1920 Stutz Series H

Harry C. Stutz was born in 1876 and grew up on the family farm, where he often helped repair their farm equipment. This led to a fascination with engines, and in 1897, he built his first car; soon after, he began designing and creating engines. The Stutz Company, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, introduced its first production vehicle in 1911. The vehicle, after only five months of design and build, was immediately entered in the inaugural Indianapolis 500-mile race, where it captured an 11th-place finish. Not bad for its first vehicle and first race. Throughout the company's life span, it would endure good and bad times. The Stutz Company was in production during World War I and the Great Depression, both responsible for negatively affecting Industry.

Stutz will be forever remembered for their Bearcat model, a vehicle produced until 1925 (reintroduced in 1931). This pure-bred race car had an aggressive and masculine stance; the interior lacked luxury and amenities. With its high-revving straight 8-cylinder overhead camshaft engine and lightweight construction, the vehicle was poised to compete in national and international competitions.

In 1919, Harry Stutz was forced by stockholders to leave his company. In 1922, Charles Schwab was given control of the company. In 1925, Schwab gave control of the company to Frederick Moskovics. Moskovic planned to revitalize the company by shifting the priorities from racing to producing luxurious automobiles. This did not mean that the company was to abandon its racing heritage, rather, Moskovics wanted to expand its racing prowess by entering International competition. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a grueling endurance battle that tests stamina, speed, and durability. In 1928 a Stutz Series BB Black Hawk Speedster, driven by Edouard Brisson and Robert Bloch, was entered in the French LeMans race. The vehicle did well, leading for most of the race. Halfway through the 22nd hour, the gearbox broke on the Stutz, and a Bentley 4.5-liter was able to secure a first-place finish. The Stutz was second, the best an American car had ever placed in this prestigious race.

The Stutz Bear Cat
The first public announcement of the 'Bear Cat' (as it was spelled) was in the 1912 program for the Indianapolis 500-mile race. The production Bearcat arrived with the Series A of 1912, and the Series E of 1913 had electric lights and a starter. The utilitarian doorless body style would continue through 1916. The Series S Bearcat of 1917 rested on a 120-inch wheelbase with an enclosed cockpit with step-over sides. Beneath the bonnet was a new Stutz-designed 360 cubic inch, 16 valve four-cylinder engine with heat-treated nickel crank and camshafts. The mid-1919 Series H was distinguished by its cut-down sides which made entering and exiting the vehicle much easier. The 1921 Series K was equipped with a new 'DH' engine with a detachable head.

The Bearcat name was absent from the 1922 model list and sales literature, returning in 1923 in the form of a roadster, but would return to retirement in 1924. Hoping to boost sales during the Great Depression, the name returned in 1931 on the DV-32 as a coupe with dual side-mounted spare tires and a dip in the doors. The name soldiered on for two years, ending in 1933, its final farewell being the 'Super Bearcat,' which had higher performance and full-weather production.

The Stutz marque ended production in 1934.

The 1920 Stutz Series H
The 1920 Stutz Series H bearcat with seating for two passengers rested on a 120-inch wheelbase and was priced at $3,250. The Roadster and Tourer (offered with 4/5 and 6/7 seating) rested on the 130-inch wheelbase with the Roadster priced at $3,250 and the Tourer at $3,350. Power was from a four-cylinder 360.8 cubic-inch T-head, sixteen-valve engine with twin spark ignition offering 80 horsepower. It had a three-speed manual transaxle and two-wheel mechanical drum brakes. The suspension was comprised of semi-elliptic leaf springs with a solid front and live rear axle.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2012