seminal tome The Classic
Car
In 1924 Indianapolis automaker Stutz introduced its first all-new
engine since the company's origins in 1911. True to the firm's
performance heritage, the Speedway Six was an overhead-valve, 80-hp
design, driving a robustly constructed chassis with what were, for
the time period, excellent brakes. "The Speedway Six had more
horses than most prestige cars with two more cylinders," noted
Beverly Rae Kimes in her 1990 book, The Classic Car. "It was, in
the Harry Stutz idiom, a magnificent masculine brute of a car."
Perhaps the most desirable style was the five-passenger Sportster,
a dashing and dramatic body style, with a truly jaunty appearance,
worthy of the name. The Sportster shown here is the only example
remaining in existence. In late 1987 it was acquired from Jim Shaw
of Terre Haute, Indiana, by the late Joe Folladori of Indianapolis,
a well-respected collector famous for his extravagant collection of
award-winning automobiles. While owned by Mr. Folladori, the Stutz
received a frame-off restoration by the late marque specialist,
Paul Freehill. It was awarded its CCCA Senior Premier badge, no.
1384, in 1989, and was featured the following year in Ms. Kimes'
The Classic Car. "Following restoration," quoth Mr. Folladori, "I
discovered this Speedway Six to be a really fine driver with plenty
of power and good brakes. Stutz engineered a good car." Mr.
Folladori proved his point by driving the car reliably from coast
to coast across the U.S. in the Atlantic Reliability Tour.
When Mr. Folladori decided to part with his automobiles in 1994,
the Sportster was acquired for his friend Fred F. Guyton's
collection, where it has now resided for a quarter-century. It was
most recently shown in 2011, at the Pebble Beach Concours
d'Elegance and at the Stutz Centennial Celebration, where it was
judged Best Early Stutz.
Today the restoration is older, with a fine patina throughout, but
would still detail well for local showing and has a very authentic
appearance in its bright Chrome Yellow and black. The interior is
in well-fitted black leather, with clear and attractive gauges set
into a beautifully varnished wooden dashboard. Both the serial
number and engine number plates remain original, in an engine
compartment that would require only detailing. At the time of
cataloguing, the car had recorded 27,391 miles.
This is a truly Splendid Stutz, representing the best of the famous
marque's engineering and styling talents.To view this car and
others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM
website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/gc19.