This 1976 Stutz Blackhawk VI is one of approximately 600 Blackhawks produced between 1971 and 1987 and is finished in a most striking 'Dark Blue' color paint with a 'Light Blue' Connolly leather interior with 'Dark Blue' piping and the power is provided by a 403 ci General Motors V8 paired with a TH400 three-speed automatic transmission. Radially laced 16 chrome wire wheels feature winged knockoffs and are wrapped in whitewall tires. A matching spare is mounted in the trunk and protrudes through the rear bodywork. Braking is handled by front discs and rear drums. The trunk is lined with mink fur and houses wheel knock-off hammers, tools, and a jack.
This particular car was recently acquired from its original southern California family owner who had owned the car since new and which drives extremely well with no signs of any accidents or previous damage. The car reportedly has 58K original miles and is a beautiful mostly all original surviving example with only very few imperfections, if any, to mention.
The Stutz Motor Company was revived in August 1968 by a New York banker James O'Donnell who had joined forces with the legendary retired Chrysler stylist Virgil Exner who designed the new Blackhawk. Exner's design included a spare tire that protruded through the decklid, a faux radiator shell-type chrome grille and freestanding headlamps. The new Blackhawk was prototyped by Ghia in Italy at an extraordinary cost of over $300K. To offer exclusivity and still permit easy servicing in the U.S. a General Motors platform and engine served as the base for the custom built Italian body. The Blackhawk debuted in January 1970 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Prices ranged from $22,500 to $75,000, an extraordinary amount for its day.
All early Blackhawks were coupes, but some very rare sedans were produced later. Convertible versions were called D'Italia and Bearcat. Stutz Blackhawks became the car of choice among elite entertainers of the day and by 1976 Stutz had sold 205 Blackhawks with about six a month being hand-built in Italy and shipped to the U.S. By April 1980 350 Blackhawks had been sold and by the time production ended in 1987 reportedly approximately 500 to 600 cars had been manufactured.
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 (5.79 meters) long, the production Blackhawk uses Pontiac Grand Prix running gear, Pontiac's 7.5L 455 c.i. V8 engine, and a GM TH400 three-speed automatic transmission. Its driveline being a RWD. With its engine tuned to produce 425 hp and 420 ft lbf, the 5000 lb Blackhawk can accelerate to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds with a 130 mph top speed, delivering eight miles per gallon. Later Blackhawks use Pontiac's 403 and 350. Also Ford, Chevrolet and Cadillac engines were used. The hand-built Blackhawk has 18 to 22 hand-rubbed lacquer paint coats that took six weeks to apply. Total production time for each vehicle was over 1500 man-hours. In 1980, the Blackhawk was redesigned for the Pontiac Bonneville chassis and 1985, the Oldsmobile Delta 88/Buick LeSabre Chassis.
Exner's design included a spare tire that protruded through the trunk lid and freestanding headlamps. The fuel filler cap is positioned inside the spare tire on the first models. The interior includes 24-carat gold plated trim and bird's eye maple or burled walnut and redwood, Connolly leather seats and dash, instrument markings in both English and Italian, fine wool or mink carpeting and headlining, a cigar lighter, and a liquor cabinet in the back. There is a clock in the steering wheel hub on some later models. Other special features include automatic headlamp controls with twilight sensor, cornering lamps, bilevel automatic air conditioning, Superlift air adjustable shock absorbers, Safe-T-Track limited slip differential, an electric sunroof, cruise control, central locking, a burglar alarm, non-functional exhaust side pipes, and a high-end Lear Jet AM/FM eight-track quadraphonic sound system. The first models rolled on special 17-inch Firestone LXX run-flat tires and rims. These were taken off the market however as they turned out to be unsafe.
The 1971 Blackhawk's factory price was $22,500; adjusted for inflation approximately $168K in 2022 dollars. In 1974 the factory price had increased to $35,000 (approx. $223K in 2022 dollars). A year later, in 1975, the factory price was $41,500 (approx. $237K in 2022 dollars). In 1976 a Blackhawk's base price was $47,500 (approx. $254K in 2022 dollars). And in 1981 the coupe sold for $84,500 (approx. $289K in 2022 dollars). The Stutz d'Italia was advertised as the most expensive car sold today at $129,500 at the same time as the Bearcat VI was offered for under half this at "only $64,165".
The very first Blackhawk sold was purchased by Elvis Presley on October 9, 1970, for $26,500. This was the second Blackhawk prototype, as built by Carrozzeria Padane (the first one, built by Ghia, was driven by