1932 Stutz SV-16 Derham Convertible

Harry C. Stutz was born in Ohio in 1876 where he grew up caring for and repairing agricultural machinery on the family farm. Fascinated by gasoline engines, he built his first car in 1897 followed by a second effort using an engine of his own design and manufacture.

By 1925 the Stutz Motor Car Company was under the stewardship of Frederick Moskovics, who had left Franklin to become Stutz's new president. Moskovics was responsible for the new Vertical Eight engine in a car that created a sensation among dealers and the public. With eight cylinders and an overhead camshaft, hydrostatic brakes and windshield safety glass, the new model was unlike any other American car of the time. The chassis was just as radical and the cars were noticeably lower than the competition, making them an immediate hit. The SV-16 engine was eventually superceded by the DV-32 with its dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. Whatever engine was chosen, a Stutz was...