- Home
- About Us
- Join/Renew
- Member Benefits
- Member Pages
- Log In
- Help
- Museum Store
Save yourself a lot of grief. 9 out of ten open Pierces of the thirties with exposed wiper motors are running on chrome model a Ford motors which fit the space, and work perfectly. The original motors, (I had them for my ’31) have a little more filigree decoration. The nonsense plating them, and getting innards to fit, etc. are exasparating. I sold them to a purist and left the Model A ones in the car.
No this is the later one.
You must chrome the louvers. I have been there. The difference is undescribable.
Eddie, how can you be so sure?
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.
First of all Greg, I think your dog is a much nicer and not snobby version of the RCA dog, who I knew personally. The picture of Timothy’s (I assume Seagrave) “Cities’ Service” fire engine really brought back memories. In Brockport, N.Y. Two of the three fire companies had Seagrave trucks. When the whistle blew the code for the North end of the village, we would go outside to see where it was going. Chubby Churchill was always the first to reach the 12 cylinder pierce powered open pumper. It was Capen Hose Co. open cab, painted a light gray. They called themselves the Grey Ghosts. He would come over the Erie canal lift bridge doing about 70. a roaring, last vestige of the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Co. I was a volunteer, there was an incredible fascination with riding on the back (can’t do that anymore) and open cabs. No more of that either. Everyone must be inside, strapped inside in child seats. No wonder young people don’t want to be volunteer firemen anymore. Sorry for the aside, but that Pierce powered picture brought back memories.
Greg: Guys like you and Eddie are very talented, and can bail your way out of many critical mechanical situations. I have always had someone to do these things for me, especially for the years we were in the car/garage business. Again with three 6 volt installations, 36 Pierce and ’41 Cadillac,(negative ground) 47 Cad, positive ground. I never have experienced any operational problems. The 58 Cad is pos. ground. The unit has not been in the ’36 that long, but hopefully the reliability trend will continue.
Eddie has a point about where does an old car end, and a hot rod begin. I am a firm believer that if an intolerable situation exists (points obviously being more intolerable for some), and if its hidden do it. We must realize, there are at least 6 20’s and thirties Pierces running around with 1980 Ford pickup Muncie transmission with overdrive conversions. They have permitted people with crash boxes to tour easier, and provide ease of driving. Yes,there is a fine line, one must be comfortable with the idea that most elements of the car are preserved, and outright rods (like the ones at the last Buffalo meet) must still be parked by the dumpster at Tinney Cadillac.
By the way, if the ignition point system was such hot stuff, why don’t cars have them anymore?
Ten years ago, (at least) I had Pertonix installed in my ’41 Cad, (since sold), my ’47 Cad. and my ’58 Cad. I am older than Eddy, probably not as mechanically accomplished as David, and prior to those installations, I had hitchhiked in with points failure a half dozen times. Never did I have trouble starting either of those two 6 volt cars with the Pertonix. Because of the cam lubrication drying up and points closing up, I had the Pertonix installed. Make sure you buy the new high powered coil that goes with the system. This spring Pertonix made a unit for my 1936 Pierce. I swear it starts quicker, is more nimble, etc. This authenticity stuff is great. But for a guy who use to have all kinds of people to do my work for me, I find Pertonix to be a wonderful addition to my little fleet.
The spotlight on the fender may be a clue to this car’s history. Does the interior have narrow pleated seats?
I am of the opinion that one of the biggest problems with bearing material today, is that there a lot of people out there who don’t know how to manufacture babbit or pour it properly. After two different failures on my ’36 (material breaking into many pieces)the car now has insert bearings. Yet, inspecting the bearing surfaces on my recently sold 31, the bearings were at manufacturers’ tolerances and great looking after 30 years.
I have had a cream and maroon large round knob on my’36 Convertible Sedan for probably 40 years. It is really pretty, and I like it. For all the time I had my ’31, I had a green and cream knob. I am at the time in my life, I don’t much care what anyone else thinks.
There would be no doubt in my mind (especially on a complete restoration) to plate the louvers. On my 31, when the car was parked the massive chrome front looked great. I was not sure they were available on a 29 or not.
It is amazing how these discussions resurrect themselves. I have recently bought Seafoam. Seems to work well, anyone else have any experience with Seafoam?
Mind what you buy. Someone in Pa. was making them years ago, and I bought one for an 833 Packard phaeton. The attaching brackets are the most important part. These were poorly mad copies of the originals, and mounting the stone guard was all but impossible. Also keep in mind that the wire pattern can be little “squares” or a very pretty woven pattern. Mind you know what you are buying, and check with someone who has one in hand. I don’t know whether 1929 offered the chrome plated louvers, but that is the way I would go.
If anyone would know, or has had them made it would be Bob Sands. For as many late series cars he has done, many of them were incomplete. Ask him.
Did that 1930 Model A Cabriolet use to belong to Gene Cofer in Georgia?
As far as the wipers are concerned, 90 percent of the cars I see have Model A Ford chrome plated motors installed. I had the original motors for my ’31, they had a lot of engraving, etc. It is expensive and a nuisance to jump through the plating, rebuilding hoops, etc. I finally sold them. Many people are upset when you tell them they have Model A wiper motors. You buy them all plated, put them on, case closed.
I had read that fish scales were used in the first metallic paint.
I think it was Howard Ehmann’s space.
