Vehicle Description
Harry C Stutz is one of the great automotive pioneers who may be
considered among the greats such as Ettore Bugatti, Harry Miller
and the Duesenberg Brothers. A farm boy from Ohio with a natural
gift and fascination with machinery, Stutz earned a local
reputation as the boy who could fix anything. He left his home at
18 to pursue a career in engineering and quickly made a name for
himself in industry as an innovative, creative perfectionist. One
of his first forays into automobile manufacture was the design of
an engine for the American Motor Car Company's Underslung model.
Harry Stutz soon left American to form his own company, the Ideal
Motor Company, in 1911. Right from the start, Stutz saw the
importance of marketing his automobiles through racing - in fact,
the very first car that left the Indianapolis plant was delivered
straight to the track to compete in the Indianapolis 500 mile race!
That car finished 11th, suffering no mechanical issues or failures.
It earned the slogan "The car that made good in a day". Quite! One
year later, the business was renamed Stutz Motor Company. Stutz was
respected by his employees, but they knew that if a single tool was
left out of place or a work bench was left untidy after closing,
they would hear about it the next day. They strove to build the
best automobiles they could and their efforts paid off on race
tracks around the world. The Stutz was seen as one of the finest
cars money could buy. In 1919, facing a need to raise capital to
fund production, he sold a portion of his business, but quickly
grew disgusted with his lack of control over the operations and he
soon departed. Following a stock scandal, bankruptcy and another
change of ownership, Stutz Motor Company executives struck gold
when they hired an equally gifted engineer by the name of Frederic
Moscovics. Moscovics quickly refocused the floundering company and
developed the "Safety Stutz" chassis for 1926. His new chassis had
a double drop that gave a low center of gravity, excellent handling
and stability as well as a rakish look. Four wheel hydraulic brakes
were fitted as well as a worm-drive rear axle. The new "Vertical
Eight" was single overhead camshaft affair driven by a link-belt
chain, with twin-plug ignition. �In 1927 a Vertical Eight-equipped
model AA set a 24 hour speed record, averaging 68 mph over 24 hours
- it was a test that proved its worth in 1928 when a Stutz finished
2nd to the Bentley Boys at the 24 Hours of LeMans. Sales at home
remained sluggish, however, so Stutz spun off its sporty junior
models into a new range called "Black Hawk" in late 1928 in an
effort to boost sales. But like Harry Stutz before him, Moscovics
was reluctant to cheapen his cars. A six-cylinder version of the
Vertical Eight sat inside an all-new, short wheelbase frame, its
127" chassis being a marked improvement over the eight-cylinder
model's frame and featuring substantial cross-bracing. A marvel of
design and technically worlds ahead of the competition, the frame
remained the low-slung, double-drop design as before. Engine power
drove through a four-speed transmission making Black Hawk one of
only two US manufacturers at the time to have this feature. Braking
was by large Lockheed hydraulic drums on all four wheels, and a
B&K vacuum booster as seen on Duesenberg and Stutz Eight models
was offered as an option. All this proved too little too late
however, and Stutz struggled against a failing economy and buyers
who simply did not appreciate the sophisticated European design. By
1935 the doors were shut for good. Black Hawks were only in
production for a few short years, making them quite rare and highly
desirable today. This extremely handsome example wears a
rumble-seat roadster body, believed to be penned by LeBaron, who
allegedly designed and built many catalog Black Hawk bodies. The
handsome coachwork is in fine condition, having been treated to a
very high quality restoration some years back and used sparingly
since. The restoration was fully documented via a binder of photos
which is included in the sale. It is finished in a lovely light
green with contrasting black fenders and accented with dark green
wire wheels. The paint is attractive and in good order, and panel
fit is very good all around. Typical high quality detailing
includes dual tail lights, step pads for the rumble seat, chrome
mirrors, cowl lamps, trunk rack and a folding windscreen. The cabin
and rumble seat are trimmed in tan upholstery which still presents
very well thanks to the light use and careful maintenance. The
canvas top is in similarly good order and features a full
complement of side curtains and a top boot. Moscovics' incredible
overhead cam engine presents well beneath the hood, showing signs
of use but also maintenance and care. This is a very finely
restored car that remains quite attractive for both collectors and
driving enthusiasts. We feel this Black Hawk would be an
outstanding tour car thanks to its superlative overhead cam engine,
four-speed gearbox and world-class chassis. Few American cars could
compete with the level of performance and driveability the Stutz
Black Hawk offered in period and this is an excellent opportunity
to experience that performance today. � .