1933 Stutz DV-32 Monte Carlo

This car was previously a part of the Nethercutt Collections, Harrah Collection, and Ruger Collection. The coachwork is by Weymann. Chassis number DV-54-1559 exhibits several design and styling features that are not known to have been used on other DV-32 Monte Carlos. Most prominently, rather than meeting a traditional cowl, the hoodline is raised slightly and has been extended back all of the way over the firewall to the windshield, creating a so-called 'false hood' design similar to that famously used by Raymond Dietrich on Individual Custom Packards of the era. In 1959, the car was acquired from its earliest known owner, Melvin M. Bailey of Wichita, Kansas, by J.B. Nethercutt. Lightweight, powerful, and perfectly designed, the DV-32 Monte Carlo is quite simply the ultimate 1930s sports sedan - and this car, one of only two aluminum-paneled examples, is the ultimate DV-32 Monte Carlo.

Stutz was known as 'the car that made good in a day' referring to its success at the 1911 Indianapolis 500. By 1933, not to mention the second-place showing at the 1929 Le Mans, Stutz showed it was not only capable of producing fine sporting cars, but was able to deliver superior high-end luxury automobiles.

Stutz's DV-32 began with the original Stutz Vertical Eight that debuted in 1926. With limited resources, the company had to make do with this engine by continuous upgrading. The last iteration of this engine featured dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, hence the Dual-Valve 32 or DV-32. This 322 c.i. engine produced 156 horsepower and was mated to a three-speed transmission.

Only about 200 examples of the DV-32 were produced.

The Stutz DV-32 was available with both factory-built and semi-custom bodies, among them 'Chateau Line' offerings by Indianapolis's Weymann American Body Company, American licensees of the French Weymann body-construction method. Charles Weymann designed a method of using layers of cotton batting and fabric over a hardwood inner structure. It was then given an outer layer of colored Zapron synthetic leather rather than metal. The bodies were flexible, lightweight, and quiet. The Monte Carlo, available on the Chateau Line, was a five-passenger sport sedan with a low roofline and windows and a fully integrated luggage compartment within a curving tail.

Stutz offered the Monte Carlo on the DV-32 chassis from 1931 through to 1933. Shortly after production began, a new variant of Monte Carlos were offered with more resilient aluminum. In modern times, only two Monte Carlos survive on the last and most-developed 1933 DV-32 chassis. Both examples are aluminum-bodied. One example was donated by William Abbott to the Classic Car Club of America Museum, where it currently resides. This particular example, chassis number DV-54-1559, is the second example.

This Stutz DV-32 Monte Carlo, the only aluminum-bodied 1933 Weymann car, was delivered to one of Stutz's wealthy clients in 1933. The listed sales price was between $6475 and $8675, a virtual fortune in those days. The aluminum-bodied car was a $1,500 option. Stutz's long-standing association with racing is evidenced by its development of the DV-32 line. This 332 cubic-inch displacement engine, with its dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, and hemispherical combustion chambers producing approximately 160 horsepower, is a true engineering marvel. This Monte Carlo features a three-speed synchromesh transmission, Vacuum-assisted power brakes, and thermostatically controlled hood louvers. These features, plus its well-appointed interior, make this car a true icon of automobile manufacturing.

This car has several styling and design features not known to have been used on other DV-32 Monte Carlos. The hoodline is raised slightly and has been extended back, traveling back over the firewall to the windshield. It has a lowered roofline, a low-slung chassis, and an extended hood.

This Stutz was acquired by its earliest known owner, Melvin M. Bailey of Wichita, Kansas, by J.B. Nethercutt. The car was sold to Bill Harrah, and it would remain in his collection until 1978, the year of Mr. Harrah's death. It was in short-term ownership in the American West before passing into the care of William Ruger Sr. It stayed in his care for many years before passing to his son, William Jr., for whom it was restored by Fran Roxas in the early 2000s. Upon completion, it was displayed at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it received a class award.

This car was at one part of the Nethercutt, Harrah, Ruger, and Mitchell Collections before joining the Nicola Bulgari Collection in 2015.