1929 Stutz Model M Tonneau Cowl Speedster
Racing-derived styling defined this four-passenger speedster with factory “dipped” front doors echoing competition practice and an optional full rear cowl that distinguished it from standard touring configurations.
The extended 145-inch wheelbase chassis emphasized the design’s sporting proportions while accommodating four occupants in dual-cowl arrangement.
Stutz introduced the Model M for 1929 following the marque’s strong second-place finish at Le Mans the previous year, where a stock Blackhawk had led much of the race against factory Bentleys.
The “Challenger” engine (a 322-cubic-inch single-overhead-cam straight-eight producing 113 horsepower at 3,300 rpm) featured chain-driven valvetrain, ten main bearings, dual ignition, and crossflow porting.
This marked the first year for Stutz’s new four-speed manual transmission, replacing the previous three-speed Warner unit.
Vacuum-boosted Lockheed hydraulic brakes on all four wheels provided stopping power matching the performance. Production of four-passenger speedster bodies remained limited, with surviving examples having resided in prominent collections including those of Bill Harrah and Briggs Cunningham.
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