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I saw a 1931 LeBaron that sold for $154,000. Eight-cylinder is good. I am not wanting to enter concourses with it. I do want excellent to good condition. I would like to do some long-term touring.
That was a nice car, I followed it for thirty years. Drove it at the auction. It was a steal for the price it sold for. You won’t find one like that again for the price, car was 98 points and drove 100 percent.
Thanks, Ed. Good to know. Did not know if it was a baseline. A steal raises the bar. 90 points would be fine. Also exploring a few other high-end marques. I like an open car. Convertible. Four doors. Mid to early 30s. Roll-up windows, no side curtains. Don’t need a 12cyl. 8 is fine.
Something will pop up.
Give me a call before you pull the trigger on a car. Ed
Yes, that ’31 LeBaron looked lovely. Ed, good to get a sense of the market to know that was a steal; it sure seemed like a lot of car for the money.
Bill,
Here’s a year newer with 4 more cylinders that you’re looking for.
It may be worth “a look” nonetheless.
Good look with your “chase,”
Stu
1933 PIERCE-ARROW TWELVE CONVERTIBLE SEDAN BY LEBARON, RM SOTHEBY’S AMELIA ISLAND 2018, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2018
The 1933 1242 & 1247 long wheelbase cars use a more upright grille than the other 1933’s. That gives a look closer to the 1932 and also uses the 1932 body shells as a starting point.
There is a definite advantage to the Stewart-Warner Power Brake that is used on all 1933’s.
Dave
The 1933-35 Stewart Warner power brakes are very effective when you’re moving–the faster the speed, the greater the power assist, but are downright scary when you’re barely moving. Worst case is backing downhill to parallel park, when there seems to be a one-second lag before anything happens.
Additionally, with that system, the brake pedal does NOT drop as the brake linings wear, so add a brake adjustment at 3,000 miles to your maintenance schedule. If you don’t do it on that schedule, your first inkling that you should have adjusted your brakes is when you slide through a stop sign or light–or worse, collide with the rear of a stopped vehicle.
As long as you mind those aspects, you’ll love that system. And the minor brake adjustment can be done in 30 minutes or less.
To add to George’s comments:
There actually is an indication of the brake shoe wear: The hand brake is directly linked to the brake linkage AFTER the power brake system.. So the hand brake operates on all 4 wheels, and if the hand brake travel is getting longer, and near the end of it’s travel, this tells you the brake shoes have a lot of clearance to the drums.. and the brakes need adjusting.. soon!
The brake adjusters are large, exposed hex nuts on the backing plates of the brakes.. The nut has a ‘clicker’ ball-check system holding the nut in place.. The adjustment procedure is to jack up the wheel, or the whole axle, turn the nut by hand, [the nut can easily be turned by hand], until the brakes drag on the drum, then back off until there is no drag, but to count the number of clicks you back the nut off, and use the same number of clicks on the opposite wheel’s adjustment, this keeps the brakes balanced left to right..
If you are out on a tour, and you have used ‘plenty’ of your brakes.. and you notice your hand brake lever’s travel is pretty long, then you can do a quick reduction of the shoe to drum clearance.. without needing a jack to lift the wheels.. First this should be only done on the front brakes, since they wear the most, about 65%-70% of the braking action is done by the front brakes..
With the car on level ground, and the car’s wheels blocked, at least one wheel is chocked to prevent the car from moving: release the hand brake, and turn the adjusting nut on each front brake clockwise just 3 or 4 clicks.. Repeat the same number of clicks on the other front wheel.. Then go and see that the hand brake travel is shorter: this confirms you have reduced the shoe to drum clearance. Do not use more clicks than you KNOW on YOUR car will only take up clearance and not cause the shoes to drag on the drums !!
I tested this procedure on my cars, then took notes on the relationship of the hand brake travel and the number of clicks it took to bring the brake adjustment up to the minimum clearance.. So I know on my cars, and on George’s car, that when the hand brake lever has ‘X’ amount of travel, then the shoes need adjusting, and using 3 or 4 clicks will take up much of the excess shoe clearance WITHOUT risking the brakes dragging..
Obviously, at the next opportunity perform a full ‘lift each wheel’ and do a proper adjustment. The above adjustment is meant to be a ‘get the car safely back home’ procedure.
I have many times demonstrated these Steward Warner power brakes with this procedure: In fact I did it in Minden Nevada with a PAS member driving George’s Silver Arrow !
I sit in the right front seat, the car is on the road, doing roughly 50 mph.. the traffic is clear.. I hold up my left hand with just the index finger up, out of my fist.
I tell the driver to use all the throttle if he wants, but do his best to hold his speed, and that I’ll only use ‘this’ finger..
I proceed to lean over and press on the brake pedal, with one finger, the car is swiftly brought down to 20mph.. even with full throttle being used to try to keep the car at 50mph. This system is an amazingly powerful way to reduce the brake pedal pressure needed on our big cars.
Greg Long
So THAT’s why I had to adjust my brakes after you went home after the Minden meet! 
Naw. it was because we drove it from San Leandro, up over the pass past Lake Tahoe, drove it on ALL the tours, and then drove it back the long way via Napa valley then finally back to San Leandro… LOTs of miles on hills and and passes..
Greg
Using only one finger’s worth of pressure on the brake pedal is impressive stopping power, indeed.
You know, this is what I love about this club. I was just reading some of the letters to the editor in Hemmings Classic Car, and one writer was saying that he stayed away from the classic car scene because so many of the clubs were so stuffy and loaded with one upmanship. This is my third year in this club, and I have I seen nothing but friendly helpful people. I got my first classic car, my first Pierce, last fall. Having never had a car like this before, I ask a lot of what must appear to be stupid questions. I shoot out a question on the forum, and I get a ton of answers. Really glad to be part of all of this.
Ken, there is no finer, friendlier and helpful group of enthusiasts anywhere.
I am extremely thankful to be a part of this great group of folks.
It’s a great bunch of people………..
I second Craig’s comment and could not agree more. I always agree with Ed 
Robert
RM Auctions – Amelia Island results, Saturday, March 10th:
The 1933 P-A 1247 Twelve convertible sedan by LeBaron, sold for $335,000.
Ed Minnie – are you the lucky high bidder?
I was having a little trouble swallowing RM’s pitch that the LeBaron
Convertible Sedan was the second most desirable Pierce-Arrow after
the Silver Arrows. The $335K was puny compared with what big brass ones,
66 HP teens, Fatty Arbuckle’s, have brought in the past. What would the
only and last 1938 Pierce Convertible bring in number one condition? I
know of a ’30’s V12 Conv’t. that was shown at Pebble Beach that had
multiples of the price RM received, in restoration costs. One of our finest
members was displaying it. I for one, would like to see one of the double
decker, over night sleeper, busses restored and see what it would bring.
In this same RM auction, a second P-A, a 1919 Model 31 Vestibule Suburban, sold for $86,800.
Gents,
I had the honor of riding what was then Tom Williams’ 1931, Model 41, 147 inch W-B, LeBaron Convertible Victoria, and I can tell you that it was a MONSTER to ride in.
Who knows what it was like to drive.
It sold for $456,000.00 including buyer’s & seller’s premiums (George Teebay just reminded me).
George indicates that the Hammer Price was likely $415,000.00.
Even though my Uncle Joe, from whose estate I purchased my Series 80, bought Rolls-Royce cars and Bentley cars, that 1931 Model 41 is likely the most expensive motorcar in which I ever had occasion to ride.
Not to disrespect Uncle Joe, he liked to be driven around, so when visiting him I always drove his current CREWE machines.
I’m waiting for California so that I can hitch a ride in George’s newest P-A acquisition.
Oh yeah, and on one of Tony’s too.
Peter
