Beschreibung:

In 1905 Harry Stutz embarked upon a new venture to build an automobile of his own design. The automobile that would bear his name – and along the way make it immortal – was still in the future but Harry had lofty ambitions even in 1905, showing them by naming the automobile he designed, and the company that would build it, "American". It was one of many automobile and related companies bearing the American name, but Harry Stutz's American Motor Car Company of Indianapolis was one of the few that actually built an automobile. In fact, some 45,000 were turned out from 1906 through 1914. He was still under thirty when the American Motor Car Company was formed but Stutz had as much experience in automobile design and engine manufacturing as anyone in America at the time. His combination of mechanical design savvy, production manufacturing background and sales experience was probably unmatched by anyone in the American automobile industry. American's intention to build automobiles was announced in September 1905 and just a few months later, in January 1906, the first examples were offered for sale. The ambitious and peripatetic Stutz spent only a few more months at American before moving to the Marion Motor Car Company as chief engineer, effectively swapping employers with Fred Tone who concurrently left Marion to join American. A few years later Stutz started his eponymous company after "The car that made good in a day" finished the 1911 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. Back at the American Motor Car Company Fred Tone created the underslung chassis design which has become synonymous with the company and was eventually adopted as an integral part of American's name. But while the American Underslung is widely known, Harry Stutz's original conventional chassis layout American is largely overlooked, a serious oversight in light of the model's continuation in production until 1913 as an essential contributor to the American Motor Car Company's production, marketing and cash flow. Harry Stutz's original American engine – with variations in bore and stroke – powered both the American Tourist chassis he designed and the unique American Underslung nearly to the end of the firm's days. The first in the series, used in the 1906 Tourist chassis, was a 4.625" bore x 5" stroke 336 cubic inch side valve inline four-cylinder rated at 35 ALAM horsepower. In common with other engines of the time it had limited speed potential but while its maximum crankshaft speed was only some 1,450 rpm it would loaf along at only 125 rpm at the bottom, an 11.6 times range – equivalent to a modern touring car engine that pulls smoothly at 1,000 rpm being redlined at a nearly unimaginable 11,600 rpm. Although it is nearly forgotten today the contribution of the American Motor Car Company should not be overlooked. Its production of 45,000 cars between 1906 and 1914 was not just significant, it was twice as many automobiles as were built by Packard in the same time frame. The 1906 American Tourist Roi des Belges Touring offered here from the collection of the late-John O'Quinn is an excellent and very rare example of the Harry C. Stutz designed chassis. Powered by Stutz's 35/40hp L-head inline four, it is bodied with handsome and practical Roi des Belges style touring car coachwork finished in Dark Red with Black fenders and upholstered in rich Red leather. A black cloth top with rollup windshield completes its presentation along with Rushmore acetylene headlights, Gray & Davis kerosene sidelights, a Castle kerosene taillight and an imposing Rushmore acetylene spotlight mounted on the dashboard/firewall. A single spare wheel with a very useful rear view mirror strapped to its top is installed on the right running board. A Rubes-style trumpet bulb horn aids in warning the less attentive of this American Tourist's approach. Harry Stutz's chassis design employs live axles with semi-elliptical leaf springs all around as well as a semi-elliptical cross spring in the platform