Help decoding 1932 Stutz SV16 Vin ID

[Pwebb85]

Curious if anyone can give me the info necessary to decode my 1932 Stutz Vin ID. Also hoping someone can provide a technical sheet or type of owners manual for the SV16. As always, thanks.

[alsancle]

3 minutes ago, Pwebb85 said:

Curious if anyone can give me the info necessary to decode my 1932 Stutz Vin ID. Also hoping someone can provide a technical sheet or type of owners manual for the SV16. As always, thanks.

 

You need to post it.

[edinmass]

First off, join the Stutz club. There is nothing to decode on a SV as the car is what it is. What information are you looking for? There are several Stutz Club members and experts on here, and they will respond. I recommend posting a dozen photos of the car, and ask for its known past history.......that is the best place to start. If it's an open car you will easily find photos back to the 50's.........as with many brands, engine/body/chassis swaps can and do occur. Be ready for what you find......It's not always what you expect.

Edited February 15, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Pwebb85]

3 minutes ago, edinmass said:

First off, join the Stutz club. There is nothing to decode on a SV as the car is what it is. What information are you looking for? There are several Stutz Club members and experts on here, and they will respond. I recommend posting a dozen photos of the car, and ask for its known past history.......that is the best place to start. If it's an open car you will easily find photos back to the 50's.........as with many brands, engine/body/chassis swaps can and do occur. Be ready for what you find......It's not always what you expect.

Great advice and thanks. I’m just getting my feet wet in the world of antique autos so all info is good info for me. 
Quick follow up, if I was wanting to run a vehicle history report like a car fax, are there any sites specific that deal w antique autos?

Thanks again

[alsancle]

4 minutes ago, Pwebb85 said:

Great advice and thanks. I’m just getting my feet wet in the world of antique autos so all info is good info for me. 
Quick follow up, if I was wanting to run a vehicle history report like a car fax, are there any sites specific that deal w antique autos?

Thanks again

 

Negative.   Post some pictures of the car and we probably can tell you a lot.

[edinmass]

 

Your only hope is long time collectors who are still alive. Fortunately there are multi generational collectors and in most cases on a Stutz......especially a SV16 there probably be lots of stored knowledge about the car. Be friendly and understand many people pop in here, expect everything given to them in ten seconds flat, and leave. More often than not, guys are guarded with their information for a bunch of reasons. Even past owners oftentimes won't respond. It takes time. Also, buy "The Splendid Stutz" book.......nothing better. Also join the CCCA as they are a great bunch of people and have great tours, events, and magazine.  

[George K]

39 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

Your only hope is long time collectors who are still alive. Fortunately there are multi generational collectors and in most cases on a Stutz......especially a SV16 there probably be lots of stored knowledge about the car. Be friendly and understand many people pop in here, expect everything given to them in ten seconds flat, and leave. More often than not, guys are guarded with their information for a bunch of reasons. Even past owners oftentimes won't respond. It takes time. Also, buy "The Splendid Stutz" book.......nothing better. Also join the CCCA as they are a great bunch of people and have great tours, events, and magazine.  

The Splendid Stutz maybe a resource for Moscovics period Stutz. I don’t know or care. But it is the worse than wrong book ever written regarding early racing Stutz which is the important period for Stutz. 🤮

[m-mman]

5 hours ago, Pwebb85 said:

Quick follow up, if I was wanting to run a vehicle history report like a car fax, are there any sites specific that deal w antique autos?

In the early days (basically before WWII) all the automakers did was number their car sequentially. (yeah stamp #1 on the first car and #2 on the second car and so on. Hence the word "serial number") There was no industry standard. No standardized VINs.

 

In the 50s or so with the increase in the number of available engines and body styles the auto makers added digits and letters to the VIN so that they could have a better record of what was being produced, what was most popular, etc.  Eventually the government got involved and in 1982 required everybody to use a standardized 17 digit series of letters and numbers so that better records could be kept about things like domestic vs foreign production, source of parts, recalls and many other things.  Points of information that didn't matter much before about the 1970s. 

 

When you have every auto maker using a standardized system, it is easy to collect and deliver reports about all cars or even a single car. (Car Fax)  When you have serial numbers from hundreds of manufactures and the placement of letters & numbers that are of no correlation to another maker,  then a giant data base for cars before 1982 becomes an impossibility. 

 

What Ed and others are saying is that within each era, and make, and model, of car there are experts and historians who REALLY, really know those cars and have in many cases been collecting numbers and information for decades. These collections of data and pictures and knowledge are privately owned and pretty much accessible only "when you get to know somebody".   When the expert learns that you are a real enthusiast and not a flipper or a wannabe, it is amazing what you can find out. But getting into the network takes time (joining clubs, making friends, going to meets, etc.)  This is an old car hobby and things are still done the old fashioned ways.   Point and click is not the norm in this world. 

[Pwebb85]

2 hours ago, m-mman said:

In the early days (basically before WWII) all the automakers did was number their car sequentially. (yeah stamp #1 on the first car and #2 on the second car and so on. Hence the word "serial number") There was no industry standard. No standardized VINs.

 

In the 50s or so with the increase in the number of available engines and body styles the auto makers added digits and letters to the VIN so that they could have a better record of what was being produced, what was most popular, etc.  Eventually the government got involved and in 1982 required everybody to use a standardized 17 digit series of letters and numbers so that better records could be kept about things like domestic vs foreign production, source of parts, recalls and many other things.  Points of information that didn't matter much before about the 1970s. 

 

When you have every auto maker using a standardized system, it is easy to collect and deliver reports about all cars or even a single car. (Car Fax)  When you have serial numbers from hundreds of manufactures and the placement of letters & numbers that are of no correlation to another maker,  then a giant data base for cars before 1982 becomes an impossibility. 

 

What Ed and others are saying is that within each era, and make, and model, of car there are experts and historians who REALLY, really know those cars and have in many cases been collecting numbers and information for decades. These collections of data and pictures and knowledge are privately owned and pretty much accessible only "when you get to know somebody".   When the expert learns that you are a real enthusiast and not a flipper or a wannabe, it is amazing what you can find out. But getting into the network takes time (joining clubs, making friends, going to meets, etc.)  This is an old car hobby and things are still done the old fashioned ways.   Point and click is not the norm in this world. 

My buddy got me involved in the world of antique cars( he rebuilt a 1919 Buick) and helped me find the Stutz. Little did I know that acquiring the car would be the easy part!
I really do appreciate all the helpful advice and recognize this isn’t a hobby for the novice or ill informed. I’m going to better familiarize myself with this age of auto, ie, join the clubs, read the book(s)/ forum pages, attend any regional gatherings etc and hopefully join the ranks of the “legit” antique auto collectors. 

And just an fyi, the reason I’m asking these questions is because I acquired the Stutz via an estate sale where only distant relatives survived, the Stutz was transferred notarized bill of sale only so no title info(or any real info for that matter) and from what I can tell, no local history. It’s as if it’s a ghost or simply appeared. Nonetheless, I once again appreciate everything and I’ll update the post with some photos of the ol gal soon to get y’all’s opinion on the condition and potential restoration efforts.

[JACK M]

Don't put any money into it until you establish ownership, i.e. TITLE in your own name.

[Mark Gregush]

Any paperwork you can get from the estate showing they have the right to sell the car, which can include the death certificate of the person the estate is being sold for, can go a long way in establishing their right to sell and will help you get title for it. (Bill of sale is nice, but may only be part of the whole process)

Much of the information of what is needed for your state should be on line. Also expect to make several trips to your DMV, maybe not, but more than likely. Keep copies of everything you take in or mail in. Original documents will be required so once they have them, they may not give them back. 

Don't volunteer any information that not asked for, but do give any that is. Keep a good attitude and smile a lot.

Best bit if advice was given above, do not sink any money into it till you have that piece of paper from your state saying it is yours. Way too many people sink huge amounts of money into a project and don't even really own the car and run into major issues then getting a title. 

Best of luck from have been there and came out good at the end. (No, I didn't invest any money in the car beyond buying till I had gotten the title because I knew it would only be a chance I could)