1917 Stutz Bearcat Roadster

The Stutz Bearcat was first offered to the public in 1912. It was a radically designed sports car that was essentially a road-worthy version of the highly successful Stutz racers that competed in the 1911 inaugural Indianapolis 500 race. They had just two bucket seats and no convertible top or windshield. They were constructed around a low-slung chassis, ensuring a lower center of gravity and good handling characteristics.

Power was initially provided by a Wisconsin T-head engine; it was eventually replaced by a Stutz-built, sixteen-valve, four-cylinder engine. With the more advanced motor, an improved car was needed. Stutz responded with a heavier chassis to cope with the additional power. They retained a short and light 120-inch chassis, however, the center of gravity was moved even lower by placing the tank down low in the rear, with a rear deck fitted to hold a couple of raked spares in racing fashion.

This particular Bearcat model is an early second-series model. It was given a thorough restoration in the early 1960s and, upon completion, was awarded an AACA First Prize award at Hershey. It later became part of the Crawford Collection at the Western Reserve Historical Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Sometimes, in the 1980s, it returned to a private collection and was used sparingly over that time.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2017