1920 Stutz Series H Bearcat

Soon after Harry C. Stutz completed building the prototype Bearcat racer, it was entered in the 1911 inaugural Indianapolis 500 race. The untested car did rather well, finishing the race and beating many established brands, earning the Stutz the slogan 'The Car That Made Good In A Day'.

The Bearcat was first offered to the public in 1912 and was essentially a road-worthy version of the highly successful Stutz racers that followed the original Indy car. The Bearcat featured a 'monocle' round glass windscreen - only for the driver - buck seats and no convertible top. They were constructed around an underslung chassis, ensuring a lower center of gravity and good handling characteristics due to their lightweight design. In early form, the car was powered by a Wisconsin T-head engine. The engine was later replaced by a Stutz-built, sixteen-valve, four-cylinder unit that was based heavily on Stutz's racing experience. The Stutz 'White Squadron' racers were powered by a similar engine featuring four valves per cylinder.

To cope with the more powerful engine, Stutz added a heavier chassis and modern coachwork. The wheelbase was still light and short, measuring 120 inches, with the center of gravity being 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.

Chassis no. 5067
This car was owned for many years by Valentine of Vermont. Valentine located this car in Michigan and purchased it because of its authenticity and completeness. The body was in need of repairs to metal and woodwork, its original light-gauge short Stutz Bearcat frame was complete, original, and unmodified. Soon after the purchase, the Bearcat was treated to a nearly two-decade-long restoration by Tom Bachelor, who is currently the owner of this car.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2014