Pierce-Arrow history with VIN code ?

Hello Mika,

We don’t have either the Serial Number or the Engine Number on file for this car. I have an idea which car yours is, but I need one of the numbers below to confirm it.

Take a few minutes and check the side of your engine block. There will be a stamped engine serial number on a small rectangle in the block casting. The rectangle is on the driver’s side of the block, at the very top of the block, just below the cylinder head gasket. It is about in the middle of the length of the block. It will be in the form of “310001”. This was the first Engine Number for 1935 8 cylinder cars. Do not confuse this with the raised casting numbers that are cast into the side of the block, down near the starter. Owners often easily see the casting numbers and assume that this is the engine number.

The Serial Number of the car is stamped on an aluminum plate, about 3″ x 5″ in size. The plate is usually riveted to the frame rail, in the area of the rear shackle of the front spring. Usually, it is on the passenger side, but on 1935’s, I have seen them on the driver’s side. You should be able to see the plate by looking in the back sie of the front wheel well.

Often, these plates have corroded or fallen off the car. If so, there are good reproduction plates available from the Classic Car Club of America, listed in our PAS Roster.

Another piece of information that may help, is the body number. The body number is found on a metal tag about 5″ x 1″ in size attached to the firewall, on the passenger side, under the hood. The body tag will have a number in the form of XXX-S-XXX. Having this information may also help us to determine some history on your car. If this tag is not present. You can also look for a small tag nailed to the inside surface of the floor of the car, usually just inside the rear door on the passenger side of the car. The tag will be found by lifting the carpet and looking at the wood flooring.

If you can’t find any tags (it happens with a car this old), check your vehicle registration or title. Often, this will show the Serial Number of the car.

Let us know what you find, and we’ll see what the database holds.

Keep up the good work on your Pierce.

Chris Diekman

The club’s vehicle register does list your car and shows a body code 238-S-605. The “238” designates that this is a 1935, 8 cyl built on the 139″ wheelbase. The “S” dsignates 5 passenger sedan. The 605 is the sequential build number. The 1935 sequence began at 400 as this was a continuation of the 1934 body styles.

I have sent you a private message concerning ownership history.