Making progress on my Series 80

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  • May 22, 2016 at 7:35 pm #391709
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    After 7 months of work my ’26 is almost ready for the road. Picked it up in Colorado last November. It has been off the road over 15 years. When I bought it the head was off since it had cracked. Since then I have inspected and reassembled the engine, rebuild the steering box and went through and checked/inspected everything. Just finished replacing the ash slats on the roof and the last thing is to install a new top. I would not have made it this with out the help on this forum and a few members that have been like a Pierce Arrow factory tech hotline. Really appreciate the help….

    May 22, 2016 at 7:38 pm #402043
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    A shot of the engine

    May 22, 2016 at 7:38 pm #402044
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    Passenger side

    May 22, 2016 at 9:10 pm #402049
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    Jim,

    You own a very nice Pierce-Arrow.

    Keep up the good work.

    Remember, it is a process and not an event!

    Give yourself a multi-year deadline and you will reach it.

    Believe it or not, there will be a time in the future where there is very little to be done, just tinkering.

    Peter

    May 22, 2016 at 9:49 pm #402050
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    Nice work! I’m sure you know the process, but over the roof slats goes chicken wire, then a layer of material (muslin or a tight weave burlap), then a thin cotton pad, then top material. Don’t use foam, it will disintegrate in 8 or 10 years and leave you without padding. There used to be an additive added to foam for longevity, about 10 years ago or so the gub’ment outlawed it, caused cancer. Foam is now sold in years, 8 year foam, 10 year foam, which is a fine life for furniture, but not our antique cars!

    May 22, 2016 at 11:49 pm #402052
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    Congrats on the progress.

    The engine is looking great!

    May 23, 2016 at 7:29 am #402054
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    You might also want to solder a wire to the chicken wire and run it down the windshield pillar somewhere inconspicuously if you ever want to install a radio in the car. Radios were not installed in cars that early, but you will (hopefully) only do the top once, and you never know if you will want to add some music to your ride…

    May 23, 2016 at 7:37 am #402055
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    Bob is correct, when first radios were put in cars and into the 30’s, the chicken wire was used as an antenna. If you plan to do this, make sure no part of the chicken wire touches the body metal, it needs to be completely isolated on the wood framework.

    ’26 would be too early for a radio (factory or period aftermarket), I think, as far as originality goes…

    May 23, 2016 at 11:41 am #402056
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    The first auto radio was sold in 1922, it cost 1200.00 and was so large it was placed on the rear luggage rack.

    May 23, 2016 at 11:46 am #402057
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    By the way…….it looks great!

    May 23, 2016 at 1:40 pm #402060
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    I stand, or sit, corrected by the Master, Ed! I didn’t know radios were offered that early for cars, I thought it was late 20’s.

    At $1200 in 1922, it would have been cheaper just to hire a one man band to ride with you!

    May 23, 2016 at 8:42 pm #402063
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    David- I removed what I believe to be the original top from the car. I base this on the fact that all of the holes in the wood lined up with the nails removed from the fabric and drip rails. If it was replaced there would have been a lot more nail holes. Under the top was a piece of burlap/jute material. This was the only thing resting on the ash slats. No chicken wire or cotton.

    Does anybody have pictures or details before I proceed with the install…….Thanks

    May 24, 2016 at 3:28 am #402065
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    That’s interesting, Jim, and your reasoning to think it’s original is sound. Curious to hear from others what they found and/or put under the top material. I know closed cars of the 30’s had construction as I described.

    June 4, 2016 at 6:41 pm #402143
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    The photos of this 80 look very much like the 2-door Coach I owned for about a dozen years until the early 1980s. I bought it from the daughter of the original owner,and it was originally sold in Denver by the Kumpf Motor Car Co in the fall of 1925.

    June 4, 2016 at 9:10 pm #402144
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    Roger…this car came from Littleton Colorado, and what from I was told it spent the entire time out there. It came with a black and white 8×10 of the car sitting in front of Boulder university. If this is your old car I would to here more about it.

    Actually put the car on the road this week and took it out for its first ride in almost twenty years. It performed rather well. Just wish it didn’t have the 4.88 gears :(

    June 4, 2016 at 9:13 pm #402145
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    Roger…..just checked the paperwork on the car and I have a your old registration and insurance card.. Would really like to learn more about the history.

    June 14, 2016 at 9:12 am #402266
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    Great Car; I just got a ’27 2-door and need to learn everything. Did you have to do anything with the windshield? I am trying to learn how the glass fits in, etc.

    RR

    June 14, 2016 at 6:47 pm #402277
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    Randy-I didn’t have to do anything with the windshield. If you do I would suggest taking it to a glass shop that has experience in older cars. Real simple for them to do. Paint the frame after they are done so there is no worries on it getting scratched

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