Details wanted 1929 Stutz Vertical Eight Speedster by Le Baron

[Guest wasif]

Hi All.

I am a new member of this forum looking for further information on a 1929 Stutz le Baron Speedster Twin Cowl.

This car has recfently surfaced in Indai and is probably the only Stutz in India.

Deatils on this can be found at :

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/pre-1950/55682-1929-stutz-speedster-find-year-2.html

Would any of you be able to provide details on this cars original owner and about its history.

Also from the pictures can you guys comment on its condition and originality.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards

Wasif

[alsancle]

Cool Car. The dash is very interesting and has a number of custom instruments on it. Obviously the rear deck is missing. If I remember when I get home I'll look up the engine number. The wheels look later then 29 to me.

[carljensen]

I believe that this is a 1930 Model M. The Model M actually ran into the beginning of 1930 and the later cars have these wheels. I sure would like to know how it got to India.

[TG57Roadmaster]

Hi Wasif,

Data from the Red Book, National Used Car market Reports seems to confirm

that your Serial Number 32417 falls in the range for the 1930 Model M.

I trust this info implicitly, as did dealers, insurors and law enforcement back then.

What an incredible find! I can see from the heated debate on your home forum

(fueled by both admiration and jealosy) that it is a most important automobile

in India, indeed, anywhere.

I'm sure you will be pleased to inform all who have made statements there that

the car is a LeBaron <span style="font-weight: bold">4-Passenger Tonneau Cowl Speedster</span>, according to the

nomenclature of the day (abbreviated Spds TC-4) on these pages. Note that the

body style was available on both the 134.5" & 145" wheelbases.

Larger, click once after opening.

Larger

Looking at the Stutz, the most-glaring missing item is the rear tonneau cover,

assuming the two vertical posts behind the front seat are hydraulic lift cylinders.

It's interesting that this '29 Blackhawk L6 (Stutz's companion line) LeBaron Speedster

does not have the rear tonneau cowl. By design, or by modification?

It is a great adventure on which you are about to embark!

TG

[Guest wasif]

Thanks guys for the input.

Unfortunately I didn't have time to look earlier.

It appears the car was brought into India by one of the many Royal Families there and since had been gifted to one of their close associates who held on to it for more than three decades.

It is now with its third owner who is a well know lawyer in India and has a huge car collection.

The car is undergoing what is said to be a very sympathetic restoration at the hands of the best restorer in India that is Manvendra Singh of Indore.

Will post more on the car as and when further info is available.

Wasif

Regards

[Guest wasif]

The Stutz has been restored and has made its debut this weekend at the second Cartier "Travel with Style" concours in New Delhi India.

I must say the car is looking amazing and these pictures don't do justice to it.

It is now with its third owner from new ! The original owner was the Maharajah of Baria, a small princlet state in British India. The current owner is a major car collector in India

This is a very special car for us old car fans from India as its the only Stutz in the country.

[alsancle]

Wow, it looks great. Lose the wide whites and it would be perfect

[Guest wasif]

It was restored by the premier restoration shop in India and the owner went to great lengths to order those white wall tires.

I am sure he will be a bit put off if I suggest he lose them. In India they feel all American cars have to be on white walls

Apparently the car was bought new from a dealer in the UK by the Maharaja of Baria. You can see the old red regestraion plate reading "BARIA 3"

Edited March 13, 2011 by wasif (see edit history)

[alsancle]

He is not alone in that many American's think that all prewar American cars should have wide white walls too!