Stutz D'Italia

In 1976, the D'Italia was presented at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
It was based on a standard Blackhawk.
The conversion into a convertible wasn't done by Carrozzeria Saturn.
Dan Steckler, working for Stutz in California converted a green Blackhawk into the very first Stutz Convertible.

click here to see more pictures from Dan Steckler's Collection

As far as we know at the moment, only one D'Italia was built.
The car was sold to Evel Knievel.

click here to see more D'Italia photos from Dan Steckler

We know also a black one, owned by Wayne Newton.
Most likely it's the same car, just recolored.

In 1979, Stutz was able to show the first Bearcat, a convertible with roll-bar.

I was contacted by T. Hendricksen,
back in the 70's, he worked for a multi-millionaire in California.
This person was interested in buying the first (only?) D'Italia.
When Mr. Hendricksen entered the show room the first time, to see the D'Italia,
the car was out for a photo-shooting for a cover of the Time-Magazine.
A few days later, he was more successful.
While the car was under consideration for purchase,
the Stutz-dealer informed him that they have a request for the D'Italia to be used in a James-Bond-Movie.
Mr. Hendricksen feared that 18 coats of paint will get scratches during the filming,
and so the D'Italia wasn't featured in a Bond movie...
Finally, Mr. Hendricksen's boss decided not to buy the car,
because the top wasn't covered by a body panel, when the top was down, it was just covered by a vinyl-boot.
So Evel Knievel got his chance!

In December 2007, I got a photo of a gold/black "D'Italia".

thanks for this photo to Louis Van Den Berg

I was surprised to see another D'Italia...
Well, in January 2008, another photo of that car appeared on Ebay, and so we know that this car is no official D'Italia,
it's based on a 1974 Blackhawk with Vega-taillights, so it's "just" a conversion.
We don't know who did that job, and when it was done...

thanks for this photo to Fred Kendall

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