1916 Stutz Model 4F Bulldog

The Stutz Model 4F was available with six body styles, the most famous of which was the bearcat. All Model 4Fs had the 4-cylinder, 390 cubic-inch T-head engine producing over 60 bhp at only 1500 RPM. The Stutz Bulldog has a top speed of around 80 mph - a good speed for such a small touring car from 1916. The publicity that surrounded the famous Bearcat race team with legendary driver Barney Oldfield helped boost sales of these Stutz Bulldogs. Apart from the four-seat configuration, this car is virtually identical to its racier relation.

This Bulldog chassis is the only surviving example of the model and has never been restored. No stranger to auto shows, this Model 4F took part in the first Antique Auto Show in New York City in 1948.

The Stutz Model 4-F was available in six body styles with the most memorable being the legendary Bearcat. All Model 4-F's rested on a 118-inch wheelbase and were powered by a 16-valve T-head four-cylinder engine that displaced 390 cubic inches. The engine had a 4.75-inch bore and a 5.5-inch stroke and was rated 38.1 horsepower by the NACC formula, but it really produced at least 60 horsepower at only 1500 RPM. There was a three-speed manual transaxle and two-wheel mechanical drum brakes. The other body styles available on the Model 4-F include a roadster, coupe, Bulldog, Sedan, and a five-passenger Touring car. The suspension was live axles with semi-elliptical leaf springs and Westinghouse spring shackles.

The Bearcat cars and the success of the famed 'White Squadron' racing team of Gil Anderson, Earl Cooper, Howdy Wilcox, and Barney Oldfield had sales go from just 266 cars in 1911-1912, to 1,079 in 1915.

The Bulldog chassis, sharing the same platform as the rest of the Model 4-F cars, had four doors and seating for four. They had full windshields, full folding top, and side curtains, and offered performance in a practical and comfortable package

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2010