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Link with photos below.
Pierce-Arrow: An Heirloom for Auto-Racing Royalty
The Son of Formula One Champion Phil Hill Shows Off an 83-Year-Old Classic Car
Derek Hill, car enthusiast and son of racing champion Phil Hill, on his family’s 1931 Pierce-Arrow, as told to A.J. Baime:
The story of the 1931 Pierce-Arrow LeBaron Town Car Cabriolet is, in a sense, the story of my family. My great-aunt loved cars; she bought this one in September 1930. It was delivered to her Santa Monica, Calif., home, where my father later lived, and where I live now.
Third-Generation Legacy
The car has had the same parking spot for 83 years.
It was a lavish automobile to own during the Depression. My father was delivered to school each morning in the car, and he would sink in the back seat because he was embarrassed. But he inherited my great-aunt’s love of cars. He restored the Pierce-Arrow [which some call a 41 LeBaron Convertible Town Cabriolet] in 1953 and spent the rest of his life racing and restoring automobiles.
He is still today the only American-born driver to win the Formula One world championship. Of all the cars he drove, the Pierce-Arrow was one he truly cherished.
When I was 17, a neighbor asked me if I would chauffeur his daughter to her wedding in the Pierce-Arrow. It was a proud moment, because it was the first time my father let me drive one of the family’s classic cars solo.
My father and great-aunt have passed on, but the Pierce-Arrow still runs smoothly. When I drive it, I imagine them in the car too, smiling from ear to ear.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304011304579220093213340718
Some nice pictures in the article after the jump.
Great to see a car that is still in the family since new.
Thank you Stuart & Clara,
A very nice piece for Thanksgiving reading!
My roster doesn’t show Mr. Hill as a member of the club. He likely has a wealth of knowledge that would be useful to us, and the club members have an incredible knowledge base for him.
Great post. Thanks for sharing!
Phill was very active in the hobby for many years. He had HCCA as well as CCCA cars among others. Back in the 80’s I was a guest at his shop and got a tour. Hill & Vaughn. A very impressive place. He had the family 31 Pierce along with a bunch of Packards. Most of his cars are in a private collection in Palo Alto, and if you go to this winters board meeting, you will probably see them on the tours. He passed away in 2008.
Episode 31 of “Chasing Classic Cars” debuted in early November with Wayne Carini visiting Derek at the Hill family home. Both the 1931 Pierce and a 1912 Packard were featured. Watch for the re-runs. They had trouble cranking over the Packard, but the Pierce fired right up! 
As for a personal story, my closest brush with racing greatness came when I helped Phil Hill put the top down on his Locomobile on a Modoc Tour some 10 or 11 years ago.
And a Happy Thnksgiving to all…….
The “Chasing Classic Cars” episode with Derek Hill mentioned above will be rebroadcast tonight (Thurs, Nov 28) at 9:30 EST on the Velocity Channel. As I recall, Wayne takes the Pierce for a drive around the neighborhood.
The current issue of Hemmings Classic Car Magazine has an article on Phil Hill and his contribution to the collector car hobby / industry and his impact on the Pebble Beach Concours.
There in not only a pic of him, but of he and his lovely, 1931 Pierce-Arrow LeBaron Town Car Cabriolet, on the winner’s stand at Pebble Beach.