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29-425: In 1904, Harry C. Stutz , who was involved in the design and manufacture of internal combustion engines , introduced George Schebler to Frank H. Wheeler . In the resulting partnership, Wheeler provided the money, while Schebler provided the engineering skills . Stutz worked temporarily as Sales Manager. By 1907, they had achieved enough success to move to Indianapolis into a state-of-the-art factory, reportedly one of

58-533: A "T" arrangement with a longitudinal engine connected to a transverse transaxle. Front-wheel-drive versions of modern Audis , from the A4 upwards, along with their related marques from the Volkswagen Group (which share the same automobile layout ) also use a similar layout, but with the transaxle also mounted longitudinally. The front-wheel-drive Renault 16 had a longitudinal engine and transaxle, with

87-589: A five-week period, Stutz designed and built his own car and entered it in the race. This car was named the Bear Cat, a prototype of what later became the Stutz Bearcat . Stutz's car was driven by Gil Andersen with mechanic Frank Agan and placed 11th in the inaugural Indianapolis 500-mile Race. The Bear Cat suffered no mechanical defects, with Andersen and Agan only stopping for tires and fuel. Stutz immediately set about putting his Bear Cat into production, with

116-477: A front-engine drives a rear-mounted transaxle. This is generally done for reasons of weight distribution and is therefore common on sports cars . Another advantage is that since the driveshaft spins at engine speed, it only has to endure the torque of the engine instead of the torque multiplied by the 1st gear ratio . This design was pioneered in the 1934 Škoda Popular , and then in the 1950 Lancia Aurelia , designed by Vittorio Jano . Since this placement of

145-478: A residence in Indianapolis, a sprawling 10-bedroom mansion at 3172 North Meridian Street (now 3190 North Meridian Street). Harry and Clara divorced in 1925. Stutz re-married to Blanche Clark Miller in 1926, and they subsequently moved to Orlando, Florida . Their marriage was the subject of national news, as Blanche's former husband sued Stutz for "alienation of affection," seeking $ 50,000 in damages. Stutz

174-491: The H. C. S. Motor Car Company . Stutz reenlisted the help of Henry Campbell, and was able to raise $ 1,000,000 in capital by late 1919. H. C. S. focused on sportscars and roadsters, and by 1920 had vehicles available for dealers. The first H. C. S. vehicle, named the H. C. S. Special, was advertised beginning in February 1920, with Stutz's cousin, Charles E. Stutz, listed as the sole Indiana distributor. In 1924, Stutz expanded

203-565: The National Register of Historic Places in 2004. Harry C. Stutz Harry Clayton Stutz (September 12, 1876 – June 26, 1930) was an American automobile manufacturer, entrepreneur, self-taught engineer, and innovator in the automobile industry . Stutz was part of the burgeoning Indianapolis automotive industry of the early 20th century, where he founded the Ideal Motor Car Company, later known as

232-638: The Stutz Motor Car Company , and the short-lived H. C. S. Motor Car Company . Harry Stutz was born On September 12, 1876, near Ansonia, Ohio , to farmer Henry J. Stutz and his wife Elizabeth (née Schneider). Upon finishing his schooling, Stutz moved to Dayton, Ohio . He worked for the Davis Sewing Machine Company and National Cash Register before he opened a machine shop and repair business in 1897. Stutz grew up caring for and repairing agricultural machinery on

261-477: The Volkswagen Group which share the same layout , utilise a transaxle. This is mounted immediately behind the front-mounted engine (again, longitudinally) and contains the 'gearbox' (manual, automatic, DSG , or CVT ), along with both the centre differential , and the front differential and final drive unit. The Nissan GT-R and Ferrari FF (and its successors) are unusual in being all-wheel-drive cars with front-engined layouts and rear-mounted transaxles. In

290-409: The 1997 to 2019 model years, do not feature an integrated transaxle, where the transmission, axle and differential are combined into a single assembly. These years actually featured a rear-mounted transmission, which was a stand-alone unit bolted directly to the differential. While many, including General Motors, refer to this configuration as a transaxle, the first Corvette with an integrated transaxle

319-486: The H. C. S. business, introducing the new H. C. S. taxicab. Stutz sought to corner the market on wholesale buying of taxis as their demand grew in the 1920s. The H. C. S. Motor Car Company was purchased by the newly-formed H. C. S. Cab Manufacturing Company. Stutz and Campbell continued to run the operation from their North Capitol Avenue manufacturing plant, manufacturing both taxicabs and automobiles. The H. C. S. taxicabs were met with positive reception and Stutz showcased

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348-535: The Indianapolis 500 is known as the Borg-Warner Trophy . The original Wheeler-Schebler building still survives. It housed the "Wheeler Arts Community" and the "Community Arts and Education Center" in the Fountain Square district of Indianapolis at 1035 East Sanders Street until it was closed in 2018. The building is now being converted into market-rate housing units. The building was added to

377-771: The Stutz Auto Parts Company in 1910 to manufacture his newly patented transaxle design. Stutz came to the attention of the founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway , who had formed the Empire Motor Car Company in 1909. Stutz was brought on as the designer of the group's first automobile, the Empire . Building upon his success with the Empire, Stutz sought to enter a car in the upcoming Indianapolis 500-mile race . In

406-483: The Tillotson Carburetor Company in 1971. In 1985, the name was revised to "Control Systems" by the parent company, Borg-Warner. When Borg-Warner went through a leveraged buyout in 1987, Borg Warner Automotive Inc. was spun off as an independent company that is still in operation, developing fuel efficient engine and drive train technology. To this day, the trophy awarded annually to the winner of

435-637: The coasts as municipal firefighting services began to switch to motorized vehicles in the 1920s. Stutz sold his interest in the fire engine company in 1926. In 1929, Stutz designed a four-cylinder engine for the Stutz-Bellanca Airplane Company. In 1898, Stutz married Clara Marie Dietz (1880-1956). Clara and Harry had one daughter, Emma (1901-1992). Harry and Clara followed Indiana automotive pioneer Carl G. Fisher by moving to Florida , where they settled in Miami . They maintained

464-556: The company in 1912, but it continued to operate under the Wheeler-Schebler name until 1928, when it evolved into the Marvel-Schebler Carburetor Company , one of five companies that played a role in the development of what became Borg-Warner Corporation . The Marvel-Schebler company did some of the early work on fuel injection systems in the late 1950s and early 60s, eventually merging with

493-420: The engine behind the transaxle. The transaxle case was designed to allow the final-drive ring gear to be on either side of the pinion; this allowed the engine-transaxle assembly to be used in the rear-wheel-drive Lotus Europa , which had the engine in front of the transaxle (i.e., mid-engined ). Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicles tend to have the transmission up front just after the engine, but sometimes

522-399: The engine placed at the same end of the car as the driven wheels: the front-engine/front-wheel-drive ; rear-engine/rear-wheel-drive ; and mid-engine/rear-wheel-drive arrangements. Many mid- and rear-engined vehicles use a transverse engine and transaxle, similar to a front-wheel-drive unit. Others use a longitudinal engine and transaxle like Ferrari 's 1989 Mondial t which used

551-761: The family farm and was fascinated by automobiles. Stutz built his first car in 1897, and in 1900 he built a second automobile using a gasoline engine of his own design and manufacture. In 1899, Stutz established the Stutz Manufacturing Company in Dayton to produce engines. In 1902, the Lindsay Automobile Parts Company of Indianapolis sought to use his engines at their Indianapolis manufacturing facility. The two companies merged that year, bringing Stutz to Indianapolis. Upon arrival in Indianapolis, Stutz continued to work within

580-538: The gearbox is unsuitable for a live axle (due to excessive unsprung mass ), the rear suspension is either independent , or uses a de Dion tube (notably in Alfa Romeos ). Rare exceptions to this rule were the Bugatti T46 and T50 which had a three speed gearbox on a live axle. Notable front-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicles with a transaxle design include: Note: The C5, C6 and C7 Corvettes, produced in

609-619: The manufacturing factory encompassed an entire city block.To find more capital for his prospering business, Stutz fell in with a New York stockbroker, Allan A. Ryan. In 1916, Stutz Motor Car Company of America was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Ryan now controlled the business, with Stutz staying on as president. Uncomfortable with Ryan's business style, Harry Stutz resigned from the Stutz Motor Car Company in 1919. Ryan lost his controlling interest and

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638-610: The most advanced in the United States at the time. It produced carburetors for over 15 makes of autos from 1911 up to 1951. Frank Wheeler and three other local men opened the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909. Prior to the inauguration of the Indianapolis 500 in 1911, the Wheeler-Schebler company sponsored the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy Race at the track. George Schebler sold his interests in

667-643: The newly-designed vehicles in New York City . In 1926, Stutz closed H. C. S. Motor Car Company and moved to Florida. Stutz began manufacturing fire engines with the Stutz Fire Engine Company in 1920. The Stutz Fire Engine Company ran concurrently with the H. C. S. Motor Car Company, occupying two buildings in the same complex on North Capitol Avenue in Indianapolis. Stutz sold the fire engines to several fire departments in Indiana and

696-711: The newly-founded automotive industry. With two other investors he established Central Motor Car Company but moved on to the Schebler Carburetor Company at the end of 1904 to sell their carburetors. In 1905, Stutz designed a car for the American Motor Car Company . In 1907, Stutz became the chief engineer and factory manager at the Marion Motor Car Company. At Marion, he became one of the company's racing drivers competing in local Indianapolis races. Stutz formed

725-554: The slogan "the car that made good in a day." Stutz, with financial backing from Henry F. Campbell, founded the Ideal Motor Car Company in June 1911 to begin production of their new automobile. The Ideal Motor Car Company opened a factory on the northwest side of downtown Indianapolis. In 1913, Stutz merged Ideal with the Stutz Auto Parts Company to create the Stutz Motor Car Company . In the first four years of production Stutz sold over 3,000 vehicles and expanded its operations. By 1920,

754-516: Was an active member of Indianapolis society. He belonged to the Indianapolis Athletic Club , and was elected its vice-president in 1920 and again in 1925. Stutz suffered an inflamed appendix during a June 1930 car trip from Orlando to Indianapolis. Upon arrival in Indianapolis, Stutz was admitted to Methodist Hospital where he underwent surgery to remove his appendix. The surgery was initially reported as successful, and Stutz

783-488: Was forced to sell the company to an investment group that included Charles M. Schwab . The company remained solvent throughout the 1920s, but various lawsuits and contract disputes, coupled with the weakened automobile market from the Great Depression , caused the company to fold by the end of the 1930s. Shortly after leaving the Stutz Motor Car Company, Harry Stutz re-entered the automotive industry by founding

812-621: Was listed in fair condition. Despite the initial report, Stutz died the following day, June 26, 1930. Stutz is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis. Stutz was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1993. Transaxle A transaxle is a single mechanical device which combines the functions of an automobile's transmission , axle , and differential into one integrated assembly. It can be produced in both manual and automatic versions. Transaxles are nearly universal in all automobile configurations that have

841-417: Was produced in the eighth generation Corvette, which was released in the 2020 model year. Volkswagen and later Porsche made extensive use of transaxles in their rear (and mid) engined vehicles. Over the years, models adopting this configuration have included: All Audi cars with longitudinal engines and their 'trademark' quattro four-wheel-drive (4WD) system, along with their related marques from

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