P-A in Russia

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We have a member on the Facebook page that is looking for any information on Pierce-Arrow cars & trucks that were sold & exported to Russia.

This gentlemen has quite a few photos of Pierce-Arrow cars in Russia before the 1917 Revolution and has shared some of them on the Museum’s Facebook page. (one example is shown)

This gentlemen lives in Russia, and has written an article for Mercedes magazine dealing with the Tsar’s extensive collection of motor vehicles prior to 1917 and claims the Tsar had no Pierce-Arrow in his collection.

If we have any information dealing with Pierce-Arrows sent to Russia during this time, I would like to be able to forward this information to him. Thank you for your help.

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Thank you Paul Jacobs for your response…it is very much appreciated.

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Certainly a fine picture. The spotlight must be for spotting rioting

Bolsheviks in the distance.

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This is one of the 290 Pierce Arrow C-3 automobiles that were shipped to Russia in latter 1915 along with a huge truck order.The serial number range of these vehicles were in a PAS “Arrow”” of about 20 years ago.One of the cars in this serial number range does survive in Europe today.Contact some years back with a Russian collector indicates none of these cars survive in Russia today.A large number of 1914-1915 Packard Sixes also went to Russia.”

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Somewhere I have a picture of one of the Packards with skis attached to the

front wheels.

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Tony,

I know the photo as it has been in several antique car books.Alexander Kerensky had a C-3 Pierce Arrow.There is a photo of him standing in the tonneau at the front.It is in a book on the war leading up to the Russian Revolution.He drove out of Russia in this Pierce Arrow under pursuit.There is a possibility that the car in Europe today may be his car.He went to France first but the car ended up in Norway and was cut down in the 1920’s to make a tractor.It has since been made back into a car.In Kerensky’s case,he went from France to New York City where he taught at Columbia University until he passed away in 1970.As for the Packards Trotsky had a Packard Six.In 1932 Intourist purchased a group of Lincoln V8 Phaetons for tourist purposes.The Russian government at this time used Packards with later Molotov having a 1937 Packard.The story of Ford in Russia is very interesting.

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One of the 1915 38-C-3’s belonging to PAS member Bent Pedersen at Aabybro, Denmark may well be the Kerensky car.

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Paul,

Bent’s son Joergen now has the car.With what they had and a frame I found for them in Colorado They were able to make it back into a car.Bent and Joergen came to New Mexico then went up to get the frame and and arrange shipment to Denmark.They also got a nice taste of southwest cuisine at Sadies here in Albuquerque.Joergen and a friend came through Albuuerque on motorcycles in 2015.We had dinner at Duran’s and they showed me photos of the car and it is running.They fitted a reproduction C-4 body.We think it is the Kerensky car.

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Bill,

There are two 38-C-3 five passenger touring cars belonging to the Pedersens. The serial numbers are 35146 and 36048. Do you know which is the Kerensky car?

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Paul,

The car that may be the Kerensky car is #36048 as this number was in the range of numbers on cars shipped to Russia published in the “Arrow” in the 1990’s.I had all the trucks listed too that went there also.This car when they got it was the front part of the frame engine and gearbox and a bunch of loose parts as it had been cut down in the 20’s to build a tractor.the number 36048 was on the engine plate.The number 35146 was on the Colorado frame and had the rear axle,springs,front axle and other parts so with what they had ad these parts were able to be close to a complete chassis.The had enough parts left so they made a copy of the Colorado frame and were able to build up a second car.Oivind has photos of 36048 before it was cut down and it has unusual bracket headlamps and they could have been of Russian manufacture or perhaps French manufacture.It appears the brightwork was painted giving the car military look.

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Bill,

I believe the cars were shipped from England in two lots. What are the ranges of serial numbers.

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Paul,

If you can do an online search of previous “Arrow”” that issue should surface.I can try to look here but I believe it was the latter 1990’s.Shipping from England would have been risky with the U-Boats patrolling the ocean.I would suspect they went from the US to some safe port.The US was neutral in late 1915.”

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There is some mention of Pierce Arrows being shipped to Russia in the new book out on Charles Clifton.

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