Vehicle exhibits

Stutz was founded as the Ideal Motor Car Company in Indianapolis in 1911. Ideal entered a car in the Indianapolis 500 that year and placed 11th, earning it the slogan, "the car that made good in a day". The next year, the founder, Harry C Stutz, renamed the company Stutz Motor Company and began selling high-performance roadsters like the famous Stutz Bearcat.

This vehicle raced in the 1915 Indianapolis 500 and was placed third at an average speed of 87.6 mph. Later that year it won the 1915 Astor Cup race at an average speed of 102.6 mph.

In 1919 it entered the Indianapolis 500 again as the “Durant” special and was placed second 

The vehicle was imported into New Zealand in 1923 and raced successfully in many events at the Muriwai beach races and winning the NZ Cup in 1926, 27 and 28 when owned by Bob Wilson. Bob later donated the cup to the NZ Grand Prix Association, and it is now the premier trophy of the NZ Grand Prix.

The engine was later used in a speed boat while the chassis ended up on a farm being used as a tractor with another engine before both parts were purchased by Sir Len Southward and restored back to the racing car form as displayed today.

For all of 1930, there were less than 1500 Stutz cars produced. Sales declined even more in the following years and in 1934, after only six Stutz cars produced, the factory closed its doors.