Harry Stutz

By Sigur Whitaker
(Part 1)

 

Harry Stutz was born in Ansonia, Ohio, in 1876. At a young age, he showed great ability

to repair things, so much so, that people in his small town would say, “That Stutz lad

can fix anything.” A tinkerer, he built his first car, Old Hickory, in 1898 from abandoned

agricultural parts. 1

 

Like many young men of his generation, Stutz decided that living on a farm was not for

him and migrated to Dayton, Ohio, where he found work as a mechanic. 2 In 1903, he

moved to Indianapolis wanting to be part of the nascent auto industry. Initially, he found

work at G& J Tire Company, and within a year at Schebler Carburetor Company. 3

 

He finally got his chance to design automobiles when, in 1906, he was hired by the

American Motor Car Company as its chief engineer. 4 A four-cylinder American touring

car with 35 to 40 horsepower was displayed at the 1909 New York Auto Show. 5

 

In 1907, Stutz became the chief engineer at Marion Motor Car Company in

Indianapolis. 6 Under Stutz’s direction, two cars, driven by Alfred Monson and Charles

Stutz. were entered in the Coby Trophy Race in Crown Point, Indiana. 7 This was

unusual as Marion did not normally participate in races, but it was an opportunity for

Stutz to test some of his theories. It was a different outcome over the Fourth of July

races at Wildwood, New Jersey. Charles Stutz won two races and finished second and

third. 8

 

Carl Fisher, James Allison, Arthur Newby, and Robert Hassler, founders of the Empire

Motor Car Company, hired him to develop a new low-price automobile. “The Little

Aristocrat”, a four-cylinder automobile, was introduced in July1909. 9 The Little Aristocrat

participated in the reopening of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on a bitterly cold day

in December. 10

 

1 Rothermel, Bill, “The Stutz Motor Car Company—“The Car that Made Good in a Day,”

https://www.classiccarclub.org/info-garage/stutz.

2 Caitlin, Russ, “The Harry Stutz Era,” Automobile Quarterly, Winter 1970, Vol. 8, No 3, p 230.

3 Rothermel, Bill, “The Stutz Motor Car Company—“The Car that Made Good in a Day,”

https://www.classiccarclub.org/info-garage/stutz.

4 Horvath, Dennis, “The Americn Underslung—The Safest Car on Earth,” January 28, 2013,

https://historicindianapolis.com/the-american-underslung-the-safest-car-on-earth/

5 The American Touring Car,” Horseless Age, January 24, 1906, Vol. 17, No. 4, p 182.

6 “Fine Coby Race Stretch,” Indianapolis Star, May 30, 1909, 41.

7 “Stutz Enters Marions,” Indianapolis Star, May 15, 1909, 8.

8 “Premiers Depart Today For Detroit,” Indianapolis Star, July 6, 1909, 11.

9 “Empire Name Of New Indianapolis Auto, Indianapolis News, July 5, 1909, 12.

10 Kimes, Beverly Rae, “The Rise and Fall of the Empire,” Automobile Quarterly, Vol XII, No. 1, 68.

 

Around 1910, Stutz designed a transaxle, a device which combined the transmission,

axle, and differential into one device. To market the device, Stutz, his cousin Charles

Stutz, and Henry Campbell incorporated the Stutz Auto Parts Company in Indianapolis

with $10,000. 11 Stutz resigned from Marion in 1910 12 after winning two races for Marion

that year.

While Stutz had designed the initial “Little Aristocrat,” as a side job to his work at

Marion, he was hired by Fisher, Allison, and Newby to become the chief engineer and

manager for Empire in 1911. 13

Stutz began designing his own car in 1910 and entered it in the first Indianapolis 500 in

1911. Built in just five weeks, the car had a four-cylinder T-head Wisconsin engine and a

transmission with three forward speeds and one reverse. 14 This car was the first to run

some practice laps for the 1911 Indianapolis 500. 15 Out of a field of 40 entries, the Stutz

racer, driven by Gil Andersen, finished 11 th . Stutz used the tagline “The Car that Made

Good in a Day.” 16

Stutz talked about the development of this car. “This is the first Stutz car I ever built, but

I believe I will be justified in making more, since this one has shown up so well.” 17 Stutz,

with the financial backing of local and eastern financiers, organized the Ideal Motor Car

Company and announced the building of a car based upon the racer. The company

leased a three-story building at 10 th and Capitol Avenue from Carl Fisher. Auto

production began in August 18 and in September, they announced the first shipments of

the Stutz automobile. 19 Initially, three body styles were introduced: a two-seat roadster, a

four-seat toy Tonneau, and a five-seat touring car. 20

It didn’t take long for a Stutz car to be entered in an endurance run. Shortly after the

cars rolled off the assembly line, Harry Stutz announced the car’s participation in the

Fairmont Park road race in Philadelphia in October. 21 Driven by Gil Andersen, the car

finished second. 22

 

11 “Gossip of Wide Awake Motor Devotees, Indianapolis Star, January 9, 1910, 33.

12 “Harry C. Stutz,” Horseless Age, July 13, 1910, 65.

13 “H. C. Stutz,” Horseless Age, March 8, 1911, 472.

14 Caitlin, “The Harry Stutz Era,” Automobile Quarterly, Winter 1970, Vol. 8, No 3, p 231.

15 “Racers Start Tuning Up for Big Race,” Indianapolis Star, April 8, 1911, 11.

16 “Famous Drivers Face Real Test,” Indianapolis Star, May 26, 1912, 46.

17 “Stang Brings Case Team to Turn Motors for Big Race,” Indianapolis Star, May 10, 1911, 9.

18 “Stutz Will Build Racer Duplicates,” Indianapolis Star, June 11, 1911, 31.

19 “Will Market New Autos,” Indianapolis Star, September 3, 1911, 33.

20 “The Stutz Car—A Newcomer in High Powered Class,” Horseless Age, June 14, 1911, 1014.

21 “Local Pilot Will Drive in Fairmont,” Indianapolis Star, September 3, 1911, 31.

22 “Amateur Pilot Is Winner in Big Race,” Indianapolis Star, October 10, 1911, 8.

 

In February 1912, Stutz Motor Car Company introduced a two-seat sports car built

along the lines of the race car. Low to the ground with bucket seats, the Stutz Bearcat is

believed to be America’s first sports car. Designed to go fast, the car was equipped with

a Wisconsin engine with 389 cubic inches of power and a Stutz designed transaxle. The

car could go 90 miles per hour. 23 The car was introduced at the Chicago automobile

show. 24

Stutz entered three cars in the 1912 Indianapolis 500 piloted by Gil Andersen, Charlie

Merz, and Len Zengel. 25 Merz finished fourth nearly 13 minutes behind winner Joe

Dawson and Len Zengel finished sixth. 26 Gil Andersen, who started from the pole, was

involved in an accident on lap 80 and was awarded 16 th place. 27

In 1913, Stutz decided to change the company’s name from the Ideal Motor Car

Company to the Stutz Motor Car Company in order for the company to be recognized

as the builder of the Stutz automobile. 28 He also designed an electric self-starter with a

pedal on the floor. 29

The appeal of the Stutz cars spread beyond the United States. Eight were sent to

Portugal, ten to Australia, and one to Spain. Each of the automobiles had a special

wood crate for their voyage across the ocean. 30 With the success of his automobiles, the

space rented from Carl Fisher was not sufficient. Stutz bought property on Capitol

Avenue and Tenth Street and built a four-story building. 31

Happy Holidays! I hope you will enjoy being with friends and family. I will be

taking the next two weeks off.

It is your last chance to take advantage of my publisher, McFarland & Company’s

(www.mcfarlandpub.com), holiday sale. Until December 24, you can get 20% off of

their entire catalog with the code Holiday 25.

 

If you know of someone who would enjoy this article, please forward it to them. If

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23 “1912 Stutz Bearcat” https://www.cobblebeachconcours.com/1912-stutz-bearcat1368c2adf

24 “”Bearcat” Is Latest Stutz Idea,” Indianapolis News, February 17, 1912, 9.

25 “Famous Drivers Face Real Test,” Indianapolis Star, May 26, 1912, 46.

26 A. S. Blakely, “Dawson Victor In Pilots’ Race For Rich Prize,” Indianapolis Star, May 31, 1912, 1.

27 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, “1912 Indianapolis 500 Race Results,”

https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500/history/historical-stats/race-stats/race-

results/1912

28 “Ideal Is Now Stutz Motor Co.,” Horseless Age, May 14, 1913, p 889.

29 “Electric Self Starter on Stutz Cars,” Horseless Age, July 16, 1913, 91.

30 “Europe And Australia Buy Stutz Car,” Indianapolis Star, December 15, 1915, 24.

31 Daniels, Bruce, “All Roads Lead To Indianapolis,” Indianapolis Star, May 24, 1914, 56.

 

Part 2

 

Harry Stutz  designed the Stutz Bearcat based upon the car he entered in the 1911 Indianapolis 500. The car was very popular and by May 1914, demand outstripped supply. You couldn’t buy one. To expand production, Stutz built a four-story building doubling floor space.
 
Needing additional capital to support the growing business, Stutz sold controlling interest to a consortium headed by New York financier Allan Ryan in June 1916. Ryan pledged that the operations would not be changed. Harry Stutz remained as president of the new corporation, Stutz Motor Car Company of America. He was joined by Ryan as vice president, and George H. Saylor of Chase Bank as secretary/treasurer.
 
In August 1919, Stutz announced a significant expansion to its facilities to support a plan to double production from 3,000 cars annually to 6,000 cars. The additions included a one-story building at the corner of Tenth and Senate Avenue in Indianapolis and two four-story buildings, one on Capitol Avenue and the other on Senate Avenue. The additional facilities provided 450,000 square feet of production space at a cost of $800,000. To support this expansion, the company announced the sale of 25,000 shares of stock. The stock was offered at one new share for every three shares currently owned with a price of $100 per share.
 
With the announcement of the expansion of the business, Harry Stutz announced his retirement. He explained, “I believe there is a point in any factory’s expansion where the penalty for increased production may become decreased quality, and I will never build any more cars than I can build well.” Replacing Stutz as president was Allan Ryan, the New York financier. Stutz told the newspaper he planned to retire from business activities and pursue personal interest.
 
Within months after announcing his retirement from business, Stutz founded the H. C. S. Motor Corporation. The company was organized in Indianapolis with a capital base of $1 million and Stutz was the primary shareholder and president of the firm. He also founded the Stutz Fire Engine Company . The first H.C.S. cars were constructed inside the Stutz Fire Engine Company factory located at 14th St. and North Capitol Ave. The demand for the Stutz fire engine increased after one of its vehicles scored a perfect score in a 12-hour test, resulting in the need for the entire factory to be used to build fire engines. As a result, Stutz announced there would be a new four-story factory to produce H.C.S. automobiles located at the corner of 14th St. and Capitol Ave. The factory consisted of two buildings, each with a 60-foot frontage on Capitol Avenue and a depth of 200 feet, constructed of steel and concrete with a brick facade. The estimated cost for both buildings was $500,000.
 
In November, 1919, an H.C.S. automobile was shown in the east dining room of the Astoria hotel. What was amazing about the H.C.S. was that on September 22, 1919, the car existed only in blueprint form. Within two months, there were two models ready to be displayed at the auto show.
 
There was an economic downturn in 1920 which extended well into 1921. This economic slump was the precursor of difficult times in the industry. The high price of commodities from food to housing lessened the demand by consumers for automobiles. The short-term result was an oversupply of automobiles being produced. Despite this, Stutz introduced the H.C.S. roadster, “the car that was demanded.” It was priced at $2,925 while a five passenger model was priced at $2,975.
 
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway named the H. C. S. Roadster as the pace car for the 1921 Indianapolis 500 with Harry Stutz at the wheel. Stutz practiced with his car on the track for several days before the Indianapolis 500, obtaining a speed of roughly 60 miles per hour.
 
Stutz entered two H.C.S. cars in the 1923 Indianapolis 500. One had Tommy Milton at the wheel who held the pole position with a qualifying speed of 108.17 mph. The second H.C.S. car was on the 3rd row with Howdy Wilcox as the pilot. In front of a crowd estimated at 150,000, Milton won the Indianapolis 500 with an average speed of 90.95 mph, becoming the first driver to have two victories. Harry Stutz attributed the win to two chief factors: the teamwork of the mechanics and drivers for the H.C.S. team and the care given to preparing the cars for the race. The winning car had been rebuilt three times prior to the race. Stutz commented, “Absolutely nothing has been overlooked to make the machine as mechanically perfect as possible.” 
 
 With overcapacity in the automotive industry, H.C.S. reduced its pricing by $200 on its vehicles in 1921. Seeking an alternative use of their cars, in 1924 H.C.S. entered the production of taxi cabs. H.C.S. Cab Manufacturing Company was incorporated with capitalization of $1,000,000 by Harry Stutz, Henry Campbell, and others. The company planned to make and sell taxi cabs, motor cars and other automotive vehicles in the H.C.S. plant. By late August, the H.C.S. taxi cabs rolled off the production line. The cab was built on a 110-inch wheelbase but had a tight turning radius. The introduction of the taxi cab resulted in numerous orders for the company.
 
Despite the introduction of the taxicab, it didn’t make any difference. In 1926, Harry Stutz shuttered H.C.S., retired, and moved to Orlando, Florida, with his second wife. On December 27, 1926, H.C.S. Cab Manufacturing Company was put into receivership by the Central Manufacturing Company of Connersville, Indiana, which produced the bodies for the cabs. In the filing, Central Manufacturing Company stated that H.C.S. had debts in excess of $104,000. He was also being sued for alienation of affection by his second wife’s first husband.
 
While in Florida, he invented a small, four-cylinder aircraft engine. At the time of his death, he was working on arranging for its manufacturer.
 
Feeling ill, Stutz sought medical attention in Orlando where he was told he had intestinal influenza. In considerable pain, he drove to Indianapolis where a physician diagnosed appendicitis. He died from complications of surgery on June 26, 1930, at Methodist Hospital.