Vehicle Description
One of the early American automobile industry's most colourful and
skilled personalities, Harry C. Stutz built his first horseless
carriage, nicknamed "Old Hickory," in 1898 at age 22, followed by
another by 1900 powered by a single-cylinder engine he designed and
built. Following stints with auto parts, tire, and carburetor
companies, Stutz and two partners established the American Motor
Car Company, where Stutz designed and built his first production
model. Just a year later, Stutz joined the Marion Motor Car Company
in Indianapolis, where he served as chief engineer and plant
manager. There, Stutz began racing the cars he engineered, and he
introduced such innovations as four-shoe drum brakes and an
innovative transaxle design. Following the takeover of Marion by
Willys in 1908, Stutz left in 1910 to establish the Stutz Auto
Parts Company and the Ideal Motor Car Company in 1911, where Stutz
conceived his vision for a top-quality American sports car costing
less than $2,000 - one capable of taking on the world's finest
competitors. The first Stutz car bearing his name was rightly
celebrated as "the car that made good in a day" by finishing the
inaugural - and punishing - Indianapolis '500' just days after it
was built. Following this outstanding performance, Stutz cars sold
well and earned an enviable reputation and rising demand for their
durability and fierce performance, exemplified by the Bearcat. A
plant expansion and a planned switch to Stutz-designed engines was
financed with a stock offering and a financier eventually gained
control of the company, prompting Stutz to sell and leave his own
company by 1919 to produce a new car, the H.C.S. However, the
momentum of Stutz's early leadership and his engineering prowess
continued to profoundly influence the company's products through
the late 1910s and early 1920s, with the Series K of 1921-1922
being the last Stutz models to share many characteristics with the
famed Bearcat, including a big 361 cubic-inch, T-head 4-cylinder
engine rated at 80 horsepower, on a 10-inch longer wheelbase
chassis. Right-hand drive was utilized, same as the Bearcat.
Roomier, more elaborate, yet lightweight bodywork and repositioning
of the shift lever to the interior were the only substantive
differences from the Bearcat. Fast, nimble, and reliable, the Model
K and its Bearcat-derived predecessors of 1915-1920 rank among the
rarest "Nickel Era" cars for today's collectors who like to drive,
as well as appreciate, their historic automobiles. Alternatively
known as the "Bulldog," this 1921 Stutz Model K 4-passenger Touring
car is one of very few authentic examples of these decidedly
sporting motorcars remaining in existence today. According to known
history, it continues to benefit from the enthusiastic ownership of
noted Stutz collector Don Short, who is understood to have
purchased the car in the 1940s, going on to retain it for the next
six decades until his eventual passing in the early 2000s. More
recently, the Bulldog was freshened cosmetically and mechanically,
including an exterior refinish in Ochre with correct Black fenders,
selective interior reupholstery, and installation of a correct new
folding top. Choice accents include a correct rear-mounted luggage
trunk and dual rear-mounted spares, which very nicely complement
the Bulldog's flowing, close-coupled body style. A Stutz cloisonne
emblem, Stutz-logo Moto Meter, and Stutz drum-type headlamps adorn
the front end of the vehicle. Useful instrumentation includes a
period Warner speedometer, correct black wall tires surround proper
Buffalo wire-spoke wheels sporting Stutz-logo hub caps, black
painted spokes, and polished rims Recent detailing upholds its
wonderful condition and appearance. Rightly recognized by the CCCA
as a Full Classic� automobile, this powerful and desirable Stutz
Bulldog is simply an ideal Nickel Era touring car that will be
welcomed at the Glidden Tour and a wide array of enjoyable AACA,
CCCA, and VMCCA events. Offers welcome and trades considered For
additional details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7069-1921-stutz-series-k-bulldog-touring/