#Pic_A_Day (1493) @AlMachFineArt - 1921 Stutz Series K Bearcat

[Albert Mach]

#Pic_A_Day  (1493) @AlMachFineArt

1921 Stutz Series K Bearcat

This can be seen at the Taubman Museum of Art’s exhibit

Drive! Iconic American Cars and Motorcycles until Feb. 3, 2019 in Roanoke, VA.

https://www.taubmanmuseum.org/happenings/drive

 

Here is information and more history from:
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/23425/lot/84/…

 

Chassis no. 10555
Engine no. 10557

360ci T-Head 16-Valve 4-Cylinder Engine
Single Stromberg Carburetor
88bhp
3-Speed Manual Transaxle 
Front and Rear Leaf Spring Suspension
Rear Drum Brakes

*Time warp example of an American icon
*Approximately 10,000 miles from new
*FIVA award winner 2015 Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance
*Wayne Carini's greatest discovery
*Stunning original condition

 

THE STUTZ BEARCAT

In the world of antique cars, few names resonate like the Stutz Bearcat. Images of young gentlemen in raccoon coats racing around the countryside with a college pennant attached to the car often come to mind, and for the era, there were few cars as sought after and mythical in stature.

The Stutz Company and the Bearcat model were famous from day one. Soon after completion, Harry C. Stutz sent the prototype Bearcat racer to compete in the 1911 inaugural Indianapolis 500 race. The untested car did remarkably well, finishing the race and beating many established brands, earning the Stutz the slogan "The Car That Made Good in a Day".

First offered to the public in 1912, the Bearcat was essentially a road-worthy version of the highly successful Stutz racers that followed the original Indy car. A radically designed sports car through and through, the Bearcat had just two bucket seats and no convertible top or windshield. Like the Stutz racing cars, the Bearcat was constructed around a low-slung chassis, ensuring a lower center of gravity and good handling characteristics in addition to its lightweight design.

Initially powered by a Wisconsin T-head engine, it would be eventually replaced by a Stutz-built, sixteen-valve, four-cylinder unit that drew heavily on Stutz's racing experience. The Stutz "White Squadron" racers were powered by engines featuring four valves per cylinder; the potential increase in performance over a traditional two-valve motor was made clear!

The new, more advanced motor demanded an improved car. Stutz responded with a heavier chassis to cope with the power as well as attractive modern coachwork. Still built on a short and light 120" chassis, the new model would move the center of gravity 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. This redesign produced a menacing looking machine, and would bestow upon the Bearcat its second golden era. Challenged only by its fierce rival, the Mercer Raceabout, the Bearcat represented the ultimate in American sporting cars of the time.