An American motoring pioneer, Harry Clayton Stutz built his first car – ‘Old Hickory’ – in 1898.

Still only twenty-nine when he conceived the American Motor Car Co’s ‘Tourist’ model seven years later, the Ansonia, Ohio-born native served as Chief Engineer / Designer and Factory Manager to the Marion Motor Co from 1906-1910.

Responsible for Marion’s participation in the Indiana Trophy, G&J 100-Mile, Wheeler / Schebler 300-mile and Brighton Beach, Brooklyn 24-hours, he founded the Stutz Auto Parts Co to sell his own transaxle units during 1910.

Famously taken from drawing board to start line in just five weeks, the very first Stutz motorcar finished the inaugural Indianapolis 500, held during 1911, in eleventh place overall at an average speed of almost 62.5 mph.

Ironically, it might have placed higher had its Stutz transaxle not been so demanding on tyres.

Co-founding the Ideal Motor Car Co with Henry F.

Campbell that same year, the fledgling manufacturer began by making ‘duplicat...