1931 Stutz Model DV-32 Convertible Victoria

As many automakers began using large V12 and V16 engines, Stutz decided to stick with their 322 cubic-inch former BB engine, which had been designed by the dean of the Stutz engineering department, Charles 'Pop' Greuter, who gave it double overhead camshafts and angled valves above hemispherical combustion chambers. In this guise, the four valves per cylinder earned it the 'DV32' name. The engine offered 125 horsepower, or about the same horsepower-per-cubic-inch ratio of the Model J Duesenberg. The gearbox was a four-speed unit built by Duesenberg's supplier, Warner.

The DV32 was capable of 80 mph, even with the heaviest formal coachwork on the longest chassis. Sadly, only about 200 examples were delivered before the company succumbed to the Great Depression.

For three decades, Rollston Company of New York City was Manhattan's most prestigious coachbuilder. Their portfolio was diverse and encompassed everything from fleet roadsters to very large town cars. Their work was done to very high standards focusing on build quality, with equally impressive price tags.

The five-passenger convertible victoria was originally developed in Europe in the early 1920s and popularized in the United States by Waterhouse and, later, Rollston, who continued producing it after Waterhouse folded. The style was distinguished by a formal top with no rear quarter windows, providing a sheltered perch for rear seat passengers when the top was raised. When lowered, the top would lie flat into a scooped 'notch' behind the doors. Other design elements included a lowered windscreen and side windows.

This Rollston Convertible Victoria is the second of seven built on the Stutz chassis. It was displayed at the Chicago Auto Show of 1931. In the 1960s, the original SV16 engine was replaced by the more desirable DV32 unit, after which the car spent many years in the well-known collection of Bill Harrah. It was eventually acquired from Harrah's Automobile Collection by Knox Kershaw. The present owner acquired it from Mr. Kershaw in the early 1990s.

The owner undertook an exhaustive, high-quality nut-and-bolt restoration to concours levels, which was completed in the early 1990s. After the work was completed, it was shown at several events, including the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1994, where it was awarded Second in Class. In 2000, it was shown at the California Grand Classic of the Classic Car Club of America, where it was judged at 100 points.

The car is finished in pale blue with dark red beltlines and a black top. The interior is upholstered in dark red leather. There are Ryanlite headlights and the famous 'Ra' headlamps.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2014