1929 Stutz Pikes Peak Special

As Designed and Developed by Glen Schultz

It was in 1925 that Shultz first became involved with the Stutz engine in his quest to be the first man at the top on the annual labour day event, he had previously won in earlier years using an Essex four cylinder but the six cylinder engine was obviously the speedway 6 which he supercharged in 1926 and won the event.

In 1927 the 8 cylinder SOHC Stutz engine was two years old and Shultz developed his car with independent suspension and won the event.

In 1928 he used the same 8 cylinder SOHC engine but with the supercharger and interviewed by John S. Maclary and reported in The Motor for September 1931 Shultz said “the manufacturer of the motor I was using (Stutz 8 cylinder SOHC ) belived there was a real demand for a car of exceptional performance.  He decided to develop a supercharger that could be installed in such a manner that it could be operated at the will of the driver.  In 1928 this device was worked into the chassis of our entry and after many heartbreaking experiences we had an automobile with a supercharger that could be cut in or out as desired.  Because I had spent so much time and thought in developing what I believed to be the fastest job that could be built to this contest, breaking the record under these conditions gave me a lot of satisfaction”. 

After the 1928 race manufacturers of rival cars asked for sponsors of the race to ban supercharged  equipment and they refused to enter again if this condition was not made.  The objection was upheld and the ruling adopted.

In 1929 the Stutz powered car belonged to Shultz but driven by a substitute was placed first in the open class.  Shultz used the same 8 cylinder Stutz engine this year in his own words “souped up” so that it would rev more in the thin air near the summit and equipped with four downdraft carburettors.  He modified the chassis a bit and the results are history.

Modifying the chassis a bit sounds easy but requires engineering talent of a high order, and in the same article they quote “high altitude affects gasoline engines just as it affects human lungs.  At the summit of Pikes Peak a man notices the thinnest of the air when he breathes.  He may draw his lungs full but the heavy breathing seems to do him no good.  It leaves him breathless and exhausted, if he tries to move rapidly he is apt to faint unless he is accustomed to high altitudes”.

Similarly an automobile with carburettor built for moderate elevations gasps for breath and cannot perform efficiently.  The same difficulty beset airplanes in the days when 1000’ was the highest possible ceiling.  Suitable carburetion is one of the big problems to be mastered by a race on Pikes Peak.

From the American publication “The Motor” when interviewed in 1931 Shultz said “perhaps the most valuable single engineering development thrown up from these experiments is in the field of improved carburetion.  Today carburettors are designed with a flexibility that allows for extreme variation in altitude.  The experience of drivers in the Pikes Peak classic has added to this development.

Again interviewed by “Motor Maintenance” in November 1931 “to one who has not seen the Pikes Peak course, its problems are most incomprehensible.  The course which is twelve miles plus 2,200’ in length begins at an elevation of 9.000’ above sea level and ends at the tip top summit of Pikes Peak, 14,109’ in elevation.  It can well be seen that such a course would lend itself admirably to the purposes of a laboratory for automotive construction and experimentation.  Perhaps the most important contribution to engineering science afforded by this trial is in the field of carburetion”.

The regulations for cars eligible to participate at Pikes Peak include:

“Under the AAA  and class E open to any gasoline car which complies with the definition of a (motor car) under the AAA rules  and under the following weight handicap:

            301 cu inch and over weight not less than 2,400 lbs”

From the foregoing it can be determined that from 1926 the  Stutz Shultz Special was extensively modified or recreated each year with some factory support, the motive power commenced with the 6 cylinder Stutz speedway 6, continued to the 8 cylinder 4.9 litre SOHC Stutz engine, this in turn was supercharged and the final engine was the 5.2 litre DV32 which when Shultz retired was successfully raced by Louis Unser.  The car now presented for consideration is based on a 1929 Stutz Blackhawk L6 chassis of 116” wheelbase.  As adopted for the now legendary Stutz production DV32 Super Bearcat fitted with Shultz designed 1/4 elliptic rear springs.  The engine no. 91966 is a stock 4.9 litre SOHC engine of 1928 manufacture, it retains it’s original block and crank case, crankshaft, head, camshaft and valve gear, the carburetion is by 4 1 3/4” SU carburettors and linkage of 1929 manufacture fitted to a modified Stutz inlet manifold.  The remaining engine equipment is standard Stutz which includes starter, oil pump, distributor, etc.

The gearbox is again of 1928 manufacture, it is a 3 speed Detroit as manufactured for Stutz.

The front suspension axle and hydraulic brakes are all of original 1929 Stutz manufacture as is the Gemmer steering and track rod ends.

The rear axle uses an 8” crown wheel and pinion and the original Stutz half axles together with original Stutz brakes, backplates, drums etc.  The brake and clutch pedals are of original manufacture fitted to the original Bell housing but we have incorporated dual master cylinders while operating the front and the rear brakes.

The radiator and shell are modified original Stutz and the bodywork designed in the best period traditions has been executed by Michael Sharpe to provide a lightweight body using best vintage manufacturing procedures. 

Since the original car does not survive the design has been developed from original magazine pictures.  The finished car is fully road legal using period lights and accessories.  In the interests of safety the original external fuel tank has been re-located within the depth of the chassis frame under the passenger seat and the tail is reinforced internally with an anti roll bar.

In the earlier reference to the interview by John Maclary, Shultz spoke of his involvement with the manufacturers of the motor, some time in late 1927, a 4 page brochure was produced for the use of the French concessionaires in Paris, the printer of this publication was Tolmer and the following is an extract from this Stutz document and I quote “Stock car racing has recently been revived in America under the control and supervision of the American Automobile Association.  This gives manufacturers an opportunity to demonstrate the speed and endurance of their product in a way which really means something to the public.  Speed contest with specially built racing cars are interesting sporting events and contribute also to the science of automotive engineering but they do not inform the public as to the relative capabilities of stock cars that the public can buy and use, here are some of the stock car events won by Stutz in the past 15 months:

“Pikes Peak Hill Climb – September 5^th 1927                      

A Stutz 8 special driven by Glen Shultz won the free for all event in 18 minutes 23.1 seconds leading the second car by 1 minute 58.3 seconds.  The stock car hill climb was won by a standard safety Stutz Weyman sedan.

Brooklands Long Handicap – London July 16^th 1927

A Stutz chassis strictly stock with racing body won this famous English Classic at an average speed of 89 miles per hour, the maximum speed of 103 mph.

The Yosemite Trophy

Awarded to the winner of closed car sweepstakes for economy of gasoline, oil and water, won by Stutz May 21/22 1926.

 Pikes Peak Hill Climb – 1926

 Won by a Stutz special roadster”

It would appear from this product brochure produced by the Stutz company and from Shultz’s own interview and from the involvement of Greuter and Mecklenburg that substantial factory backing was made available to Shultz during his various attemps at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, it is accepted that factory support was available to Brisson at Le Mans in 1930 because he used two pre-production DV32 engines by 1930 Shultz also had a pre-production DV32 for his attempt at that year.

It is unconceivable that a competition orientated manufacturer such as Stutz would not give wholehearted support particularly to the special building talents of Shultz since his success using Stutz manufacturers products would be and was of certain significant advertising importance in promoting the Stutz image and brand.

It is clear both from the pictures and from the magazine observations of the period that Shultz modified or used a different chassis year on year but 1929 was the first year of the L6 cross triangulated chassis which would have given him the same benefits which had been available to the three Stutz team Le Mans cars.