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#Pic_A_Day (1603) @AlMachFineArt - 1927 Stutz Series AA "Blackhawk Speedster"

1927 Stutz Series AA "Blackhawk Speedster"
Coachwork in the style of LeBaron
Chassis no. AAR584425

322ci SOHC Inline 8-Cylinder Engine
Single Updraft Carburetor
113bhp at 3,300rpm
3-Speed Manual Transmission
Leaf Spring Suspension
4-Wheel Drum Brakes

*One of the Sportiest American cars of its era
*Expertly bodied in the Style of the Lebaron Blackhawk Speedster
*The same specification as the "World Stock Car Champion" Stutz
*Fun and very usable American sports car.

THE SUTZ

The Stutz motorcar was born in Indianapolis and it didn't take long for the marque to prove they had racing in their DNA. At the inaugural Indy 500, Harry C. Stutz's first car, the Bearcat prototype, scored 11th place; well earning their slogan: "the car that made good in a day."

Despite always being a small and low production company, Stutz has always been well known for their speed and performance. They dominated American racing in the teens with the "White Squadron" racing team and the Bearcat has always been considered one of the great icons of motoring. Despite market trends, Stutz never abandoned its sporting heritage.

The Stutz Company went through many ups and downs and Harry C. Stutz eventually lost control of his company. Fortunately for the company, however, an equally visionary and brilliant man would come in to fill his shoes: Fred Moskovics. Moscovics had made a good reputation for himself in the auto industry; his period at Marmon had led to their most charismatic and high-performance products to date. His automotive inspirations were heavily directed toward the powerful and sophisticated machines coming from Europe. Moskovics took it on himself to produce an American car that could rival the world's best.

The new Stutz Eight was a marvel of sophistication: chain driven overhead cam, ten main bearings, dual ignition, dual throat carburetion and cross flow porting. A new chassis would need to be developed to get the full potential out of this great new engine. By using a Timken worm drive rear axle the whole chassis could be lowered considerably. Braking would initially be by Timken hydrostatic then Lockheed hydraulics with oversized finned drums on all four wheels. Transmission would be first by a three-speed Warner.

The new Eight-cylinder "Safety Stutz" proved a break through. The 1927 model won every American Stock Car race entered and was declared World's Champion. Two custom Blackhawk Speedster bodies were penned by Le Baron to take full advantage of the performance. The four-passenger speedster body was designed and built so Stutz would have a car eligible for racing that required four seats.

The most famous race requiring passenger cars with four seats and a top was the 24hrs of Le Mans. This now ubiquitous event was relatively unknown at the time in America but was the Super Bowl for road going cars. A French Stutz agent entered the Stock Stutz Blackhawk Four-Passenger Speedster in the 1927 event. It was the only Stutz entered, and it held the lead for much of the race, holding off an entire team of works Bentleys. Unfortunately, a loss of high gear late in the race forced the Stutz to finish second.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This great looking Stutz Speedster came out of the UK where it was bodied in an exacting replica of the legendary Blackhawk Speedster by LeBarron. This extremely scarce model is stunning and was a wise choice for replication. This coachwork Stutz achieved some its greatest success most notably winning the Stock Car World Championship and also being the model chosen to battle Hispano-Suiza at Indianapolis.

The rest of the car matches the spec of the Blackhawk including the correct wire spoke wheels and 1927 chassis.

This will no doubt prove great fun to own. The light bodywork on the powerful Stutz chassis should make for a spirited performer. With lots of tuning possibilities with these engines and chassis it could also make the bases for a fun vintage racer or high-performance road rally machine. Whatever the use, the Stutz is an American motoring icon and one of the great American cars of its time.