Greetings from a new member

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Hi David, from what I know, it’s not a fake, it is one of only a handfull built. I think 5 or 7 roadsters were built with the V12. The V12 in ’32 was usually put in limo’s and big sedans.

And ’32 was the last year for a roadster, in ’33 the convertible coupe replaced the roadster as the only 2 passenger car with or without a rumble seat.

This roadster has a lot of items that need to be fluffed up to be a show car.. Some plating is getting old, the engine bay needs detailing, and some other items I can’t remember right now. I don’t believe it needs a lot, but this is what happens at auctions, it only takes two people who have plenty of money, and a strong desire to become the next owner, and the price goes through the roof.

Greg Long

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It needs a lots…….missing the correct wipers, wrong lenses in the lights, driver door falling off, the car was a 70’s repaint and then it was driven 55 thousand miles by the last two owners. Paint is poor, leather is not correct, don’t get me wrong….I like the car and it is real, just that it needs a total do over. My best guess was 30k just to get it patched up to be able to use it as is. That’s 450 for a very old and tired car that’s never had a total restoration.

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Hi Greg,

I thought the difference between a “roadster” and a convertible coupe was a roadster has side curtains, while the convertible coupe has roll-up windows? I believe the same applies to a phaeton vs a convertible sedan? Not to be confused with a “tourer” that has glass (roll-up windows) on its’ front doors and side curtains over the rear doors-from the door glass back. Greg Lovrich has a 1932, Model 54 Tourer.

If correct, the ’32 pictured above is a coupe convertible. One can plainly see the roll-up door window on its’ right front door.

Some how or another, Pierce catalogs labeled their 1936 convertible coupes as “roadsters.” Go figure!

Bob

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Hi Bob, yep, you are right, now that I look I can see the top of the window in the door. I’m not sure if Pierce called this body style a roadster or a convertible coupe. I’d not put it past the folks at RM to have chosen the term they used: ‘Convertible Roadster’.

There certainly IS a lot of ‘blurring’ of the terminology.

I know that in from ’28, through ’32, there were convertible coupes, the ones through ’30 had an upright windshield, and very square upright top. With folding framework for the side windows, that when folded and ‘stacked’ behind the seat, were almost as tall as the top of the windshield.

And at the same time through at least ’31, there were also ‘roadsters’ for sale along side the Convertible Coupes.

In 1931, the Convertible coupe got a nice slanted windshield a nicer stowed top and bows. Tony Zappone’s ’31 had this attractive body style.

There is a ’31 Convertible Coupe for sale by Hyman Ltd in St Louis, they describe the car as a ‘Coupe Roadster’.

I think Packard usually called this body style a ‘convertible roadster’.. to confuse the issue more.

I need to go through my Pierce Arrow sales brochures and see what I can find. I fear that the sales and marketing people were not consistent.

Greg Long

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1931 was the last year that Pierce built both a roadster (on the small chassis) and a convertible coupe (on the large chassis). From 1932 through 1938, only one size 2-passenger (or 4 with rumble seat) open car was built, and they were all, 1932 through 1938, called “Convertible Coupe Roadsters.” Greg – beat ya to looking up these years in my sales lit.

Happy New Year to all,

Bob Jacobsen

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Bob is correct. BUT there was a 32 roadster, and possibly one 33 roadster built. I’ll see if I can find the photos that I have of the 32 V-12 roadster. It’s a “factory”” photo.

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The same slant windshield convertible coupe was available in 1930. It was a Derham bodied car, and John Steckbeck is restoring an example. From 1931 through the end, Pierce Arrow used this Derham design. i.e. a small roadster like top, no landau irons, and a slanting windshield. Whether Pierce bought this design from Derham, or just took it I don’t know. If that ’32 Pierce was Don Meyer’s, I thought someone told me the car started life as an 8 cylinder. I could be wrong, but that is my memory, and any other feedback would be interesting. This discussion 8 cyl vs 12 has come up before, and apparently factory serial numbers do not tell us whether the car started life with an 8 or 12. The small tops on these 31 and 32 cars anyway, not so much on the last years, really don’t have much of a place to park. They bunch up when lowered. My car was a much prettier car with the top up, than when it was down.

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The 1932 v12 convertible coupe has always been a V12.

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Just to clarify the price on the blue ’29 roadster in Hemmings. The asking price is $135,000. And contrary to previous discussions, I won’t take a lot less for it. It’s a real nice car.

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To Rick LeRoy: Note how the horn is mounted ‘behind’ the parking light. That is the same adapter I sold you! To get this effect you have to have this part, and 90% of the cars with horns mount them from the cross bar, which is incorrect and makes the horns tend to point down a bit. Note too, that the wiring comes out of the this adapter for the horn.

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Eddie, how can you be so sure?

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Robert, while not roadsters, 2 Pierce Arrows on eBay right now. I’m sure some of the members can give you the run down on these vehicles.

James

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This afternoon, lot 143 at Gooding & Co’s Scottsdale, AZ 2015 auction, the below pictured 1933 Pierce-Arrow 1247 LeBaron convertible sedan sold for $315,000, or $15k above its high pre-auction estimate of $250-$300k.

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I was at the auction and inspected the var for a customer. Avery nice car that has had paint, new top, and other work on it over the years. I would guess it’s a 85 point car. Nice driver. A 100 point example of the same car sold for 660k about 4 years ago.

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Not that I can or ever will be able to afford either one, but I’d MUCH rather have that 1247 Lebaron Convertible sedan tan that ’32 v12 roadster., and the sale price on the LeBaron Sedan is $90K less.

That convertible sedan is for me, the ultimate Pierce Arrow from the ’30s, only the ’33 Silver Arrow has more Pzazz !

Greg Long

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Ed, Do you know who bought the car?

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I am not sure. My customer was not planning to bid as high as the upper range stated in the catalog. It’s a great car, maybe we will get a new PAS member if he is new to Pierce Arrow cars.

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