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William Scorah, Having researched my serial number, 14722, it appears it was made in 1916. Regional HCCA clubs have made me very welcome in their groups and tours. They say that the only possible question could be in National Sanctioned HCCA events. But might even be accepted there since I have an unusual body, the car, I mean. Excuse the whimsical digression.
I saw the article in coachbuilt.com. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I was also able to learn about other coach built cars we have, Brewster, Durham, and Willoughby. However, a minor caveat that since another coachbuilt guru told me in private message that coachbuilt has a few errors that they should respond to errata in their articles.
But they seem to be the best source on the internet for coach built information.
“Congratulations and a big Welcome to the Pierce-Arrow Society. The best cars, the best members, and the best club. I’m glad you followed through after our phone conversation.
You’ve already been put in touch with a number of contacts locally and above to help you enjoy your new vehicle. Another person further East that I’d recommend if you ever need professional assistance would be Peter Fawcett near Toronto.
If you didn’t receive a 2017 roster yet, let me know and I’ll send you one.
You should attend the upcoming Winter Mini-meet in Pine Mountain, GA the beginning of March. The info is on the website. I hope to meet you there!
Dave Stevens”
I did follow up with Peter Fawcett. He was courteous and helpful. I am hoping he can find a rear FR Wood bumper for my car. He thinks he has one, “somewhere”
I would like a 2017 roster.
I also have been in touch with Rick Horne, George Teebay, suggested I call Rick. He lives about 60 miles south of our home. Rick invited me to the Mini Meet and my wife and I are going to the mini-meet. Another PAS guy is also going and hoping that we may be able to meet at the Atlanta Airport and show him our collection.
I am overwhelmed by the warm and kind response from PAS members. Truly great people with great cars. A grand symbiosis. As you can tell that I like people!!
Richard Anderson, an especially two very helpful information. You certainly give the best thanks!
1. Your info on Paul Murray. I have his info and plan to call him today. Our car is an unusual car in an unusual marque. He knows our car personally!
2. Your info about “spreading” the clutch and brake pedals so I can get my foot (size 11.5) between! My size shows yeti-like footprints.
Could this car made for short people with tiny feet, powerful legs and huge arms? Right hand on the steering wheel and right hand on the e-brake?
Greg, your longer response warrants a long response. I really appreciate your “Long” responses. Please excuse my whimsey!
I am winding down my real estate portfolio, building a new place for our cars, and learning about our Pierce.
Please keep the information coming!
1. I did not install the electrci pump. It has a switch that also shows a red light on the dash when it is on. I have been using it only for starting, and when out of gas! Planning a spare gas can if I can find one with brass and a PA logo!
2. I will send you pictures of the dash, gas pump and anything else related. I love photography and take tons of pictures. Here belowe is a picture of my dash, taken by a previous seller.
The gas gage in the tank seems to be missing a needle. Perhaps it can be restored or replaced.
The gas tank seems to be smaller than my later cars. Guessing it is 10-12 gallons. This indicates that Pierce-Arrow people MUST have always liked people because we must have to stop often for gas!
At 6-7mpg, computes about a range of 60 or 70 miles. Carry a gas can?
Apparently, my car does have a pressurized fuel system. The seller admonished me not to fill it up because it would only have a too small air volume and could over-pressurize the system. What should I do?
George Teebay, my friend, will get back to you later. We are off for the day!
George Teebay, my friend, will get back to you later. We are off for the day!
Greg, here is my dash,
Bill,
Regarding the dash air pump:My 1915 C-3 runs on her original fuel system and has always done just fine.I pump the dash hand pump up to 1-1/4-1-1/2 pounds then pull the primer slightly then start the car.The Series 3’s and earlier use the trembler
coil and commutator ignition and sometimes the car will start on the spark.I have always run a bit of two cycle oil in the gasoline as the car needs an oily gasoline.The belly pan retains heat which seems to help in combustion ad the car runs quite clean with a tan deposit on the tail pipe.Your fuel system is quite similar and I would try to run ethanol free gasoline.
Hi Bill, thank you for the photo, and thank you for your ‘thank you’.. I can be whimsical too !
I’d like to look at your car’s fuel system when i’m in Georgia for the Winter Board meeting. I’m curious
how the electric fuel pump was plumbed.
Regarding being told to ‘not fill’ the fuel tank; i agree with that only if you are putting the car away for storage.. or not driving the car 5010 miles immediately after filling the tank with cool fuel, and then parking the car a few blocks away at a restaurant for a meal. If the weather is hot, the fuel WILL expand..
The fuel cap and fuel system do not have any vent system.. So, if you filled the fuel tank with cool gasoline from an underground tank [at a gas station] then put it on a trailer and brought it home, then put the car away. The cool gasoline would have nowhere to go. and it WILL expand.. and could split a seam on the fuel tank.. But, if there is say, a 1/2″ or 1″ of airspace from the fuel level to the bottom of the filler neck.. then you have expansion room. And of course if you drive a mile or two from the fuel station to home, you will have used almost a gallon of fuel..
If you fill your tank and drive only a short distance, let the car sit and the fuel warm up, the gasoline pressure gauge might be pegged when you return to your car.. so it is prudent to think about ‘when, where and how’ you will be using the car and it’s full tank of gasoline in the next hour or so.. as you are holding the fuel hose/nozzle at the gas station.. and fill or not-completely fill the tank..
You can use a measuring tape and google’s ‘calculate volume’ online calculators to figure volume then google ‘cubic inches to gallons’ and you will find other online calculators to figure the gas tank’s theoretical fuel volume.
I looked in a 1916 ‘Series 4’ owners/operators manual, the 38 hp cars came with a 26 gallon fuel tank. The 48hp and 66hp cars had a 32 gallon tank. I’m sure your tank, even if not original, is at least 20-25 gallons, if not more.
Some tanks have the fuel pickup tube, [which hangs down from the top of the tank] end about 1″ from the bottom of the tank.. This is to reduce the likelihood of drawing in water or dirt, rust flakes etc from the bottom of the tank.. The fuel tank should be run low or dry once or twice a year and the bottom drain removed to let the rest of the unusable fuel drain out, and bring along the dirt, rust flakes and water. The drain plugs in most of the Pierce fuel tanks from the ’20’s and earlier have a large diameter, and have a depression or small ‘sump’ in the center of the drain plug.. it only holds about a thimble-full of water, dirt or sediment.. but you should clean this tiny sump when you ever have the drain plug out..
It is possible that a previous owner did not understand the simplicity and function of the Pierce’s pressurized system, and put an electric pump in the system because he did understand an electric pump. ?
Anyway, the normal procedure as i mentioned in an earlier post is to hand pump the tank to about 1# air pressure on the ‘Gasoline’ gauge, then prime and start..
Well, if your fuel tank only has say 5 gallons of fuel, and is a 32 gallon tank, there is a LOT of hand pumping needed to raise 1# of air pressure in the 25-27 gallon airspace in your fuel tank. You will KNOW when you go to start your car if it is low on gas, because you will wear out your arm pumping, trying to get even 1/2 # of air pressure.. The opposite is also revealing: if you find you only need 4 or 5 stokes of the hand pump to generate 1# of air pressure on the Gasoline’ gauge, then you know that that fuel level is high, and the air space is small.
Regarding your fuel gauge needle: unless it has been changed from original. the needle is balanced on the pin in the middle of the gauge, the needle is made of steel, it balances on the needle, usually has a very small brass nut/bolt with a center hole for the pin, allowing the needle to pivot, and be balanced on the pivot needle.. The needle is moved by a magnet under the needle, on the other side of the ‘floor’ of the needle’s compartment.. This system is needed to keep air pressure in the tank, and not have air leaks.. The needle can jump off the pin, and rattle around under the glass, which mine does.. the gasket between the glass and the gauge’s male threads is too thick on my car. so there is room of the needle to get off the pin.. The needle is supposed to be trapped but not touched by the glass. I think a watch repair shop might be able to scrounge up a needle, a balancing center pivot and make it balanced and be a ferrous metal needle.. ??
I’m looking forward to seeing your car when I’m in Georgia !!
Greg Long.
Hello Bill,
Nice car and welcome to the Pierce-Arrow Society.
Are you confident that your car’s S/N is 14722 and NOT 14727?
There is NO listing for S/N 14722.
The Pierce-Arrow cars listing to which I have access shows S/N 14727 as a 48-B-4, 7-Passenger Touring, previously owned by Eugene Boone and before that, Maynard Miller.
It also indicates that there was a photo of it in “Antique Automobile,†Fall 1954, p.56.
It also notes that it has a custom body by Frank Woods & Co., of New Jersey.
Just curious.
Peter
Bill,.
This could be a clue to tracing the ownership history of your Pierce Arrow.I would check with the AACA Library for articles and rosters.There could be members who knew these gentlemen and could provide information on where your car was found.The AACA had a listing of antique cars by make in 1961 and I believe other years and the library could provide photocopies of the Pierce Arrow sections.
Bill Marsh: The handle/plunger on your dash fuel pressurization pump should have an arrow marked in white (color may need refreshing). It has three positions:
* 9 o’clock — pressure released. Should be moved to this position if you will be away from the car for an hour or more–less time if you note any dripping from carb while fuel is under pressure. When adding gasoline to tank, depressurize by moving to this position.
* 12 o’clock — Move to this position to manually pressurize tank, such as cold start.
* 3 o’clock — the RUN position. After you’ve pumped system up to 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lbs, immediately turn knob to 3 o’clock.
As Greg mentioned, you’ll find it beneficial to keep your tank at least half full most of the time. 
Bill Scorah: What mix (dosage) of 2-cycle oil have you found to be best? I use Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) at 4 oz/10 gallons in my other cars, but agree that 2-cycle is probably better for T-heads.
George, will check these settings.And use them. I only have been using the electric pump when starting. Will try from a cold start. The previous owner also used MMO. Good stuff!
My 1920 Cadillac is touchy on gasoline. I have added about a gallon kerosine to 20 gallons gas. The Caddilac runs fuel through an exhaust manifold to help raise the volatility of 1920 gas. It causes vapor lock with modern fuels. I blocked that off, but can be prone to vapor lock. Does the Pierce have the same procedure?
Greg, I just added 22 gallons over the five gallons on the first drive. I drove less than two miles. I added gas until it stopped when it hit the end of the filling nozzle. I left about 5 inches of airspace. The tank was pressurized when I opened to fill up.
Peter, my SN is 14727, thanks for my mistake. Will correct
You are all welcome to visit anytime. We are planning to attend the Mini-Meet.
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Gas filler, closed
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Bill,
Is your Triumph gas gauge mounted on the gas tank, if so, you should contact Wayne Hancock (727-422-8845), a PAS member, for the Triumph Gas gauge.
He made excellent reproductions.
They are pricy, but they cost him a lot to reproduce.
Supply Wayne with the measurements of your gauge and perhaps it will fit.
He made them for the Series 80 / 81 gas tanks, but your photo sure looks like what he reproduced.
Good luck!
Peter
George,
This weekend I can get the bottle that contains two cycle oil which has the mix written on the outside and get this information to you.When I had my C-3 checked out right after I got the car,we found a fuel mix with a very small amount of two cycle oil along with the car’s belly pan in place made for a beautiful running machine.In my other antique cars,I use Marvel Mystery Oil in the gasoline.Too much and a Pierce Arrow will smoke like a Trabi.
Bill,
In looking at your fuel tank cap,it appears an extra ring has been attached to the ears on the cap so as to be able to remove it by hand rather than having to use the special wrench in the tool kit to remove it.The cap should look like the top of a medieval castle.
Bill,
I had trouble cold starting my early Pierce. I switched to premium and my
troubles went away. I know that seems contrary to logic, but it works for me.
It saved my cranking arm and P-A didn’t include a compression release.
Tony,
You may be getting too old to drive that car and should sell it to me.
Merry Christmas
Rich
They should be able to start on the spark.My C-3 can do it and I have cranked when the battery was low.It was not difficult.The 36UU and the C-3 have the same ignition system.The Series 4’s got a whole new system.You just would not want to do this on a busy highway.