Making progress on my Series 80

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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….

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A shot of the engine

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Passenger side

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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

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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!

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Congrats on the progress.

The engine is looking great!

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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…

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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…

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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.

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By the way…….it looks great!

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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!

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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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