1973 Other Makes Stutz

Blackhawk Sedan

V8

Automatic

2K57Y2A103176

Clear

Gasoline

THE STUTZ BLACKHAWK WAS BUILT IN ITALY AND POWERED BY GM ENGINES FOR EASY SERVICE AND QUALITY. THIS CAR WAS SAMMY DAVIS JR.'S CAR AND HAS THE ORIGINAL PLACARD AS STUTZ MADE FOR THE OWNERS. HAND CRAFTED AND ONE OF A KIND. The Stutz Blackhawk was an American luxury car manufactured from 1971 through 1987. The Stutz Motor Company was revived in August 1968 by New York banker James O'Donnell. Virgil Exner designed the car, which was prototyped by Ghia at a cost over US$300,000. The Blackhawk debuted in January 1970 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Approximately 500–600 had been manufactured by the time production ended in 1987. The 1972 suggested retail price was US$23,000; adjusted for inflation, approximately $118,631 in 2008 dollars. In 1973, just one year later, the price almost doubled to US$43,000. With an extra heavy gauge steel body handmade at Carrozzeria Padane in Modena, Italy, and from 1972 at Carrozzeria Saturn in Cavallermaggiore, near Torino, Italy, and greater than 19 feet long, the production Blackhawk used Pontiac Grand Prix running gear, Pontiac's 7.5 L (455 in³) V8 engine, and a GM TH400 3-speed automatic transmission. With its engine tuned to produce 425 hp (317 kW) and 420 ft·lbf (570 N·m), the 5000 lb (2300 kg) Blackhawk could accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 8.4 seconds with a 130 mph (210 km/h) top speed, delivering 8 miles per gallon (30 L/100 km). Later Blackhawks used Pontiac's 403 and 350. Also Ford, Chevrolet and Cadillac engines were used. The handbuilt Blackhawk had 18 to 22 handrubbed lacquer paint coats that took six weeks to apply. Total production time for each vehicle was over 1500 manhours. The first production car was purchased by Elvis Presley (who later bought four more), with other famous owners including Sammy Davis Jr., Evel Knievel, Robert Goulet, Larry Holmes, Willy Nelson, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Lucille Ball, Wilson Pickett (1974), Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Al Pacino, Frank Sinatra, Joseph Denney, Tony Grova, Wayne Newton, and H.B. Halicki. Frank Sinatra had vied with Elvis for the first car. Each car included a dash plaque naming its original owner.