1920s Stutz Roadster / Tourer

Engine & Performance

Engine: Inline-4 or Inline-8, water-cooled, naturally aspirated, producing roughly 70-100 horsepower depending on the exact year and model series.

Transmission & Drivetrain: 3-speed manual transmission with rear-wheel drive (RWD).

Performance: Estimated 0-60 mph time of approximately 20-30 seconds with a top speed ranging from 60 to 75 mph, depending on the engine specification.

Exterior

Gloss black paint finish with extensive nickel or chrome plating on the radiator shell, large circular headlights, windshield frame, and exterior mirrors. Features running boards, flowing black fenders, a distinctive Stutz radiator badge with a motometer on top, and a folding black fabric convertible top.

Interior Features

Spartan interior with a wooden or painted metal dashboard, basic analog instrumentation, a large black steering wheel, and button-tufted leather bench seating.

Condition Assessment

Good to Very Good. The paint appears deep and glossy with well-preserved brightwork, suggesting a restored or very well-maintained vintage artifact.

Condition Issues: Minor dust collection from indoor storage; otherwise, no major visible structural or cosmetic damage is apparent from the photograph.

Estimated Mileage: Exempt / Unknown due to age, likely driven sparingly for exhibition and club events over the decades.

Historical Significance

Stutz was one of the premier American luxury and performance automobile manufacturers of the 1910s and 1920s, famously known for the 'Stutz Bearcat' and their racing pedigree, including strong showings at the Indianapolis 500.

Notable Features

Prominent Stutz radiator emblem, auxiliary windshield-mounted spotlamps, vintage motometer temperature gauge atop the radiator cap, and classic sweeping fenders characteristic of the Roaring Twenties era.

Production Numbers

Estimated in the low thousands or hundreds per year for specific models during the 1920s, with very few surviving in complete condition today.

Maintenance Recommendations

Regular fluid changes (non-detergent oil typically used for older engines), routine inspection of wooden spoke wheels if equipped, lubrication of chassis grease points, and careful brake system inspections.

Fun Facts

1. The phrase 'In a Stutz' became synonymous with high-speed wealth and daring driving in the 1920s. 2. Stutz cars famously competed in a grueling 24-hour race against a passenger train from Chicago to New York and won. 3. The company was founded by Harry C. Stutz, who also built the first successful American sports car, the Stutz Series A Bearcat, in 1911.

Identified on: 10/12/2026