Alexander Kennedy Miller and his wife, Imogene, lived for 40 years amongst a collection of ramshackle barns and lean-tos in a dilapidated farmhouse in East Orange, Vermont. The Millers were legendary local “characters” in East Orange, and they were often seen riding around town in a series of rusted-out Volkswagen Beetles, which would eventually die and be left to rot on the farm. Their skinflint nature was legendary, even among the enthusiasts who would write or venture out to East Orange in search of cars or parts. As unlikely as it would seem, A.K. Miller was the world’s foremost authority in Stutzes and their bits. Before he became a recluse, he was a wealthy stockbroker’s son who bought his first Stutz as a teen and bid on parts at the company’s bankruptcy auction.

The sheer size of the Miller Stutz horde only became apparent after Mrs. Miller passed away in 1995. (A.K. had met his end two years earlier, after falling from the ladder of his Stutz fire engine.) Hidden away on the farm was not only a large collection of original Stutz parts and memorabilia but also an incomparable collection of Stutz automobiles that covered the marque’s entire history. All have since been sold, and many have been restored. A lucky few, this 1924 Special Six among them, remain in the same original condition as when “retrieved,” and they are wonderful throwbacks to a bygone era of enthusiasm.

This car, offered at the Miller Estate sale, features one of the most desirable body styles, the five-passenger tourabout. It is a sporty phaeton that had been equipped by the factory with a rear-mounted trunk, dual side-mounts hung from the body, and disc wheels. When removed from its place in a Miller barn, it was remarkably complete and in an excellent state of preservation, as it remains today. Even the original upholstery is still in wonderful condition. Only the fenders and splash aprons have been repainted, while the top is believed to be the original and is certainly “of the period.”

The current owner reports that the car is “on the button” and runs and drives beautifully. The oil pan was dropped and inspected, and the exterior oil plumbing was replaced, because the original brass fittings had rotted with age. The starter and generator end caps were replaced with steel or cast iron versions of similar design, replacing the original, fragile pot metal pieces. The owner reports having driven it on numerous 300- and 400-mile weekend tours during his ownership, which included in the Washington Cascades, in the mountains of Idaho, and in lowland tours and local cruise-ins. The original Stutz brand spark plugs have been removed but will be included with the car, along with a few small spares of unknown condition.

This Stutz is ideal for Veteran Motor Car Club of America, AACA, and Nickel Era tours, as well as for the renowned Glidden Tour, and it is an exceptional survivor from one of the most fabled collections of modern times.